Skip navigation

Tag Archives: so delicious

Riding the high speed potstickers

Um...it was kind of foggy when this picture was taken. Yeah...

We had some friends over for Thanksgiving dinner and we ended up talking about various things, but the most memorable topic was Taiwan‘s most advanced public transportation system, the high speed potstickers (鍋貼 or guō tiē), which is not to be confused with the high speed rail system (高鐵 or gāo tiě).

Many people know about Taiwan’s high speed rail (HSR) system.  The HSR runs north and south along the coast from the capital city of Taipei to Kaohsiung, a distance of roughly 200 miles.  The trains have a top speed of 186 miles per hour, so travel by HSR is considerably faster than by normal rail or bus, but slower than taking a plane.  You can read more about it here.

The high speed potstickers (HSP) is an auxiliary system that runs east and west and is little known beyond the residents of Taiwan.  Actually, the HSP is such a well kept secret, many residents also do not know of its existence and slog along by bus when they need to travel from the east and west coasts.  It is understandable since the HSP travels considerably faster than the HSR and is much quieter.  Because the railcars are made of potstickers, albeit a special recipe for potstickers due to the need for durability, they can be consumed at the end of their scheduled run.  I’m pretty sure employees of the HSP eat the potstickers.

Aside from the very limited schedule, there are a few other cons to traveling by potsticker.  You have to remember that these are potstickers.  They are cooked in oil.  There can be a great deal of oil in and around the stations and on the potstickers themselves.  Oil is not something that is easily cleaned off clothing when you’re on the run.

Also, the friction of the potstickers traveling at high speed on the oil coated rails, so they don’t stick, cook the potstickers.  If you’re riding a late potsticker, it can be unbearably hot.  It will smell delicious though.  But remember, it’s highly frowned upon to sneak bites of your transportation.

On the topic of scents, some of the potstickers may have a pork/leek filling.  While quite delicious, leek does have a tendency to stink things up.  You might want to take that into consideration when you’re traveling to a formal engagement.  Durian are allowed on the pork/leek potstickers, though, in case you’re transporting durian.

I’m definitely going to try and find a high speed potsticker station the next time I’m in Taiwan.

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual

I recently “read” Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan.  “Read” is in quotes because I ended up borrowing the illustrated version of the book from my local library (btw, libraries are a wonderful resource and you should definitely utilize them while you have the chance).  I hadn’t realized there was an illustrated version.  So, the whole book ended up reading a lot like a child’s picture book.  Not that I mind.  But I was expecting something more like one of his other books, like In Defense of Food or An Omnivore’s Dilemma, you know…actual books that you have to read.

Anyway, I picked up Michael Pollan’s Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, illustrated edition, and it was rather interesting.  I didn’t particularly need a rulebook on how I’m supposed to eat.  I picked the book up because I like his writing and his take on food.  Have you realized that a lot of the things that we consider food today aren’t really?  They’re so processed that they’re more like the nutritional pellets of science fiction novels.  Also, I was curious what kind of rules he could possibly put down on how to eat.  What I found was basically, you should “[e]at food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants.”  The “rules” that he has in the book aren’t really rules in a traditional sense.  They’re more like guidelines to help you rethink what food is and what your relationship is to it.

One rule that made me rethink my relationship with food was “stop eating before you’re full.”  That one is interesting.  But it seems to be true for a lot of cultures around the world.  They don’t eat until they’re stuffed and their belly feels like it’s going to explode.  They eat until they are no longer hungry, which is not the same as eating until they’re full.  I’m not sure how I’m supposed to apply this when I’m babysitting (zombie sitting?) the zombie stomach.

Here’s another rule, just because.  “Regard nontraditional foods with skepticism.”  Maybe you should treat them like how you would suspicious hot dogs.

Anyway, pick it up and give it a read.  If nothing else, it’s short (because it’s like a picture book).