Therese in Taiwan: Taro and sweet potato balls at Ah Gan Yi Yu Yuan 阿柑姨芋圓

In keeping up with the "Jiufen" theme, this post is about another famous dessert that can be found there. The first time I ate it, I was with my sister Tiffy and our cousins.

The place is a bit hard to find because it's sort of hidden, but once you find it (and taste it), you won't be disappointed! It really is yummy - if  you're into chewy taro and sweet potato balls. Think of the Philippines' bilo-bilo and that's sort of the consistency that these ones have.

You could choose between the cold order, and the hot order. We decided to go with both. I don't know how much it costs because our cousins footed the bill, but I'm guessing that's it's probably more than 60NT (Php 90)? It's good for sharing though. There are also red beans, mung beans, etc.

As you can see from the picture, the cold order (bowl on the left) doesn't come with "soup", but instead it is on top of a bed of ice. Brr! The hot order (bowl on the right) comes with a lot of "soup".

Name: 阿柑姨芋圓 (Ah Gan Yi Yu Yuan)
Address: 台北縣瑞芳鎮褔住里豎崎路5號 (It's located somewhere in Jiufen Old Street. Ask around!)
Phone number: (02) 24976505, (02) 24966964

Tiffy Learns How to Cook: Minced meat and Spinach Curry

So as I was saying, my boyfriend's mother taught me how to cook. One of his sisters has actually been working at a pastry shop for years now. From what I hear, she's a great cook. And since she's got married and moved to Tokyo, she left me some of her old cookbooks. One of them's titled １０分でごはん (10-minute meals):

Looking back, either I'm really an inefficient cook or the book was lying when it said 10 minutes.

Note: The steps I write down next are not translations of the instructions above.

You will need (good for 2 people):
salad oil
2/3 bundle of spinach (cut into 1-3 cm)
1/2 onion (diced)
1 large tomato (diced)
150 g minced meat
1 cup water
50 g curry cubes
20 g pizza cheese

I just followed the pictures, really.

1. Cook the spinach in salad oil (you'll know it's cooked when it goes all soft)
2. Take out the spinach
3. Add more oil and cook the onion and meat in medium heat
4. When the meat's done, pour 1 cup of water, and add the tomatoes. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and put in the cubes. Let it melt before turning on the heat again.
6. Once nicely mixed, add the spinach and mix.

Here's how mine turned out.

How to cook the egg:
1. Let the water boil (do not put the egg in yet)
2. Put in the egg and leave it for 5 minutes


My boyfriend has to work until 8 PM so he usually gets home at 8:30. He got home at 9 that day. We didn't add the cheese until we heard his car pull in the driveway.

I just cut generous slices of cheese (definitely didn't follow the recipe there) and put it on top of the curry and let it melt. I didn't mix it or anything. When it melts and when you transfer it to a plate, the lumps of melted cheese make it so much more appetizing.

I could never get the egg to be like in the picture.

(Notice the mats? They're my pasalubong to his family)

Without the cheese and half eaten.

I made this dish twice. I was told that the more times I did it the easier it will be for me.

O, puede na ba ako magasawa?

Malcolm's Burger: 50% Off on All Burgers

Malcolm's Burger Pearl Drive Branch Opening

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf opens at One Archer's Place near DLSU Manila

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf comes to One Archer’s Place on Fidel Reyes St. near De La Salle University (DLSU), along Taft Avenue in Manila. The new The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf shop opened its doors to its first customers yesterday, January 30, "serving everyone with their full selection of internationally-acclaimed signature blends and gourmet treats and dishes."

In line with its debut, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® branch in One Archer’s Place will be holding a special promotion that will coincide with DLSU’s 100th year celebration. During the promo period that will run from its opening day till February 05, 2012, customers can come to the store from 12:30 to 1:30 in the afternoon and purchase any of their favorite drinks for only Php 100.

“Manila is a good market for us,” shares Walden Chu, President of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®. “A place that’s right in the center of a burgeoning coffee culture in the country, this new branch will not only compliment the busy lifestyle of people in the area, it will also make it easier for more to enjoy the specialty drinks that our brand is known for.”

The One Archer’s Place store will be located near prominent establishments around DLSU and will cater mostly to students and young professionals working and living in the vicinity. In addition, it will serve as a haven for both cult-like followers of the brands as well as coffee and tea aficionados of all sorts.