Eating My Way through Taiwan Part 2: The Garden of Eden

I'll let the pictures do most of the talking...but just a word on Taiwan's fruit: it's the best. My favorite is the Shi-Jia Guo, or "custard apple." I can't explain it, you'll just have to try it. Anyway, this tropical island is bursting at the seams with good fruit - and everyone loves it, natives and visitors.

Star fruit, growing wildly. I can't really describe the taste - sort of zesty citron and a little remniscent of plum. Lots of fruit grows wildly - like bananas or coconuts. It's awesome.

A fruit aisle in a posh store at the 101 building. The green fruit is the custard apple. They have a new breed, the pineapple custard apple, which is heavenly. Taiwanese are so into their fruit that they're always finding ways to improve it or create new varieties.

Okay, it's not a fruit, but this woman is shaving (at the request of my mom) sugar cane for us so we can munch on it in the bus. You take a bite off a stalk and enjoy the yummy, sugary, cane-y juices, and then spit out the remaining pulp. You can kinda feel like an elephant. Munch, munch.

Fresh coconuts for sale! The lady at the stand chops off the top with one whack of her machete and then sticks a straw in for you so you can drink the coconut juice.

Ah, yes, at the night market in Sa-Lu. See how each fruit is placed in its own little sock with care.

Okay, I'm cheating. This is in Thailand. This is the world's tiniest banana. Actually, it's not properly a banana, but I don't remember the name. A little more fragrant - flower-y - tasting than the usual we have in the States.

Also in Thailand, but Taiwan has both these fruits also. This is the rambutan, half-peeled. It is basically like a lychee - but I don't think it has as much flavor.

To be continued. (I can't stop writing about food. Is that a problem?)