Some vegetables are wasted.
This happened in the first months of the pandemic in Canada, since most people were at home a lot of people starting baking bread etc.; it took about 6 months for the supply chain to catch up, but eventually things like flour and bleach were available all the time.
I was in a Carrefour yesterday and the meat selection wasn’t awesome but there were choices and I got some things. Veggie selection has been weak since I got here and not sure what it was like before the pandemic because I am new, but yesterday there was more bok choi on the shelves at one time than i have seen in all of the rest of my time in country combined. Cabbage has never been difficult for me to find.
Can’t find fresh mint. I look everywhere I go every time I go and never fresh mint. I’m in Kaohsiung and will plant some of what I buy if I can ever buy it. If you know where to get fresh mint in KHH, please let me know…
There are shortages flour and butter on some supermarkets in tamsui and hongshulin area
it is usually at weekend flower market. Now, it may be closed, so flower shop?
2 Likes
lol what. this mint, in flower shops?
https://i1.wp.com/www.eatthis.com/wp-content/uploads//media/images/ext/830216596/mint-julep-drink.jpg?resize=1400%2C788&ssl=1
Not really common here. It shows up in the Breeze Super or high-end supermarkets, but in typical supermarkets I’ll see fresh local basil (tastes the same as Thai basil to my limited palate) and cilantro and that’s often about it.
I buy mint plants at a flower market and keep them on the balcony - but I think all the big flower markets are closed at the moment. You may still find small flower shops selling mint. Many of those flower shops have a section with herb plants.
4 Likes
thai basil has been pretty consistently easy to find, every time i go to carrefour or px mart (multiple locations) and the one time i went to jason’s.
craziness, i should have known better than to doubt @tando
2 Likes
Flower markets here are usually more like nurseries, selling a wide variety of potted plants.
4 Likes
I get my fresh mint in the local wet market in the mornings, hunt around you will find some one who has it.
I get a big bunch use what I need and freeze the rest. I did try growing it fresh ( Carrefour has it in the gardening section) but not much success, the one in the market had a stronger taste even after freezing.
In Kaohsiung? I have only been to one wet market and they didn’t have any when I was there… I’ll definitely keep looking, and try for a flower market as well! I’ve previously grown mint with good success, it’s probably the easiest herb to grow but it helps to give it a lot of space because it is such a weed
No just up the road in Pingtung, it was the same in Kaohsiung when lived there but I did live a little out the city.
1 Like
I have seen no shortages at Burger King, have you?
I almost got BK yesterday when I was at RT Mart. I didn’t though cause my friend won’t let people eat in his car. Should have driven myself.
I just choose the name because it was one of the few Gmail addresses I could make that look normal and don’t require periods or numbers. 
2 Likes
Their triple whopper is still available. Plenty.of protein in that, I had one just yesterday. 
Best to call first then pick it up, they are definitely slower than the Big M , but way more tasty.
Have you tried yam leaves? When I first came to Taiwan, they were giving it away.
Now, it’s sold as a low cost vegetable.
Nutritionally, it’s not as good as spinach but it’s not bad.
Foreign canned vegies are too expensive. The local stuff, the insides of the cans look less than clean. Anyway, my family wouldn’t touch anything except can corn.
3 Likes
Well, the issue is you have to peel the middle vein…it is quite labor intensive.
I saw empty shelves in the ramen and pasta aisle a couple weeks ago at the local “little” Carrefour, as well as a shortage of bananas. But it’s no longer like that. I can’t find any Ben & Jerry’s at my local at the moment.
1 Like
If this is as bad as it gets, I’ll take it.
Guy
2 Likes
It’s been the worst part of my COVID-restriction experience in the past couple of months!
Mind you, this says a lot about how lucky I’ve been with how much I’ve been affected.
I also suspect and fear the Ben & Jerry’s disappearance is more “Good products don’t stick around in Taiwan” than it is anything related to COVID.
2 Likes
Try this. Takes it to a whole different level. You can dry the leaves/stems in a toaster oven.
https://www.angsarap.net/2018/12/21/special-laing/
Onions are not normally used, AFAIK. The bagoong is optional (the fish sauce is enough fishiness for me personally).