Good times, great appetite

        During the Qingming Festival, plums are abundant. In addition to being consumed directly, there are also many delicious foods centered around plums. Counties and cities with larger production also hold plum festivals. Follow this episode of 'Gourmet Column' to learn about the benefits and diverse cuisine of plums, and experience the delicious taste of spring plums.

        April is the season for plum production, and the green plums before Qingming Festival are relatively green and astringent. They are suitable for making crispy pickled plums, black plums, and plum essence, or soaking them in green plum vinegar and alcohol; Plums harvested from the Qingming Festival to early May are often made into Q-plum, purple plum, or yellow plum wine due to their high ripeness, yellow color, and soft and juicy taste.

        The fruit is alkaline: According to the information published on the Agricultural Knowledge Portal of the Ministry of Agriculture, plums have a blood purifying effect, can maintain a slightly alkaline blood, activate metabolism, promote the normal operation of various organs, and have the effect of eliminating fatigue.

        Who is not suitable to eat: Plums are sour and astringent foods, and people whose gums or teeth are prone to soreness should avoid eating too much. In addition, people with weak digestive system and excessive stomach acid should not consume it. If you want to eat plums, it is recommended to choose low sugar and less artificial additives in order to simultaneously absorb the nutritional elements of plums.

        Plum blossoms bear fruit: Plum trees are divided into ornamental plums and edible plums. The simplest way to distinguish them is by their color. The ornamental plum tree has a pink color, while the edible plum tree has a white color. Each plum blossom will bear a plum fruit.

        

        After understanding the advantages of green plum and yellow plum, let's now follow the delicious recommendations of Far Eastern Department Stores across Taiwan and enjoy the "plum" feast.

        Sweet and Sour Drinks

        01 Half Minute Crispy Plum Green Tea

        Selected high-quality green tea with rich and fresh flavors, paired with fragrant green plums, brings a stunning and wonderful enjoyment with its sweet and sour taste. The recommended price for Zhongbei is NTD 85. Inquiry hotline: Far Eastern Department Stores, Xinyi A13, 4th floor, (02) 8786-6700.

        02 Hanlin Teahouse "Crispy Plum Green Tea"

        High mountain green crispy plums combined with special plum sauce, combined with Hanlin green tea, create a unique fruit aroma and tea flavor, sweet and sour with a sweet aftertaste, refreshing and thirst quenching. The recommended price for large cups is NTD 85, and for extra large cups it is NTD 100. Far Eastern offers an exclusive 10% discount. Inquiry hotline: 8th floor, Far Eastern Department Stores, Hsinchu, (02) 523-1372; B2 floor, Hanlin Tea House, Far Eastern Department Stores, Tainan, (06) 208-7569.

        03 Tea Fun TOGO "Plum Green Tea"

        Fresh kumquats paired with fragrant green tea, accompanied by specially mixed sour plum juice, the sweet and sour taste slowly dissipates in the mouth, leaving an endless aftertaste. Suggested selling price is NTD 70 for medium cups and NTD 90 for large cups. Inquiry hotline: B2 floor, North Building, Far Eastern Department Stores, Taichung City, (04) 2259-3365; 11th floor, Far Eastern Department Stores, Kaohsiung, (07) 536-0056.

        

        The pioneer of relieving greasiness

        04 Hanlin Teahouse "Mei Nian Steamed Fresh Fish"

        The sour and sweet pure plum wine juice highlights the refreshing flavor of steamed fresh fish, with each bite fresh and sweet, making it the perfect match to awaken the taste buds. Suggested selling price NTD 668. Inquiry hotline: B2 floor, Far Eastern Department Stores Zhubei Branch, (03) 658-0679.

        05 Wa Cheng Thai Cuisine "Shrimp Dumpling Circle"

        Using fresh and plump 100% pure shrimp paste, make golden and thick circles, sprinkle with salted egg yolk or pair with plum sauce for a unique salty and sweet taste. Dip in some spicy powder for an even more appetizing taste, allowing you to enjoy a circle and multiple flavors. Suggested selling price NTD 390, with an additional 10% service charge for internal use. Inquiry hotline: 3rd floor, Far Eastern Department Stores, Tainan, (06) 208-8018.

        06 Kaifanchuan Cafeteria "Plum Juice Second Lane Chicken"

        Fresh chicken is fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, then stir fried with aged perilla plum sauce. It is a delicious and appetizing dish that is suitable for all ages. Suggested selling price NTD 320. Inquiry hotline: 10th floor, Far Eastern Department Stores Taoyuan, (03) 335-2768; 11th floor, North Building, Far Eastern Department Stores, Taichung City, (04) 2258-5776.

        

        【 Seasoning Master 】

        07 Xiangji "Plum Juice"

        Using Xiang Ji Purple Su Mei that has been marinated for over a year, the plum flesh is ground with plum juice to make it thick, flavorful, and rich in pectin. It is suitable for making various unique sauces and dipping sauces, making it a great helper in cooking. It can be paired with hot, cold, salty, and sweet flavors, and is known as the eighth treasure of the kitchen. 600ml recommended price NTD 490, Far Eastern exclusive discounted price NTD 441. Inquiry hotline: Far Eastern Department Stores Taoyuan, B1 floor, (03) 339-5807.

        

        Dancing with Wine

        08 Anbei ABAS "Anbei Meijiu"

        The natural and mellow 12% plum wine produced in Taiwan is brewed using ancient methods of local crops. It has a smooth and non irritating taste, with a light fruity and caramel aroma, charming and beautiful. 500ml is recommended to be priced at NTD 600. Inquiry hotline: Far Eastern Department Stores, located on the B1 floor of the Chiayi store, at (05) 236-5137 # 8230.

        Typhoon 09 Taiwind Beer "Mud Coal Sour Meier Craft Beer"

        A variety of flavored beers carefully crafted by Tainan's first craft brewery, among which "Screaming Prum Mud Coal Sour Plum Ale" is fermented with Kaohsiung Jiaxian Green Plum Juice, resulting in a rich fruity aroma. Typhoon made alcohol brewed beer 6-pack gift box, recommended price NTD 999. Inquiry hotline: Far Eastern Department Stores, located on the B1 floor of Chiayi store, at (05) 236-5137 # 8230.

        ※ Remarks:

        1. Drinking alcohol is prohibited under the age of eighteen.

        2. The "discounted price" requires the presentation of a group employee identification card, valid until April 30th.

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