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Taiwan, an island off China, pulses with Taipei’s 101-towered capital, a democratic haven claiming sovereignty amid Beijing’s shadow, famed for night markets and tech chips. Known for tea, bubble tea, and TSMC’s silicon might, its economy excels in electronics and trade, rooted in Han and indigenous threads. Its mountains and lantern festivals glow. Taiwan’s defiant spirit shines.

Taiwan

Featured Dishes from Taiwan

Baozi

Baozi

Baozi , or simply bao, is a type of yeast-leavened filled bun in various Chinese cuisines. There are many variations in fillings (meat or vegetarian) and preparations, though the buns are most often steamed. They are a variation of mantou from Northern China. Baozi are popular throughout China and have even made their way into the cuisines of many other countries through the Chinese diaspora. Written records from the Song dynasty show the term baozi in use for filled buns. Prior to the Northern Song dynasty (960–1279), the word mantou was used for both filled and unfilled buns. According to legend, the filled baozi is a variation of manta invented by military strategist Zhuge Liang. Over time mantou came to indicate only unfilled buns in Mandarin and some varieties of Chinese, although the Wu Chinese languages continue to use mantou to refer to both filled and unfilled buns.[citation needed]

Cong you bing

Cong you bing

Cong you bing , also known as scallion pancake or green onion pancake, is a Chinese savory bing (flatbread) made with wheat dough and minced scallions (green onions). The unleavened dough is folded repeatedly into layers, with oil and green onions added between each layer. Then it is pan-fried, which gives it crisp edges and a chewy texture. Many layers make up the interior, contributing to its chewy texture. Variations exist on the basic method of preparation that incorporate other flavors and fillings.

Dan bing

Dan bing

Rolled egg pancake

Ding bian hu

Ding bian hu

Diāng-biĕng-gù , also known as guo bian hu (simplified Chinese: 锅边糊; traditional Chinese: 鍋邊糊; pinyin: guō biān hú; lit. 'wok side paste') and ding bian cuo (simplified Chinese: 鼎边锉; traditional Chinese: 鼎邊銼; pinyin: dǐng biān cuò; lit. 'pot side scraping'), is a characteristic dish of Fuzhou cuisine, a branch of Fujian cuisine, consisting of a rice flour batter poured around the side of cooking wok to form a thin noodle, then scraped into a stock to simmer and served in broth. Other ingredients to flavour the stock are often served in the broth; commonly included is a form of seafood, some meat (such as meatballs, usually pork) and various vegetables. Besides Fujian, it is also popular in Taiwan. In Taiwanese Hokkien, it is known as tiánn-pinn-sô (in the Taiwanese Romanization System; Chinese: 鐤邊趖), and has been served to foreign dignitaries at state banquets. During Ming and Qing Dynasty, diāng-biĕng-gù was introduced to Longyou and Jinhua in central Zhejiang by traders, called hu (Chinese: 糊) in Longyou and Fujian geng (Chinese: 福建羹) in Jinhua. However, the ingredients were changed due to the lack of access to seafood.

Dou jiang

Dou jiang

Soy milk, used to make hot soup, serve with youtiao (deep-fried dough sticks), the combination of soy milk soup with fried dough is dou jiang you tiao (doujiang youtiao)

Douzhi

Douzhi

Douzhi is a traditional fermented drink from Beijing cuisine similar to soy milk. Made as a byproduct of cellophane noodle production, it has a light gray color and a distinct, slightly sour smell, with hints of green vegetables and cooked potatoes. Douzhi originated during the Liao and Song dynasties, when Beijing was a key center in northern China. During this period, residents of Beijing, including both royal family members and Han officials, enjoyed Douzhi as a breakfast staple. By the Qing dynasty, Douzhi’s popularity had even reached the imperial court. Records from the Qianlong era note an official report to the emperor suggesting that Douzhi be inspected for cleanliness, and if deemed suitable, to serve it within the palace. In modern Beijing, Douzhi is more than just a drink—it is a symbol of local culinary tradition and an experience for those seeking to connect with authentic Beijing culture. Douzhi can be commonly found at both morning and evening markets in Beijing because some Beijing residents enjoy it as a breakfast choice. When drinking Douzhi, people often visit small street stalls or local restaurants to enjoy it in a leisurely morning. The pickled vegetables and jiaoquan are typically placed in a bowl first, with the hot Douzhi poured over them. To eat, people use chopsticks to pick up the pickles and jiaoquan, dipping them in the Douzhi. Due to its unique taste of mildly sour, Douzhi is favored by locals, though it may be an acquired taste for visitors from other regions. Today, it is also considered an important part of Beijing’s cultural experience, frequently recommended as a local street food for tourists to try.

Fan tuan

Fan tuan

Cifantuan, also known simply as chi faan or fantuan, is a glutinous rice dish in Chinese cuisine originating in the Jiangnan area of eastern China which encompasses Shanghai and surrounding regions. It is made by tightly wrapping a piece of youtiao with glutinous rice. It is usually eaten as breakfast together with sweetened or savory soy milk in its native Jiangnan. Today, cifantuan is commonly available in two varieties. Whereas the "savory" variety includes ingredients such as zha cai (pickled vegetable), rousong (pork floss) and small pieces of youtiao being wrapped in the rice ball, the "sweet" variety adds sugar and sometimes sesame to the filling. There are many modern variations of the food which are made from purple rice and include fillings such as tuna, kimchi, or cheese. Cifantuan is a major breakfast food item in Shanghai. Cifantuan is also popular in Hubei, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong style french toast

Hong Kong style french toast

French toast is a dish of sliced bread soaked in beaten eggs and often milk or cream, then pan-fried. Alternative names and variants include eggy bread, Bombay toast, gypsy toast, and poor knights . When French toast is served as a sweet dish, sugar, vanilla, or cinnamon are also commonly added before pan-frying, and then it may be topped with sugar (often powdered sugar), butter, fruit, or syrup. When it is a savory dish, it is generally fried with a pinch of salt or pepper, and it can then be served with a sauce such as ketchup or mayonnaise.

Jianbing guozi

Jianbing guozi

Jianbing guozi is a popular Chinese street food originating in Tianjin. The exact origin of Jianbing guozi has not been verified, and it was the supplement of Tianjin Ta Kung Pao on 20 November 1933, that first appeared in modern newspapers. In June 2017, the skill of making Jianbing guozi was included in the fourth batch of municipal intangible cultural heritage list in Tianjin, and is said to be "one of China's most beloved street breakfasts", especially in Tianjin and the neighboring province of Hebei. It is a sub-category of jianbing and consists of pancakes made from mung bean flour, eggs, and youtiao (fried dough sticks) or crispy "dragons", served with sweet bean sauce, diced green onion, and optionally chili sauce.

Jiaoquan

Jiaoquan

Jiao quan is a dish from Beijing cuisine. It has a golden color and is shaped like a bracelet. It feels crispy and crunchy when eaten. The unique taste of it is very popular in Beijing cuisine. People usually eat jiaoquan with shaobing and douzhi. Jiao quan is a special Beijing local food. The shape of it is like a doughnut, but it has a crispier texture.

Oyster omelette

Oyster omelette

The oyster omelette, also known as o-a-tsian , o-chien (Chinese: 蚵煎; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ô-chian) or orh luak (simplified Chinese: 蚝烙; traditional Chinese: 蠔烙; Peng'im: o5 luah4), is a dish of Min Nan (Hokkien and Teochew) origin that is renowned for its savory flavor in its native Minnan region and Chaoshan, along with Taiwan and many parts of Southeast Asia, such as Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia or Singapore, due to the influence of the Hokkien and Teochew diaspora. The dish consists of an omelette with a filling primarily composed of small Pacific oysters. Starch (typically sweet potato starch) is mixed into the egg batter, giving the resulting egg wrap a thicker consistency. Pork lard is often used to fry the resulting omelet. Depending on regional variations, a savory sauce may then be poured on top of the omelette for added taste.[citation needed] Spicy or chili sauce mixed with lime juice is often added to provide an intense kick. Shrimp can sometimes be substituted in place of oysters; in this case, it is called shrimp omelette (蝦仁煎).

Pineapple bun

Pineapple bun

A pineapple bun is a kind of sweet bun predominantly popular in Hong Kong and also common in Chinatowns worldwide. Despite the name, it does not traditionally contain pineapple; rather, the name refers to the look of the characteristic topping (which resembles the texture of a pineapple). The origin of the pineapple bun is unclear. According to Tse Ching-yuen, current owner of Tai Tung in Hong Kong, this bakery was making pineapple buns when it opened in 1943. At the time, they were called 酥皮包 (crispy-skin buns), but customers kept calling them pineapple buns.

Rice milk

Rice milk

Rice milk is a plant milk made from rice. Commercial rice milk is typically manufactured using brown rice and brown rice syrup, and may be sweetened using sugar or sugar substitutes, and flavored by common ingredients, such as vanilla. It is commonly fortified with protein and micronutrients, such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron, or vitamin D. The exact origin of rice milk is uncertain. In 1914, Maria M. Gilbert gave a recipe for rice milk in her book Meatless Cookery, which was the earliest known use of the term. In 1921, the first rice milk factory was built by the Vita Rice Products Co., launching Vita Rice Milk the same year in San Francisco, California. In 1990, Rice Dream was launched by Imagine Foods of Palo Alto, California in Tetra Pak cartons, becoming the first widely popular rice milk. Rice milk is 89% water, 9% carbohydrates, 1% fat, and contains negligible protein (table). A 100 ml reference amount provides 47 calories, and – if purposely fortified during manufacturing – 26% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin B12 (table). It also supplies calcium (12% DV; fortified) and manganese (13% DV; fortified) in moderate amounts, but otherwise is low in micronutrients.

Shao bing

Shao bing

Shaobing , also called huoshao, is a type of baked, unleavened, layered flatbread in northern Chinese cuisine. Shaobing can be made with or without stuffing, and with or without sesame on top. Shaobing contains a variety of stuffings that can be grouped into two main flavors: savory or sweet. Some common stuffings include red bean paste, black sesame paste, stir-fried mung beans with egg and tofu, braised beef, smoked meat, or beef or pork with spices. Shaobing is not very well known in southern China,[citation needed] unlike other northern dishes like mantou, baozi, and youtiao. Most Shaobing are popular in the northern part of China. Different types of shaobing are often associated with certain cities and towns. Shaobing is a common breakfast item. Filled shaobing are usually eaten with soy milk and tea, while unfilled ones are usually eaten with steamed eggs or a breakfast meat dish. In the Mandarin cuisine tradition, shaobing are served with hot pot (huǒguō) in winter or soy milk.

Shao bing you tiao

Shao bing you tiao

Deep-fried dough/cruller inside baked flatbread

Turnip cake

Turnip cake

Turnip cake is a Chinese dim sum dish. The less common name radish cake is more accurate, as Western-style turnips are not used in the dish but rather shredded radish and plain rice flour. It is traditionally called carrot cake in Singapore. Turnip cake is commonly served in Cantonese yum cha, usually cut into rectangular slices and sometimes pan-fried before serving. Each pan-fried cake has a thin crunchy layer on the outside from frying, and is soft on the inside. The non-fried version is soft all over. It is one of the standard dishes found in the dim sum cuisine of China as well as in overseas Chinatown restaurants. It is also commonly eaten during Chinese New Year, since the word for radish (菜頭; chhài-thâu) is a homophone for "good fortune" (好彩頭; hó-chhái-thâu) in the Hokkien language. In Taiwan, turnip cake is also commonly eaten as part of breakfast. The dish is known as "fried carrot cake" or simply "carrot cake" in Southeast Asian countries, as the word for daikon, one of its main ingredients, can also refer to a carrot (紅菜頭; âng-chhài-thâu; 'red radish'). There is no connection between this dish and the sweet Western carrot cake. It is called "carrot cake" because of a loose English translation of chhài-thâu-kóe, which caught on among the non-native speaking diners. This misnomer gave the title to a popular guidebook on Singapore's street food, There's No Carrot in Carrot Cake, which was written by Ruth Wan, Roger Hiew, and Leslie Tay, published by Epigram Books in 2010.

Youtiao

Youtiao

Youtiao , known in Southern China as yu char kway, is a long golden-brown deep-fried strip of wheat flour dough of Chinese origin and (by a variety of other names) also popular in other East and Southeast Asian cuisines. Conventionally, youtiao are lightly salted and easily separated by hand. Youtiao are normally eaten at breakfast as an accompaniment for rice congee, soy milk or cow's milk blended with sugar. Youtiao may also be known as a Chinese cruller, Chinese oil stick, Chinese donut [sticks], and fried breadstick, among others.

Zhaliang

Zhaliang

Zhaliang or cha leung , literally "fried two," is a Cantonese dim sum. It is made by tightly wrapping rice noodle roll around youtiao (fried dough). It can be found in Chinese restaurants in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau and Malaysia. It is often served doused in soy sauce, hoisin sauce or sesame paste and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It is usually eaten with soy milk or congee.

Aiyu jelly

Aiyu jelly

Aiyu jelly , known in Amoy Hokkien as ogio (Chinese: 薁蕘; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ò-giô), and as ice jelly in Singapore (Chinese: 文頭雪; pinyin: wéntóu xuě), is a jelly made from the gel from the seeds of the awkeotsang creeping fig found in Taiwan and East Asian countries of the same climates and latitudes. The jelly is not commonly made or found outside of Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore, though it can be bought fresh in specialty stores in Japan and canned in Chinatowns. It is also used in Taiwanese cuisine. In Cantonese, it is also known as man tau long (文頭郎). It is commonly served with a slice of lime. According to oral history, the plant and the jelly were named after the daughter of a Taiwanese tea businessman in the 1800s. The gelling property of the seeds was discovered by the businessman as he drank from a creek in Chiayi. He found a clear yellowish jelly in the water he was drinking and was refreshed upon trying it. Looking above the creek he noticed fruits on hanging vines. The fruits contained seeds that exuded a sticky gel when rubbed.

Ang ku kueh

Ang ku kueh

Ang ku kueh , also known as red tortoise cake, is a small round or oval-shaped Chinese sweet dumpling with soft, sticky glutinous rice flour skin wrapped around a sweet central filling. It is molded to resemble a tortoise shell and is presented resting on a square piece of banana leaf. As suggested by its name, red tortoise cakes are traditionally red in color and has a sticky, chewy texture when eaten. Red tortoise cakes are shaped like tortoise shells because the Chinese traditionally believed that eating tortoises would bring longevity, good fortune and prosperity. Considered to be auspicious items, these sweet pastries are especially prepared during important festivals such as Chinese New Year as offerings to the Chinese deities. Red tortoise cakes are also prepared for occasions that are culturally important to the Chinese such as a newborn baby's first month or birthdays of the elderly. Eating red tortoise cakes during these times is meant to represent blessings for the child and longevity for the elderly. Aside from China, in modern times, red tortoise cakes continue to be important food items during Chinese festivals in many countries with significant Sinophone communities especially in Southeast Asia. However, eating red tortoise cakes in these countries is no longer restricted to special occasions for red tortoise cakes are also commercially available in many pastry shops and bakeries.

Annin tofu

Annin tofu

Almond tofu is a soft, jellied dessert made of apricot kernel milk, agar, and sugar popular throughout East Asia. The name "tofu" here refers to "tofu-like solid"; soy beans, which are the main ingredient of tofu, are not used. This naming convention is also seen in other East Asian dishes, such as Chinese yúdòufu (魚豆腐) and Japanese gomadōfu (胡麻豆腐). Apricot kernel milk is often confused with almond milk, as apricot kernel itself is often confused with almond. In the traditional recipe, the primary flavoring agent is apricot kernels, soaked and ground with water. The mixture is strained, sweetened, and heated with a gelling agent (usually agar). When chilled, the apricot kernel milk mixture solidifies into the consistency of a soft gelatin dessert.[citation needed]

Baobing

Baobing

Chhoah-peng or Tsua bing, also known as Baobing (Chinese: 刨冰; pinyin: bàobīng) in Mandarin, is a shaved ice dessert introduced to Taiwan under Japanese rule, and then spread from Taiwan to Greater China and countries with large regional Overseas Chinese populations such as Malaysia and Singapore. It is especially popular in Taiwan where the dish has a variation called xuehua bing (雪花冰), in which the ice is not made out of water but milk.[citation needed] The dessert consists of a large mound of ice shavings with various toppings on top. A wide variety of toppings exist, but the most common ones include sugar water, condensed milk, adzuki beans, mung beans, and tapioca balls. Fruit are also used according to the season. Mango baobing is typically only available in the summer, while strawberry baobing is available in the winter. Traditionally, these shavings were created by hand using a large mallet to crush ice or a blade to shave ice. Now, most stores use machines, which result in finer, thinner ice shavings.[citation needed]

Bing wan

Bing wan

Bingguo is a traditional dessert dish of Beijing cuisine. The main ingredients of this dish include lotus root, almonds, walnuts, lotus seed, sugar and lotus leaf. The lotus root, lotus seeds, almonds and walnuts are chopped into small pieces and steamed. The sugar is mixed with water and then boiled to become syrup. The lotus leaf is cut into small pieces and soaked in boiling water. The steamed ingredients are placed on the lotus leaf with syrup poured on top and then cooled by ice (or nowadays in a refrigerator) and served cold. As the dessert is served in a bowl, the dish is also called bingwan (冰碗, lit. "ice bowl"). Unknown, Unknown. "Bing Guo". visitbeijing. Beijing Tourism. Retrieved 25 September 2024.

Black sesame soup

Black sesame soup

Chinese peanut cookies

Chinese peanut cookies

Small pastries with peanuts

Chinese walnut cookies

Chinese walnut cookies

Small cookies topped with walnuts

Chocolate

Chocolate

Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans that can be a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring in other foods. The cacao tree has been used as a source of food for at least 5,300 years, starting with the Mayo-Chinchipe culture in what is present-day Ecuador. Later, Mesoamerican civilizations consumed cacao beverages, of which one, chocolate, was introduced to Europe in the 16th century.

Daifuku

Daifuku

Daifukumochi , or daifuku (大福) (literally "great luck"), is a wagashi, a type of Japanese confection, consisting of a small round mochi stuffed with a sweet filling, most commonly anko, a sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans. Daifuku is often served with green tea. Daifuku comes in many varieties. The most common are white, pale green, or pale pink-colored mochi filled with anko. Daifuku are approximately 4 cm (1.5 in) in diameter. Nearly all are covered in a fine layer of rice flour (rice starch), corn starch, or potato starch to keep them from sticking to each other or to the fingers. Though mochitsuki is the traditional method of making mochi and daifuku, they can also be cooked in a microwave. Daifuku was originally called Habutai mochi (腹太餅) (belly thick rice cake) because of its filling's nature. Later, the name was changed to daifuku mochi (大腹餅) (big belly rice cake). Since the pronunciations of Fuku (腹) (belly) and Fuku (福) (luck) are the same in Japanese, the name was further changed to daifuku mochi (大福餅) (great luck rice cake), a bringer of good luck. By the end of the 18th century, daifuku were gaining popularity, and people began eating them toasted. They were also used for gifts in ceremonial occasions.

Dou sha bao

Dou sha bao

Bao with a sweet red bean filling

Douhua

Douhua

Douhua is a Chinese sweet or savoury snack made with silken tofu. It is also referred to as doufuhua (Chinese: 豆腐花; pinyin: dòufuhuā), tofu pudding, soybean pudding or, particularly in northern China, tofu brains (Chinese: 豆腐脑; pinyin: dòufunǎo). Tofu is thought to have originated in ancient China during the Han Dynasty. Liu An, the grandson of Emperor Gaozu of Han, was ambitious and wanted to invent something to make people live forever. Even though he failed to make the magic pill, he used soybean and bittern to finally get niveous and tender tofu, which was surprisingly tasty. People named it "tofu brains" because of its softness. Tofu brains then became a popular snack during Han Dynasty. In the next 2000 years, it gradually spread throughout China. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Sichuan became the political, economical, and military center of Free China. The boss of a famous Douhua restaurant, Liu Xilu, learnt the methods of making beancurd from others and innovated on them until he finally came up with his own "secret recipe", which greatly improved its taste.

Dragon's beard candy

Dragon's beard candy

Dragon's beard candy or Chinese cotton candy or Longxusu (simplified Chinese: 龙须酥; traditional Chinese: 龍鬚酥; pinyin: lóng xū sū) is a handmade traditional art of China. It is a traditional Chinese confectionary similar to floss halva or Western cotton candy, which can be found in many Chinese communities. Dragon's beard candy was initially created in China, but soon spread in popularity in other parts of East Asia and South East Asia, becoming a regional delicacy in South Korea in the 1990s, and Singapore in the 1980s, as well as more recently in Canada, and the United States. It has a low sugar content (19%) and low saturated fat content (2%). By comparison, cotton candy is fat free with a very high sugar content (94%). Dragon's beard candy has a very short shelf life. It is highly sensitive to moisture and tends to melt when exposed to higher temperatures, notably during warm weather. According to legend, Dragon's Beard Candy was invented during the Chinese Han dynasty by an imperial court chef who entertained the emperor one day by performing the complicated steps in making a new confection, which involved stretching a dough-like mixture composed from rice flour into small, thin strands. These strands reminded the emperor of a dragon's beard, and were sticky enough to adhere to one's face easily, so the concoction was named Dragon's Beard Candy. The name may also be attributed to the status of the mythical dragon as a symbol of the Chinese emperor, so presenting the confection as Dragon's Beard Candy was deemed acceptable due to the social nature of the candy. It was reserved only for the ruling class due to the complexity of the preparation process.

Egg roll cookies

Egg roll cookies

Thin rolled wafer cookies

Fa gao

Fa gao

Fa gao , also called fat pan (發粄) by the Hakka, prosperity cake, fortune cake, Cantonese sponge cake, is a Chinese steamed, cupcake-like pastry. Because it is often characterized by a split top when cooked, it is often referred as Chinese smiling steamed cake or blooming flowers. It is commonly consumed on the Chinese new year. It is also eaten on other festivals, wedding, and funerals by the Hakka people. The name of cake, fagao, is a homonym for "cake which expands" and "prosperity cake" as "fa" means both "prosperity" and "expand" and "gao" means "cake". The Hakka call the "top split" of the fa ban "xiao", which means smiling. It is said to be a sign of a coming fortune: the bigger the "top split", the better.

Grass jelly

Grass jelly

Grass jelly, also known as leaf jelly or herb jelly, is a jelly-like dessert originating in China. It is commonly consumed in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is created by using Chinese mesona and has a mild, slightly bitter taste. Grass jelly was invented by the Hakka people who historically used the food to alleviate heat stroke after long days working in the field. The dish was introduced to Southeast Asia by the Chinese diaspora. It is served chilled, with other toppings, such as fruit, or in bubble tea or other drinks. Outside Asia, it is sold in Asian supermarkets. Unsweetened grass jelly contains, per 500 grams, 2.5 grams of protein and about 15 grams of carbohydrates, of which 0.5 grams are from dietary fiber. Grass jelly has no fat, vitamins, or minerals.

Hong dou gao

Hong dou gao

Steamed red bean cake

Hong dou tang

Hong dou tang

Hong dou tang, hong dou sha, or red bean soup or che dau do is a sweet Chinese dessert soup made from azuki beans. served in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and places with Chinese diaspora. It is categorized as a tong sui, or sweet soup. It is often served cold during the summer, and hot in the winter. Leftover red bean soup can also be frozen to make ice pops and is a popular dessert. In Cantonese cuisine, a red bean soup made from rock sugar, sun-dried tangerine peels, and lotus seeds is commonly served as a dessert at the end of a restaurant or banquet meal. Common variations include the addition of ingredients such as sago , tapioca, coconut milk, ice cream, glutinous rice balls, or purple rice. The two types of sugar used interchangeably are rock sugar and sliced sugar (片糖).

Hong Kong style french toast

Hong Kong style french toast

French toast is a dish of sliced bread soaked in beaten eggs and often milk or cream, then pan-fried. Alternative names and variants include eggy bread, Bombay toast, gypsy toast, and poor knights . When French toast is served as a sweet dish, sugar, vanilla, or cinnamon are also commonly added before pan-frying, and then it may be topped with sugar (often powdered sugar), butter, fruit, or syrup. When it is a savory dish, it is generally fried with a pinch of salt or pepper, and it can then be served with a sauce such as ketchup or mayonnaise.

Imagawayaki

Imagawayaki

Imagawayaki is a wagashi (Japanese dessert) often found at Japanese festivals as well as outside Japan, in countries such as Taiwan and South Korea. It is made of batter in a special pan (similar to a waffle iron but without the honeycomb pattern and instead resembles an "oban" which was the old Japanese coin used during the second half of the 16th century until the 19th century), and filled with sweet azuki bean paste, although it is becoming increasingly popular to use a wider variety of fillings such as vanilla custard, different fruit custards and preserves, curry, different meat and vegetable fillings, potato and mayonnaise. Imagawayaki are similar to dorayaki, but the latter are two separate pancakes sandwiched around the filling after cooking, and are often served cold. Imagawayaki were first sold near the Kanda's Imagawabashi Bridge during the An'ei era (1772–1781) of the Edo period (1603–1867). The name imagawayaki originates from this time.

Jiuniang

Jiuniang

Jiuniang is a sweet, soup- or pudding-like dish in Chinese cuisine. It is also known as sweet wine or sweet rice wine. It consists of a mixture of partially digested rice grains floating in a sweet saccharified liquid, with small amounts of alcohol and lactic acid (0.5%). It is made by fermenting glutinous rice with a starter called jiuqu containing Rhizopus oryzae or Aspergillus oryzae and often yeast and bacteria. It was first developed as a by-product of mijiu production and generally speaking is partially digested rice from a young rice wine (or vinegar) ferment. If eaten quickly or held at 10 degrees or less, which halts the fermentation, the product can be consumed as jiuniang. If the temperatures are raised and fermentation continues, jiuniang will eventually produce rice wine or rice vinegar. Jiuniang is most commonly made and consumed in the winter, where fermentation can be halted easily.

Laba congee

Laba congee

Laba congee or porridge is a Chinese ceremonial congee dish traditionally eaten on the eighth day of the twelfth month in the Chinese calendar. The day on which it is traditionally eaten is commonly known as the Laba Festival. The earliest form of this dish was cooked with red beans and has since developed into many different kinds. It is mainly made up of many kinds of rice, beans, peanuts, dried fruit, lotus seeds, etc. Depending on region-based variations in China, it can also include tofu, potato, meat and vegetables. It is also known as "eight-treasure congee" (八宝粥; Bā bǎo zhōu) and is usually made with eight or more ingredients, representing good luck. Eight is a lucky number in China, and the ba in Laba also means eight.

Liu sha bao

Liu sha bao

Egg yolk custard buns, traditionally made with salted duck eggs

Lo mai chi

Lo mai chi

Lo mai chi , known in Mandarin as nuomici, is a type of Chinese pastry. It is one of the most standard pastries in Hong Kong. It can also be found in most Chinatown bakery shops overseas. It is also referred to as glutinous rice dumpling. Today there are many different modern variations such as green tea flavor, mango flavor, etc. The glutinous rice ball can be dusted with dried coconut on the outside. The outer layer is made of a rice flour dough and the inside is typically filled with a sweet filling. The most common fillings are sugar with coconut and crumbled peanuts, red bean paste, and black sesame seed paste.

Macaron

Macaron

A macaron or French macaroon (/ˌmækəˈruːn/ MAK-ə-ROON) is a sweet meringue-based confection made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond meal, and often food colouring. Since the 19th century, a typical Parisian-style macaron has been a sandwich cookie filled with a ganache, buttercream or jam. As baked, the circular macaron displays a smooth, square-edged top, a ruffled circumference—referred to as the "crown" or "foot" (or "pied")—and a flat base. It is mildly moist and easily melts in the mouth. Macarons can be found in a wide variety of flavours that range from traditional sweet such as raspberry or chocolate to savoury (as a foie gras).

Mahua

Mahua

Mahua or Fried Dough Twist is a Chinese dough twist that is fried in peanut oil. It has a shiny and golden look. It is prepared in various ways with different flavors, which range from sweet to spicy, and usually has a dense and crisp texture. The origin of Mahua can be traced back to thousands of years ago. Many places have a tradition of eating Mahua, and Mahua is considered a signature food of the northern Chinese city of Tianjin. According to legend, Mahua originated two thousand years ago. At that time, people celebrated a three-day festival in which they were not allowed to use fire. The lack of access to fire meant that people were unable to cook during the festival. In order to eat, people needed to prepare food that did not spoil easily, before the festival. Thus, the original form of Mahua, which is fried dough with honey, was invented. Because the original Mahua could be kept fresh for a long time, it was a good snack for the festival. In another tale of the origin of Mahua, Mahua was created to curse the hateful scorpion. At that time, the wild scorpions were bothering people. For revenge, people twisted wheat dough into the shape of the scorpion's tail, then fried and ate it.

Mousse

Mousse

A mousse is a soft prepared food that incorporates air bubbles to give it a light and airy texture. Depending on preparation techniques, it can range from light and fluffy to creamy and thick. A mousse may be sweet or savoury. Sweet mousses are typically made with whipped egg whites, whipped cream, or both, and flavored with one or more of chocolate, coffee, caramel, puréed fruits, or various herbs and spices, such as mint or vanilla. In the case of some chocolate mousses, egg yolks are often stirred into melted chocolate to give the final product a richer mouthfeel. Mousses are also typically chilled before being served, which gives them a denser texture. Additionally, mousses are often frozen into silicone molds and unmolded to give the mousse a defined shape. Sweetened mousse is served as a dessert or used as an airy cake filling. It is sometimes stabilized with gelatin. Savoury mousses can be made from meat, fish, shellfish, foie gras, cheese, or vegetables. Hot mousses often get their light texture from the addition of beaten egg whites.

Mung bean cake

Mung bean cake

Small pastry with a mung bean filling

Naiyou su bing

Naiyou su bing

Shortbread, butter cookies

Nian gao

Nian gao

Nian gao , sometimes translated as year cake or New Year cake or Chinese New Year's cake, is a food prepared from glutinous rice flour and consumed in Chinese cuisine. It is also simply known as "rice cake". While it can be eaten all year round, traditionally it is most popular during the Chinese New Year. It is considered good luck to eat nian gao during this time of the year because nian gao (年糕) is a homonym for "higher year" or "grow every year" (年高), which means "a more prosperous year". The character 年 is literally translated as "year", and the character 糕 (gāo) is literally translated as "cake" and is identical in sound to the character 高, meaning "tall" or "high". In Mandarin (though not all Chinese languages), Nian gao (年糕) also is an exact homonym of "sticky cake" (黏糕／粘糕), the character 黏／粘 (nián) meaning "sticky". This sticky sweet snack was believed to be an offering to the Kitchen God, with the aim that his mouth will be stuck with the sticky cake, so that he cannot badmouth the human family in front of the Jade Emperor. It is also traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year.

Or nee

Or nee

Taro paste, made by blending taro, sugar, water, lard/oil, commonly used as a filling for, for example, buns, pastries, desserts

Panna cotta

Panna cotta

Panna cotta is an Italian dessert of sweetened cream thickened with gelatin and molded. The cream may be aromatized with coffee, vanilla, or other flavorings. The name panna cotta is not mentioned in Italian cookbooks before the 1960s, yet it is often cited as a traditional dessert of the northern Italian region of Piedmont. One unverified story says that it was invented by a Hungarian woman in the Langhe in the early 19th century. An 1879 dictionary mentions a dish called latte inglese (lit. 'English milk'), made of cream cooked with gelatin and molded, although other sources say that latte inglese is made with egg yolks, such as crème anglaise; perhaps the name covered any thickened custard-like preparation. The dish might also come from the French recipe of fromage bavarois from Marie-Antoine Carême in le pâtissier royal parisien, which is the same as the modern panna cotta, except that one part of the cream is whipped to make chantilly and included in the preparation before adding the gelatin.

Peanut mochi

Peanut mochi

Sweet rice flour dumpling (mochi) filled and/or coated with a peanut mixture

Pear syrup candy

Pear syrup candy

Pear-syrup candy, also known as lígāotáng or líqīnggāo (梨清膏), is a traditional medicine and confection from eastern area of the Jiangnan region of China, where it was traditionally used to relieve coughing, reduce sputum, and stimulate appetite.[medical citation needed] Its main components are pear juice, honey, and various kinds of herbs. With modern medical science, it is now rarely used to treat coughing; pear-syrup candy has become a souvenir and a snack, and is a part of Jiangnan culture. The history of pear-syrup candy can be traced back to 634 (the Tang Zhenguan Eighth Year). According to legend, the mother of Wei Zheng (a renowned official of the Tang dynasty) suffered from a cough, so the imperial court sent imperial physicians to treat her. However, Wei's mother felt that the medicines were too bitter to take, and so she failed to take them on time, and thus curing her took a long time.[citation needed] For this reason, Wei Zheng decided to make his own medicine, combining almond, chuanbei (bulbus fritillariae cirrhosae), tuckahoe, and juhong (red tangerine peel), and adding the combination to pear syrup, and finally decocting the whole thing into paste. Wei's mother took the medicine and was soon cured. After that, Wei shared this prescription to the public, and not only the upper classes but ordinary people produced it, so the method of making the candy became widespread. During the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), the production and sales of pear-syrup candy normalized, becoming a huge industry. In Luoyang, the western capital, there were countless shops selling it, and the production technology was quite mature. After the Jingkang incident in 1127, many of the craftspeople involved in its production moved to the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279), in the south of China. They passed through Yangzhou and settled down in Hangzhou, the Southern Song capital. Thus, pear-syrup candy appeared in Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, and nearby areas. The candy has remained popular throughout Jiangnan since that time.

Pear with rock sugar

Pear with rock sugar

A traditional Chinese remedy for coughs

Pineapple bun

Pineapple bun

A pineapple bun is a kind of sweet bun predominantly popular in Hong Kong and also common in Chinatowns worldwide. Despite the name, it does not traditionally contain pineapple; rather, the name refers to the look of the characteristic topping (which resembles the texture of a pineapple). The origin of the pineapple bun is unclear. According to Tse Ching-yuen, current owner of Tai Tung in Hong Kong, this bakery was making pineapple buns when it opened in 1943. At the time, they were called 酥皮包 (crispy-skin buns), but customers kept calling them pineapple buns.

Pineapple cake

Pineapple cake

A small pastry with a pineapple filling

Sai mai lo

Sai mai lo

Sago soup or Sai mai lou is a type of tong sui dessert in Cantonese cuisine, which is also a variant of tapioca pudding. It is basically made by pearl tapioca , coconut milk and evaporated milk. The dish is traditionally prepared using sago starch, which is derived from sago palm pith. Other ingredients can also be added, such as taro, pumpkin, mango, etc.

Shortcake

Shortcake

Shortcake generally refers to a dessert with a crumbly scone-like texture. There are multiple variations of shortcake, most of which are served with fruit and cream. One of the most popular is strawberry shortcake, which is typically served with whipped cream. Other variations common in the UK are blackberry and clotted cream shortcake and lemon berry shortcake, which is served with lemon curd in place of cream. Shortcake is typically made with flour, sugar, baking powder or soda, salt, butter, milk or cream, and sometimes eggs. The dry ingredients are blended, and then the butter is cut in until the mixture resembles cornmeal. The liquid ingredients are then mixed in just until moistened, resulting in a shortened dough. The dough is then dropped in spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, rolled and cut like baking powder biscuits, or poured into a cake pan, depending on how wet the dough is and the baker's preferences. Then it is baked at a relatively high temperature until set. Strawberry shortcake is a widely known dessert made with shortcake. Sliced strawberries are mixed with sugar and allowed to sit an hour or so, until the strawberries have surrendered a great deal of their juices . The shortcakes are split, and the bottoms are covered with a layer of strawberries, juice, and whipped cream, typically flavored with sugar and vanilla. The top is replaced, and more strawberries and whipped cream are added onto the top. Some convenience versions of shortcake are not made with a shortcake (i.e. biscuit) at all, but instead use a base of sponge cake or sometimes a corn muffin.

Suncake

Suncake

A suncake, or taiyang bing, is a popular Taiwanese dessert originally from the city of Taichung, in central Taiwan. The typical fillings consist of maltose , and they are usually sold in special gift boxes as souvenirs for visitors. Some famous suncake pastry shops always have long lines of people waiting to buy boxed suncakes. Suncakes are round, and they may vary in size. They are characterized by flaky crusts. Most people eat them with tea, and some people dissolve them in hot water to make a porridge-like dessert. The first suncakes were made by the Lin family in the Shekou area of Shengang Township, Taichung County (now part of Taichung City). The Lin family used condensed malt sugar as a filling for cake pastries. Later, pastry maker Wei Qing-hai modified the cakes to their current form.

Sweet mung bean soup

Sweet mung bean soup

Sweetheart cake

Sweetheart cake

A sweetheart cake or wife cake or marriage pie is a traditional Chinese cake with a thin crust of flaky pastry, made with a filling of winter melon, almond paste, and sesame, and spiced with five spice powder. "Wife cake" is the translation of 老婆饼 from Chinese, and although the meaning is "wife", the literal translation is "old lady cake", paralleling the colloquial usage of "old lady" for "wife" in English. In Hong Kong, it is known as a specialty of the Yuen Long District. The traditional variant is from Guangdong province, where the filling consists of candied wintermelon. The candied wintermelon mash is then combined with white sesame seeds and glutinous rice flour. Coconut in the form of mash or desiccated shreds and almond paste, as well as vanilla, are also sometimes added. The paste is encased in Cantonese-style pastry dough; the authentic flavour and flaky texture of the pastry is traditionally produced by using pork lard shortening, and glazing with egg wash. Due to its rising popularity in Western countries, brought about by immigration, butter is sometimes substituted in place of lard, though this will alter the taste. The level of sweetness is mild, compared to Western sweet pastries. Southeast Asian variations can include spices such as Chinese five spice . Although this spice is of Chinese origin, it was not traditionally used in sweetheart cakes. Sweetheart cake may be confused with the husband cake (老公饼 or Lao gong bing), which uses star anise in its filling.

Tanghulu

Tanghulu

Tanghulu or tang hulu (traditional Chinese: 糖葫蘆; simplified Chinese: 糖葫芦; pinyin: táng húlu; lit. 'sugar calabash'), also called bingtang hulu (冰糖葫蘆; 冰糖葫芦; bīngtáng húlu; 'rock-sugar calabash'), is a traditional Chinese snack consisting of several rock sugar coated fruits of Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) on a bamboo skewer. It is named for its calabash-like shape. Tanghulu is called tangdun'er (simplified Chinese: 糖墩儿) in Tianjin, tangqiu (simplified Chinese: 糖球) in Fengyang, Anhui, and tangzhan'er (simplified Chinese: 糖蘸儿) in Shandong. Tanghulu is often mistaken for regular candied fruits; however, it is coated in a hardened sugar syrup. Tanghulu has been made since the Song dynasty and remains popular throughout northern China. Chinese haw is the traditional fruit used, though in ancient times other fruits were also used. In records from the Qing dynasty, grapes and walnuts were added. The pits and seeds of the hawthorn are emptied and are commonly filled with sweet red bean paste before being skewered and dipped. In modern times, fruit choices have become more diverse, such as cherry tomatoes, mandarin oranges, strawberries, blueberries, pineapples, kiwifruit, and bananas.

Taro ice cream

Taro ice cream

Ice cream made from taro root

Tong sui

Tong sui

Tong sui or tim tong is a general term for any sweet soup served as a dessert typically at the end of a meal in Chinese cuisine. Tong sui originated in the Lingnan region of China, including Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong, Macau, and some parts of other provinces in China. Therefore, in the narrow sense, the term tong sui is used to refer to soupy desserts from Lingnan, while occasionally it is also used in the broad sense, referring to any soupy dessert in Chinese-speaking regions. A large variety of tong sui can be found in specialty stores dedicated to these desserts, called tong sui stores. Today, they have gained prominence in other parts of China and overseas. People can find tong sui stores in various parts of Canada, Australia, and the United States, showcasing the global appeal of these treats.

Water chestnut cake

Water chestnut cake

Water chestnut cake is a sweet Cantonese dim sum dish made of shredded Chinese water chestnut. When served during dim sum, the cake is usually cut into square-shaped slices and pan-fried before serving. The cake is soft, but holds its shape after the frying. Sometimes the cake is made with chopped water chestnuts embedded into each square piece with the vegetable being visible. One of the main trademark characteristics of the dish is its translucent appearance. It is one of the standard dishes found in the dim sum cuisine of Hong Kong, and is also available in select overseas Chinatown restaurants.

White sugar sponge cake

White sugar sponge cake

White sugar sponge cake is a type of Chinese pastry. It is made from rice flour, white sugar, water, and a leavening agent. While it is called a "cake", it is not served as a circular round cake. It is usually purchased as an individual square piece or a mini triangle. The cake is white in color, with a spongy and soft consistency. The taste is sweet, and sometimes has a slightly sour taste due to fermentation of the batter prior to cooking. Like most Chinese cakes, it is steamed, giving it a moist, soft, and fluffy texture, as opposed to a dry and firm one. If left exposed to the air, it hardens quickly. It is usually kept under some cover to preserve moistness. It is typically served hot, because when it is cold it is not as soft and moist. The batter is either poured over a bowl in a steamer, a Chinese steamer cloth or aluminum foil. If made from brown rice flour and brown sugar it is called a brown sugar sponge cake.

Zha xian nai

Zha xian nai

Battered and deep-fried milk custard or pudding

Apple Sidra

Apple Sidra

Apple Sidra is a Taiwanese carbonated soft drink which was first distributed in 1965. It is manufactured by Oceanic Beverages Co., Inc. and is mainly sold in Taiwan. It has a sweet natural apple flavor with a bit of citrus and is made without any preservatives or artificial flavors. It is sold in 250 and 330 ml cans, 275 ml glass bottles, and 600 ml, 1250 ml, and 2 liter bottles. Apple Sidra was first conceptualized in 1963 and then produced in 1965 with the help of Taiwanese investors from the Philippines and the United States. It was introduced to the Philippines in 1969 where it was sold in glass bottles. It was first made in three-piece aluminium cans, though in 1981 became one of the first drinks in Asia to use the new two-piece can designs. Today, Apple Sidra is manufactured in Taiwan and it is available in other countries in niche stores for soft drinks. In 2019, Oceanic Beverages started getting complaints of contaminants being found in the two liter bottles of Apple Sidra. This led them to recall 1.2 million bottles of Apple Sidra because of a contamination in them. The contamination was suspected to be because of a sterilization failure in their factories. Around 80,000 two liter bottles produced between July 4 and July 18, 2018 are believed to have been contaminated according to Oceanic Beverages. The company was fined twice in 2018 due to a different contamination in Apple Sidra products which violates the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. They were fined NT$ 1,000,000 in November 2018 and NT$ 1,200,000 in December 2018.

Arabica coffee

Arabica coffee

Coffea arabica , also known as the Arabica coffee, is a species of flowering plant in the coffee and madder family Rubiaceae. It is believed to be the first species of coffee to have been cultivated and is the dominant cultivar, representing about 60% of global production. Coffee produced from the more acidic, more bitter, and more highly caffeinated robusta bean (C. canephora) makes up most of the remaining coffee production. The natural populations of Coffea arabica are restricted to the forests of South Ethiopia and Yemen.

Awamori

Awamori

Awamori is an alcoholic beverage indigenous and unique to Okinawa, Japan. It is made from long grain indica rice, and is not a direct product of brewing (like sake) but of distillation (like shōchū). The majority of awamori made today uses indica rice imported from Thailand, as the local production is largely insufficient to meet domestic demand, which has risen considerably in recent years. Awamori is typically 60–86 proof (30–43% alcohol), although "export" brands (including brands shipped to mainland Japan) are increasingly 50 proof (25% alcohol). Some styles (notably hanazake) are 120 proof (60%) and are flammable. Awamori is aged in traditional clay pots to improve its flavor and mellowness.

B-52

B-52

The B-52 cocktail is a layered shot composed of coffee liqueur (Kahlúa), Irish cream (Baileys Irish Cream), and Grand Marnier (in later versions replaced with triple sec or Cointreau). When prepared properly, the ingredients separate into three distinctly visible layers (due to their relative densities). The origins of the B-52 are not well documented, but one claim is that the B-52 was invented by Peter Fich, a head bartender at the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada. Fich named all of his new drinks after favorite bands, albums, and songs, and he supposedly named the drink after the band of the same name, not directly after the US B-52 Stratofortress bomber or the beehive hairstyle after which the band was named. One of Fich's first customers for a B-52 owned restaurants in various cities in Alberta, and they liked the drink so much that he put it on the menu, leading to the perception that the B-52 originated at the Keg Steakhouse in Calgary, Alberta in 1977. The B-52 is also rumoured [by whom?] to have been created by Adam Honigman, a bartender at New York City's Maxwell's Plum.

Between the Sheets

Between the Sheets

The between the sheets is a cocktail consisting of white rum , cognac, triple sec, and lemon juice. When made with gin, instead of rum and cognac, it's called a "maiden's prayer". The origin of the cocktail is usually credited to Harry MacElhone at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in the 1930s as a derivative of the sidecar. However, competing theories exist that claim the cocktail was created at The Berkeley in approximately 1921, or in French brothels as an apéritif for consumption by the prostitutes. The drink is similar to the sidecar, differing only by using less cognac and adding rum. The maiden's prayer is variously known as an alternate name for the between the sheets, and as a different drink using gin instead of rum and cognac, and adding orange juice to the lemon juice.

Black coffee

Black coffee

Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially available. There are also various coffee substitutes. Typically served hot, coffee has the highest sales in the world market for hot drinks. Coffee production begins when the seeds from coffee cherries are separated to produce unroasted green coffee beans. The "beans" are roasted and then ground into fine particles. Coffee is brewed from the ground roasted beans, which are typically steeped in hot water before being filtered out. It is usually served hot, although chilled or iced coffee is common. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, French press, caffè latte, or already-brewed canned coffee). Sugar, sugar substitutes, milk, and cream are often added to mask the bitter taste or enhance the flavor.

Black tea

Black tea

Black tea is a type of tea that is more oxidized than oolong, yellow, white, and green teas. Black tea is generally stronger in flavour than other teas. All five types are made from leaves of the shrub (or small tree) Camellia sinensis, though Camellia taliensis is also rarely used. Two principal varieties of the species are used – the small-leaved Chinese variety plant (C. sinensis var. sinensis), used for most other types of teas, and the large-leaved Assamese plant (C. sinensis var. assamica), which was traditionally mainly used for black tea, although in recent years some green and white teas have been produced.

Bubble tea

Bubble tea

Bubble tea is a tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s. Taiwanese immigrants brought it to the United States in the 1990s, initially in California through regions including Los Angeles County, but the drink has also spread to other countries where there is a large East Asian diaspora population. Bubble tea most commonly consists of tea accompanied by chewy tapioca balls ("boba" or "pearls"), but it can be made with other toppings as well, such as grass jelly, aloe vera, red bean, and popping boba. It has many varieties and flavors, but the two most popular varieties are pearl black milk tea and pearl green milk tea ("pearl" for the tapioca balls at the bottom).

Café con leche

Café con leche

Café con leche is a coffee beverage common throughout Spain and Latin America consisting of strong coffee (usually espresso) mixed with scalded milk in approximately equal amounts. The amount of milk can be higher in a café con leche en vaso or a café con leche de desayuno. Cuban and Puerto Rican establishments often prepare the drink with sugar. Sugar or sweetener is added to taste. It is similar to the Italian caffè latte and the French café au lait. Café con leche came from Spain, but its exact origin is unclear. After becoming popular in Spain, this coffee beverage has spread to other Spanish-speaking countries and areas. Café con leche is very common in Spain and Latin America, as well as diasporic Latin American communities around the world. Cuban restaurants in South Florida often have a walk-up window (ventanita) that serve café con leche.

Caffè corretto

Caffè corretto

Caffè corretto is an Italian caffeinated alcoholic drink, consisting of a shot of espresso with a small amount of liquor, usually grappa, and sometimes sambuca or brandy. It is also known (outside Italy) as an espresso corretto. It is ordered as un caffè corretto alla grappa, ... alla sambuca, ... al cognac, or corretto di Spadino, depending on the desired liquor. A caffè corretto is often prepared by simply adding a few drops of the desired spirit into an espresso shot; however in some cases the alcohol is served in a shot alongside the coffee, allowing the customer to pour the quantity they desire.

Caffè macchiato

Caffè macchiato

Caffè macchiato is an espresso coffee drink with a small amount of milk, usually foamed. In Italian, macchiato means 'stained' or 'spotted', so the literal translation of caffè macchiato is 'stained coffee' or 'marked coffee'. The origin of the name macchiato stems from baristas needing to show the serving waiters the difference between an espresso and an espresso with a tiny bit of milk in it; the latter was "marked". The idea is reflected in the Portuguese name for the drink: café pingado, meaning 'coffee with a drop'.

Caffè mocha

Caffè mocha

A caffè mocha , also called mocaccino ( Italian: [mokatˈtʃiːno]), is a chocolate-flavoured variant of caffè latte, commonly served warm or hot in a glass rather than a mug. Other commonly used spellings are mochaccino and also mochachino. The name is derived from the city of Mokha, Taiz Governorate, Yemen, which was one of the centres of early coffee trade. The name is sometimes shortened to just mocha. The name "mocha" is derived from the Yemeni port of Mokha, which was a port well-known for its coffee trade from the 15th to 17th century, and where small quantities of fine coffee grown in the hills nearby was exported. When coffee drinking culture spread to Europe, Europeans referred to coffee imports from Arabia as Mochas, even though coffee from Yemen itself was uncommon and frequently mixed with beans from Abyssinia, and later coffee from Malabar or the West Indies were also marketed as Mocha coffee.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is an espresso-based coffee drink that is traditionally prepared with steamed milk including a layer of milk foam. Variations of the drink involve the use of cream instead of milk, using non-dairy milk substitutes and flavoring with cocoa powder (in Europe and Australasia) or cinnamon (in the United States and South Korea). It is typically smaller in volume than that of a caffè latte, and topped with a thick layer of foam rather than being made with microfoam.

Chrysanthemum tea

Chrysanthemum tea

Chrysanthemum tea is a flower-based infusion beverage made from the chrysanthemum flowers of the species Chrysanthemum morifolium or Chrysanthemum indicum, which are most popular throughout East and Southeast Asia. First cultivated in China as a herb as early as the 1500 BCE, Chrysanthemum became popularized as a tea during the Song dynasty. In Chinese tradition, once a pot of chrysanthemum tea has been drunk, hot water is typically added again to the flowers in the pot ; this process is often repeated several times.

Clover Club

Clover Club

A Clover Club cocktail is a shaken cocktail consisting of gin, lemon juice, raspberry syrup, and egg white. The egg white acts as an emulsifier, forming the drink's characteristic foamy head. The Clover Club cocktail is a drink that pre-dates Prohibition in the United States, and is named for the Philadelphia men's club of the same name, which met in the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel at South Broad and Walnut Streets in Center City. The Clover Club was chartered in 1882. Of the cocktail, Robert Hess claims "It has a long history [...] and was enjoyed by the captains of industry who were members of the famous club."

Cognac

Cognac

Cognac is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Cognac production falls under French appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) designation, with production methods and naming required to meet certain legal requirements. Among the specified grapes, Ugni blanc, known locally as Saint-Émilion, is most widely used. The brandy must be twice distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais. Cognac matures in the same way as whiskies and wines barrel-age, and most cognacs spend considerably longer "on the wood" than the minimum legal requirement.

Cold brew coffee

Cold brew coffee

Coffee drinks are made by brewing water with ground coffee beans. The brewing is either done slowly, by filter, French press, moka pot or percolator, or done very quickly, under pressure, by an espresso machine. When put under the pressure of an espresso machine, the coffee is termed espresso, while slow-brewed coffees are generally termed brewed coffee. While all coffee drinks are based on either coffee or espresso, some drinks add milk or cream, some are made with steamed milk or non-dairy milks, or add water . Upon milk additions, coffee's flavor can vary with different syrups or sweeteners, alcoholic liqueurs, and even combinations of coffee with espresso or tea. There are many variations to the basic coffee or espresso bases. With the invention of the Gaggia machine, espresso and espresso with milk, such as cappuccino and latte, spread in popularity from Italy to the US in the early 20th century. With the rise in popularity of the Italian coffee culture in the 1980s, it began to spread worldwide via coffeehouses and coffeehouse chains.

Doppio

Doppio

Doppio espresso is a double shot which is extracted using double the amount of ground coffee in a larger-sized portafilter basket. This results in 60 ml (2.1 imp fl oz; 2.0 US fl oz) of drink, double the amount of a single shot espresso. Doppio is Italian multiplier, meaning 'double'. It is commonly called a standard double, due to its standard in judging the espresso quality in barista competitions, where four single espresso are made using two double portafilters. A single shot of espresso, by contrast, is called a solo ('single') and was developed because it was the maximum amount of ground coffee that could practically be extracted by lever espresso machines. At most cafés outside of Italy, a doppio is the standard shot. Because solos require a smaller portafilter basket, solo shots are often produced by making ("pulling") a doppio in a two-spout portafilter and only serving one of the streams; the other stream may be discarded or used in another drink. The caffeine content of a doppio can vary, but typically consists of 58-185 mg of caffeine, often averaging around 150 mg.

Douzhi

Douzhi

Douzhi is a traditional fermented drink from Beijing cuisine similar to soy milk. Made as a byproduct of cellophane noodle production, it has a light gray color and a distinct, slightly sour smell, with hints of green vegetables and cooked potatoes. Douzhi originated during the Liao and Song dynasties, when Beijing was a key center in northern China. During this period, residents of Beijing, including both royal family members and Han officials, enjoyed Douzhi as a breakfast staple. By the Qing dynasty, Douzhi’s popularity had even reached the imperial court. Records from the Qianlong era note an official report to the emperor suggesting that Douzhi be inspected for cleanliness, and if deemed suitable, to serve it within the palace. In modern Beijing, Douzhi is more than just a drink—it is a symbol of local culinary tradition and an experience for those seeking to connect with authentic Beijing culture. Douzhi can be commonly found at both morning and evening markets in Beijing because some Beijing residents enjoy it as a breakfast choice. When drinking Douzhi, people often visit small street stalls or local restaurants to enjoy it in a leisurely morning. The pickled vegetables and jiaoquan are typically placed in a bowl first, with the hot Douzhi poured over them. To eat, people use chopsticks to pick up the pickles and jiaoquan, dipping them in the Douzhi. Due to its unique taste of mildly sour, Douzhi is favored by locals, though it may be an acquired taste for visitors from other regions. Today, it is also considered an important part of Beijing’s cultural experience, frequently recommended as a local street food for tourists to try.

Drip coffee

Drip coffee

Coffee preparation is the making of liquid coffee using coffee beans. While the particular steps vary with the type of coffee and with the raw materials, the process includes four basic steps: raw coffee beans must be roasted, the roasted coffee beans must then be ground, and the ground coffee must then be mixed with hot or cold water for a specific time (brewed), the liquid coffee extraction must be separated from the used grounds, and finally, if desired, the extracted coffee is combined with other elements of the desired beverage, such as sweeteners, dairy products, dairy alternatives, or toppings (such as shaved chocolate). Coffee is usually brewed hot, at close to the boiling point of water, immediately before drinking, yielding a hot beverage capable of scalding if splashed or spilled; if not consumed promptly, coffee is often sealed into a vacuum flask or insulated bottle to maintain its temperature. In most areas, coffee may be purchased unprocessed, or already roasted, or already roasted and ground. Whole roast coffee or ground coffee is often vacuum-packed to prevent oxidation and lengthen its shelf life. Especially in hot climates, some find cold or iced coffee more refreshing. This can be prepared well in advance as it maintains its character when stored cold better than as a hot beverage.

Espresso

Espresso

Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is characterized by its small serving size, typically 25–30 ml, and its distinctive layers: a dark body topped with a lighter-colored foam called "crema". Espresso machines use pressure to extract a highly concentrated coffee with a complex flavor profile in a short time, usually 25–30 seconds. The result is a beverage with a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids than regular drip coffee, giving espresso its characteristic body and intensity. Despite the stronger taste profile, espresso typically contains fewer milligrams of caffeine than a standard serving of drip-brewed coffee.

Espresso con panna

Espresso con panna

Espresso con panna is a single or double shot of espresso topped with whipped cream. In France and in the United Kingdom it is known as café viennois. In northern continental Europe, the term Wiener Melange refers to a different drink, made with foamed milk and having no whipped cream on top. In Vienna, an espresso con panna is properly called a Franziskaner, but ordering a Wiener Melange may sometimes yield the arrival of espresso con panna even in Vienna.

French press

French press

A French press, also known as a cafetière, cafetière à piston, caffettiera a stantuffo, press pot, coffee press, or coffee plunger, is a coffee brewing device, although it can also be used for other tasks. The earliest known device was patented in 1852 in France by Jacques-Victor Delforge and Henri-Otto Mayer. In English, the device is known in North America as a French press or coffee press; in Britain and Ireland as a cafetière, after the brand, La Cafetière; in New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa as a coffee plunger, and coffee brewed in it as plunger coffee. In Italian, it is known as a caffettiera a stantuffo; in German as a Pressstempelkanne, Stempelkanne , Stabfilterkanne, Kaffeepresse ("coffee press") or Bistrokanne; in French as cafetière à piston, or simply as cafetière (also the usage in Dutch), though some speakers might also use genericized trademarks, such as Melior or Bodum.

Gaoliang jiu

Gaoliang jiu

Sorghum-derived spirit, alcohol

Honey Aloe

Honey Aloe

Taiwan honey aloe is a beverage made from Taiwanese longan honey mixed with aloe vera pulp, known for its refreshing taste and health benefits, such as regulating metabolism and quenching thirst. It is often low in sugar and calories, making it a popular choice for those seeking wellness and nutrition.

Hong Kong-style milk tea

Hong Kong-style milk tea

Hong Kong–style milk tea , also known as "silk-stocking" milk tea (絲襪奶茶), is a tea drink made from Ceylon black tea and evaporated milk (or condensed milk). The drink originated in the mid-20th century during the British rule of Hong Kong, and was inspired by the British's afternoon tea. The Hong Kong variant uses a stronger blend of tea leaves, which traditionally is brewed using a unique technique that features a stocking-like cotton bag. These, along with the use of evaporated milk instead of fresh milk, results in a more intense and creamy flavour, differing from the light and diluted taste of British milk tea.

Ipoh white coffee

Ipoh white coffee

Ipoh white coffee is a popular coffee drink which originated in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, resulting in Ipoh being named one of the top three coffee towns by Lonely Planet. The coffee beans are roasted with palm oil margarine, and the resulting coffee is served with condensed milk. The term white coffee originates from the literal translation of its Chinese name, which was introduced in the 19th century by Chinese migrants who came to work in the local tin mines. The coffee beans themselves are not actually white; the colour comes from the milk stirred into the end product. In Malaysia, the original white coffee started in the Ipoh and was a drink made from beans roasted in margarine and served with sweetened condensed milk. This style of coffee continues to be popular throughout the country. However, white coffee in Malaysia often simply refers to how the drink is prepared and presented – with margarine.

Irish Coffee

Irish Coffee

Irish coffee is a caffeinated alcoholic drink consisting of Irish whiskey, hot coffee and sugar, which has been stirred and topped with cream (sometimes cream liqueur). The coffee is drunk through the cream. Different variations of coffee cocktails pre-date the now-classic Irish coffee by at least 100 years.

Kopi luwak

Kopi luwak

Kopi luwak, also known as civet coffee, is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet . The cherries are fermented as they pass through a civet's intestines, and after being defecated with other fecal matter, they are collected. Asian palm civets are increasingly caught in the wild and traded for this purpose. Kopi luwak is produced mainly on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, and in East Timor. It is also widely gathered in the forest or produced in farms in the islands of the Philippines, where the product is called kape motit in the Cordillera region, kapé alamíd in Tagalog areas, kapé melô or kapé musang in Mindanao, and kahawa kubing in the Sulu Archipelago.

Latte

Latte

Latte[a] or caffè latte ( Italian: [kafˌfɛ lˈlatte]), also known as caffè e latte, caffellatte or caffelatte, is a coffee drink of Italian origin made with espresso and steamed milk, traditionally served in a glass. Variants include the chocolate-flavored caffè mocha or replacing the coffee with another beverage base such as masala chai (spiced Indian tea), mate, matcha, turmeric or rooibos; alternatives to milk, such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk or oat milk, are also used. The term latte comes from caffellatte or caffè latte (from caffè e latte, lit. 'coffee and milk'); in English orthography, either or both words sometimes have an accent on the final e (a hyperforeignism in the case of *latté). In Northern Europe and Scandinavia, the term café au lait has traditionally been used for the combination of espresso and milk. In France, cafè latte is from the original name of the beverage (caffè latte); a combination of espresso and steamed milk equivalent to a "latte" is in French called un crème (un grand crème using cream instead of milk) and in German Milchkaffee.

Long black

Long black

A long black is a style of coffee commonly found in Australia and New Zealand, made by pouring a single shot of espresso into hot water. It is similar to an americano, in which hot water is poured into one shot of espresso. Typically about 100–120 millilitres (3.5–4 ounces) of water is used but the measurement is considered to be flexible to individual taste. The smaller volume of water compared to an Americano is responsible for its stronger taste. Both retain the crema when brewed properly, though in the long black the crema will be more pronounced.

Long Island Iced Tea

Long Island Iced Tea

The Long Island iced tea, or Long Island ice tea, is an IBA official cocktail, typically made with vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin, and a splash of cola. Despite its name, the cocktail does not typically contain iced tea, but is named for having the same amber hue as iced tea. The drink has a much higher alcohol concentration than most highball drinks due to the relatively small amount of mixer.

Lungo

Lungo

Lungo , known in full in Italian as caffè lungo, is a coffee beverage made by using an espresso machine to make an Italian-style coffee—short black (a single espresso shot) with more water (generally twice as much), resulting in a larger coffee, a lungo. A normal serving of espresso takes from 18 to 30 seconds to pull, and fills 25–30 millilitres (1 fl oz), while a lungo may take up to a minute to pull, and might fill 50–70 millilitres (2 fl oz). Extraction time of the dose is determined by the variety of coffee beans (usually a blend of arabica and robusta), their grind, and the pressure of the machine. It is usually brewed using an espresso machine, but with twice the amount of water to the same weight of coffee, to make a much-longer drink.

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