Flavoring Straws 變換口味的吸管...神奇吸管

About 2 weeks ago I saw a news in Taiwan Yahoo, it was about flavoring straws. I remember I have seen this news long time ago now it's an interesting news again, but this time I finally know the inventor is a grandpa who wants grandson to drink milk in Australia. Now the Flavoring Straws might makes kids like milk more.

大約二星期以前我在雅虎奇摩看到一則關於神奇吸管的新聞，我記得在好久以前就已經在電視新聞看過這報導，現在神奇吸管又再度成為熱門話題，只是這一次我才知道原來神奇吸管的發明者是一位澳洲爺爺為了他不愛喝牛奶的孫子所發明的，現在神奇吸管也許讓小孩子更喜歡牛奶了！

So I went to super market and bought a box of Flavoring Straws and want to try what it taste like. Well, it's really amazing, the flavoring actually changed, but I think it's a little bit sweet for adult but I am sure kids would love it. There are many flavoring like cookies and cream, chocolate, strawberry, banana and you could choose your favorite flavoring to enjoy to drink milk.

所以我到超級市場買了一盒十支的神奇吸管來試試，真的還蠻神奇的，口味真的改變但是我想對大人來說有點太甜，不過小孩子應該真的會喜歡，神奇吸管有很多種口味，我看到有巧克力奶油餅乾、草莓、巧克力和香蕉口味，你也可以選擇你最喜歡的一種然後盡情享受喝牛奶的樂趣。

If you don't like to drink milk as well then I suggest you try it and many you would change your mind about milk!

如果你也不喜歡喝牛奶那我建議你試試神奇吸管，也許你會改變對喝牛奶的看法唷！

I have download the video I made, hope you enjoy it.
我有製作了個短片介紹神奇吸管，希望你會喜歡唷！

Taroko... National Park in Taiwan

Taroko is aboriginal in Taroko National Park, it was "Truku" but Japanese started to call them "Taroko" druing Japan still control Taiwan, and that's why this land names TAROKO.
You have to visit here if you you come to Taiwan because here have many wonderful view you never seen before. You know my english is broke so maybe can't not explain it very well but I would try.
In Taroko national park have many trails and you could see different view in each trails, like Shakadang trail, you could walk beside the Shakadang River and see lots different bugs and animals. Shakadang River is very green and the trail made on cliff. It made by japanese because they built a power-station in Li-Wu River and need a dam in Shakadang River as well, so they need this trail to dam when emergency. Shakadang trail long 4500M and suit family tour.
Besides aboriginal culture, here is another histroy about Taroko. In 1960, a high way from east to west is finish. It's not just a way to west from Hualien, it also need to through the mountains and river. It was a difficult work in Taroko. The 70% worker are veteran servicemans, they were fight for our country and moved to Taiwan with government. They start to build the high way in 1956. In 50 years ago, we don't have high technology to build this road in Taiwan, besides Hualien have earthquake, typhoon those natural disaster and terrain is very dangerous, so they couldn't use large machines to dig the cliff. They only could dig the cliff by chisel and hammer, move the rocks by their hands. My dad is a part of them and everytime when he talking about it, he just can't forget how difficult it was. There were 211 worker dead for bulid this way and it finally finished in 1960. Now we got a name in Chang Chun temple of people dead for this road and try to pacify their soul. Also we can't forget what's those people have done for us.
There are many different view and story about Taroko, if you have interested in it, I suggest you visit Taroko's official website: http://www.taroko.gov.tw/ In this website, you could get many information about Taroko and also many good pics. Hope you enjoy it!

Things in Taiwan

I come from a small island names TAIWAN. You might heard it before, or you even don't know where is it, no matter what, you can know it more in my blog if you have interested in TAIWAN.
As I said Taiwan is a small island but we got 319 towns and villages, you could see different things in each towns and villages. Such as in my home town HuaLien, we have wonderful coast, but also have great mountains, I could say people from HuaLien all proud of it. Of course others cities in Taiwan also worth to visit, Taiwan... Small but diversified.
I have met some aussie friends in Taiwan, althought they were stranger for me, but after talk to each other for a while we just becames friends. It's good to make new friend especially show them around my hometown because I like to travel around as well, I know what's the feeling about someone would like to help you in a strange country. I met some friends from America, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand so far and havd showed them around Hualien and was hoping they really like my country. Now I'm live in Australia but would back to Taiwan soon, and I will still keep introduce my country to you. Welcome to Taiwan! We are waiting for your visit...

Discount time in MOTHER NATURES

Mother Natures is celebrating their 1 year old birthday. You could got really cheap goods at the moment. Borecole is 99C per kg now!! I have cheak another market the borecole is 3.99 AUD per kg, well, 99C per kg is very cheap. Go and cheak by yourself..... Hurry!!!

Fried Eggs With Tomatos

In chinese dish we have fried eggs with tomatos as well.My aussie boyfriend said he have done that before but don't taste mine and he really love it. Fried eggs with tomato should be a little bit sweet but not very sweet. It's very easy to make it.

1. Chop tomato, lettuce and some spring onion.

2. Add oil in fried pan and wait until oil hot, add tomato.

3. Fried tomato about 40 secs, add the crush egg.

4. Add salt and sugar, it's all depend on you want it salty or sweet.

5. Add lettuce and spring onion and fried with eggs and tomato about 3o secs.

6. Done.

Sweet And Sour Pork

Lots westerner love this dish, how about you? You can find out many different sweet and sour sauce in every big supermarket like Coles, Bi-lo or Woolwoths, even in asian supermarket. Because people want to save time and brand sauce could do that, or maybe you don't know how to flavor sweet and sour sauce. It's ok, no matter you want to use the brand sauce or make it by yourself, I could show you how to do it.Point: Use oil to fried the pork and how to flavor your own sauce.

Ingredient:Pork meat ( in Taiwan we use pork chop as well, but need to chop it smaller)Vegetables( carrot, capsicum, cucumber, mushroom, onion. You can put tomato and pineapple as well, only if the vegetable suit sweet and sour sauce, why not?)

1. Before coat the pork, should preserve it with salts, sugar, soy sauce, rice wine for 15-20 minutes.

2. Beat an egg first, then cover pork with flour, egg, and flour again.

3. Strat to fried the pork. Put some oil to the pot until it warm. If you don't know if it warm or not just put a small piece onion, if there is many bubbles around the onion, it means the oil get ready.

4. Put the pork into pot carefully, I don't think you want to burn yourself cause of hot oil. Fried it until the coat become golden. But remember check firepoewr all the time, because if oil too hot, the coat would look golden soon but inside would be still not ripe yet, then you might burn porks. When porks floats on oil, that mean it ripe and take it out from pot.

5. You can deep fried the vegetables as well, it would make vegetables look more colorful in the dish but not too long, maybe around 30 secs.

6. Start to make sauce if you would like to make it by yourself. Put some oil and fried onion and other vegetables around 1 minute, now you can smell some aroma from friedpan then put some water. Before it boil, you can put salt, sugar, vinegar, tomato sauce, If you want to sweet or sour then put more sugar or vinegar.

7. Use corn flour with water to thicken the sauce, put the fried pork and mix it with sauce. Finish!8. If you want the vegetables taste more crisp, then make the sauce first and mix it with pork and sauce.

Where to shopping?

Where do you go to shopping usually? Maybe you like to do shopping in some big supermarket like Coles, Bi-lo or Woolwoths, or some supermarket close your house? No matter what, fresh and cheap food always important for consumer that's why the supermarkets offer discount every week. Such as Coles, Bi-lo and Woolworths, if you like meats like lamp, beef or pork, they would offer 20-50% discount in every few days. The supermarket staff would paste new price around 3.30-5.00pm. If you are patient, you could buy fresh meat and only need to pay 50-80% price, vegetables, fruit and bread as well. If you need to buy others stuff, don't forget their own brand is a good choice too, the price always cheaper but you don't have to worry about the quality. Such as flavoring, frozen food, sanitary utensils etc., there always lots choice for you.But I am an asian, I use to asian food, so where I could shop? If you are in Brisbane then you would know there are many asian supermarket in Vally and different supermarket have different price for same things. You could get chinese, viet, indian, korean, japanese ingredient in Vally. For me, I like to go to a chinese supermarket names BURLINGTON. I think the owner from HK but you can get many different ingredient right here, and I also can find many stuff from Taiwan as well. Be honest, I am really happy could see some foods from Taiwan because I miss home sometimes. In this supermarket, you can get every ingredients you need to cook for chinese dish, and of course it would be always good quality and lower price.So if you are going to try to make chinese dish at home, suggest you go to shopping first and make sure you get everything you need. Good luck!
PS. Lately I use to go to a supermarket names MOTHER NATURES, the located in Westfield shopping center. The vegetables and fruits are fresh and have really good price right here. If you don't mind the vegetable and fruits near expiration, then you could get really cheap price in discount trolley and save some money. My aussie boyfriend think shop in MOTHER NATURES is relaxing, because the staff here is very friendly and happy, especially the owner always has a cute hat on his head. If you are in Brisbane then maybe you should come here next time.

Cooking book...

Have you tried to cook chinese food with cooking book? I am sure you have done that before, my aussie boyfriend has 2 books like that but he even don't know how to cook aussie food. Why he bought it then? Haha, I still wondering why. Anyway, I believe lots people have tried to cook chinese food at home, just need to get a cooking book and follow the step. Of course I do that as well but I don't follow the book 100%. The reason is the book can teach me the basic step, like what kind of flavoring or ingredient should in the dish, but the flavor maybe not actually I wanted. Like sweet and sour pork, some people like it more sweet or sour so you have to put different amount in your dish, it's all depend on what you want to taste in your dish. See my point? Book could teach the step but don't let it totally limit your cooking, sometimes you would have nice experience if put your own idea in your dish. But remember, right flavoring with right ingredient would create amazing food, even you fail this time just try again. Get a good cooking book and create your own flavor!

Sharing Cooking Experience

Do you like chinese food as well?
Maybe because lots people from China, Hong kong and Taiwan in australia, so I can see many chinese restaurant and take away shop right here. You know, that really surprised me, I feel good because so many westerner crush on our food culture. But the point is: why so expensive if you want to have some chinese food? I don't understand why but I reckon because I am in australia, you have to pay tax, expensive vegetables and meat etc. Ok, I have to say live in australia is more expensive, that's why you have to pay more if you want to enjoy chinese food. For me, I would rather to cook by myself if I want to have chinese food, it would be cheaper and you can choose what kind of flavor you wanted. The biggest problem for me to cook in western kitchen is most family cook food by electric power but in Taiwan we cook by gas power, that's really different, so I am still learning how to cook delicious food in western way. Of course I burn food sometimes but hey, I got my cook license in Taiwan, so I think I am not that bad, ok?Anyway, do you like chinese food as well? If you are westerner who love chinese food as well, hope you can learn some things in my blog, also cook chinese food by yourself wouldn't taste like restaurant made but it means you can put the stuff you want in your dish. For example, my aussie boyfriend love sweet and sour pork just like mostly australian. When the first time I cooked it for him, he just start to complian about the color is different than restaurant made and it really pissed me off. Hope you guys understand why because different color doesn't mean it tastes like crap. My point is no matter what it looks like or taste different than restaurant made, but if you like the flavor then you are doing good. After few times my aussie boyfriend realized what I mean finally. Good, cause I don't like he complian about my cooking cause at least he doesn't have to pay 7-10 AUD for one small dish, if you choose the right place to shopping so maybe you could make a large dish maybe 3-5 AUD each. Sounds good, huh? Start to learn how to cook chinese food in western way with me.

First image about Australia

I have been to Brisbane once in July 2006 before I came to Australia with working holiday visa.
Why? My aussie boyfriend might be angry if he saw this, well, my ex boyfriend is an aussie as well, so I came to Brisbane for visit his famliy in 2006. My first image about Australia is DRY! My skin have a seriously problem with dry weather so I got rash everywhere on my body after I arrived Brisbane. Not only that, I caught a cold after 3 days arrived Brisbane and I was very sick, I felt better a months later. So if you ask me what's my first image about Australia, I might tell you I really don't like the weather right here! But don't get me wrong, I do like this country that's why I came here again. First, I love the animals in Australia, Koala, Kangaroo and colorful birdy. Before I came here, I only could see them on TV. We can see Koala as well but only in Taipei zoo. For me, I have to to take 4 hours train and MRT to get there and still impossible to touch them. You always could see the animals on TV but after you come to Astralia, you actually could touch and play with them althought they might smelly. Second, mostly aussie are friendly, they always get smile on their face. No matter where you are, you would always hear the staff say HOW ARE YOU TODAY to you.
It doesn't means we are cold people but we just not use to talk to stranger in first place, that's why I think mostly aussie are friendly. But please don't get me wrong again, mostly people in Taiwan are friendly as well, they would always try to help foreigners in Taiwan even they
don't understand english. And remember, when they keep smiling to you it means they don't know what are you talking about, then you better start to learn how to speak in BODY LANGUAGE, hehe!

Speak in second language

Need to say sorry first.
Why? You might find out my english not perfect, I really hate english grammar,it makes me headache all the time. We start to learn english in junior high school for my generations in Taiwan, some people even start it when they study in elementary school. A foreigner have asked me why still sp many taiwanese can't speak in english? I guess we learn english for exams then could go to nice high school and university. And? Still lots people can't speak in english or afraid to talk in english. My english was worse but it's getting better since I like to travel around. I am not talking about my english is really good but at least I can talk to people who speak in english basically. Now I am not so worry about it and start to own my blog in english. You might found out many wrong grammar in my blog but hope you won't mind, I think you can understand what am I talking about . If you don't, leave me message and I will try my best to explain what you need to know.

Why I am in Australia?

Why I am in Australia? Let me think about it, hmmm... OK, here we go!

I work for my ex boss 7 years until June 2007, but there were many things happened in our company, soI decided to quit my job and prepared to come Australia with working holiday visa. The interesting thing is I met my aussie boyfriend after that and I could make sure come to Australia is a right decision for me. I have been to Brisbane 2 months so far, have met lots interesting people and now still trying to into the life in western world. I think I can make it and now I want to share some interesting things with you, maybe you could see different things about Australia in my opinion. A taiwanese girl in Australia, hmm.... I hope it would be a good starting!!