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Bragging Tea |
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Legend has it that a tea farmer sold his tea to a tea shop in Taipei,
and the shop owner enjoyed the tea immensely, claiming that he had never tasted
anything better, and the tea had a sweet and mild aroma. The tea leaves resembled
the sprouts of the best tea trees, and the dried leaves had five special colours,
so the shop owner bought the tea at a price twice higher than the market price.
Later, the farmer showed off his trade at a surprisingly high price to other farmers,
but the seller could not tell which breed his tea was. Other farmers thought the
seller was bragging, but after they tried the tea, everyone agreed that the tea
was indeed exquisite. The aroma and colours of the tea was enjoyed widely, and the
tea became very popular. The price went higher and higher, and the tea was named
“Bragging Tea”, “Oriental Beauty”, “Five Colour Tea”, “Champagne Oolong”, “Baihou
Oolong”, or ”Fortune and Longevity Tea”.
Tea leaves and sprouts are the key elements of the quality. The material
of “Bragging Tea” is the tea sprouts that Empoasca flavescens (a kind of cicada)
rely on, so the tea is not polluted by any insecticide or chemicals. The ripe tea
looks like flowers and the tip of the sprouts has three to five colours: white,
yellow, and red, sometimes with brown and green. The tea is beautiful and smells
of honey, ripe fruits, and the aroma of tea of course. The tea appears orange red
(amber), and tastes good when served at high or low temperatures. When the tea is
cooled down, some drops of Brandy can be added to future bring out the fragrance
of the tea that the Britons call it “Champagne Oolong”.
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Longchuan Rice |
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According to the farmer township development program, Sansui area(literal:
where three rivers meet) in Longtan has been developed gradually since 1992. The
investments, and constructions have yielded some significant results, in the area
are convenient traffic networks linking the farmer township, and complete preservation
measures for the environment. The hills, tea farms, and the century-old mansion
have given the area a new look. |
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Long Chuen Tea |
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Red clay is common in Longtan but it is difficult to farm on red
clay. Fortunately, the drainage system in Longtan is well constructed, and the
soil is rich in iron, and the weather in Longtan is mild, misty, and rainy. All
the factors have turned Longtan into a perfect place for tea plantation. During
the Japanese colonial period, Longtan was the most important tea farm in Taiwan
with the annual production of 25,000 tons, approximately 10% of the production in
Taiwan. Long Chuen Tea is a kind of Paochung Tea. The major breeds of the tea includes
Chingsin Oolong, Taiwan Tea No. 12 (Jinshuen), Taiwan Tea No. 13 (Jade). In the
past, tea growers would pick the tea leaves themselves. Only the sprouts on the
top of each tea tree will be collected. Now, machines collect the tea leaves for
farmers. The tea leaves will be processed in the following steps: dehydration under
the sun, dehydration indoor, stirring, fry, dry, and rubbing.
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Peanut fudge |
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There is no peanut farm in Longtan, but the peanut fudge made there is enjoyed
by everyone across Taiwan. In the early days, planting tea was not enough to
support a family so Longtan residents need to make extra income. They did this be making
and selling peanut fudge. The manufacturing
of peanut fudges is an important processing industry in Taiwan. After many
experiments and improvements, Longtan
residents have created their own tasty peanut fudge.
Traditional peanut fudge is sticky. The Wen family in Longtan invented
the peanut fudge that is not sticky. They have a strong peanut flavor,
and the malt sugar is neither sticky nor greasy. No preserves, artificial colors
or fragrance is added. Malt sugar is a natural preservative and antibiotic, so the fudge
can be preserved for a long period of time and be sold in many places. In addition to the original peanut fudge, new flavours have been
developed, for example, sesame, laver, herb, coconut, ginger, chocolate, and wheat.
The packages of the fudges have been re-designed to help promote the fudge as a
luxurious snack that everyone enjoys.
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