@Safari What about lacto-fermented instead of vinegared pickles? I ferment everything I can get my hands on. Habernero okra pickled? Oh, don’t mind if I do. Health market might go for it
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Do the Okra taste good?
For what its worth from my experience in the food production industry. Pickled will work well. It has to have color and visual appeal.
Obe problem you will certainly run into is the vegan buddhist crowd here. The health food craze is strongly leaning in that community (certainly not only but they are a big enough segment to pay attention to). Being they try to avoid desire with avoiding certain onion family relatives you will have trouble using onions and garlic…and quite frankly make pickled things unedible haha.
I can see it going over well with foteign crowd. Restaurants seem the go to actually but this is where you may also run into issues (variable based on the shop). Restaurants have to follow fda guidelines and tax rules. You will need to be able to write a reciept for them as a business coat. Receipts in taiwan are actually quite official not just something you can write. Being processed you cant play the farmer “i grew it card” to avoid such receipt. So to make receipts possible and also more or less skirt fda/sub contracted inspectors you can open the smallest level style business and register you food number (i am forgetting all the chinese terms sorry ask me if interested). This would essentially be a hand made, home business setup and you can do all you mentioned legally and with a proper reciept which will open your doora fully to the restaurant game.
Honestly i can see eggs and various vegetables being popular here. Probably not shallots but who knows. I never thought squid bonito flake pizza with mayo and corn would be a hit either…but here we are.
And about the fashion thing in taiwan. Its very true that thi gs get big fast, have a short run then go cold. So the tricm is do the marketing yourself so you are in the upswing and have a couple more lined up for when this one turns boring.
Makin ga meal and selling it at festivals is an easy way to make 20 to 50k on a weekend. Thy tend to be free of both tax and fda interventions 
and they can be quite fun.
Thats a logistics problem, not a flavor problem. Think about the taiwan market for food. Easy, convenient, fast and can hold in one hand on a scooter. Pass those youre good. Pie will never be huge. Interestinfly quiche is gaining in dining establishments. Different market though. Dessert type people are a certain paychology (class) and that type tends to like quick ceap and wrapped in plastic. Quiche people tend to bring their own container and ask you where was grown.
forget about pies, try pasties. call it big dumpling in chinese or something.
they are already going mad for those hu jiao bings. could also cook them in a big oil drum thing same as the hu jiao bings. pastys could catch on. just gotta use some good flavours. the traditional bland meat and potatos is a no no.
@BiggusDickus yeah. Spicy and crunchy. Not slimy like cooked okra.
Ginger fermented daikon is heavenly
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Oh, these were all the standard snack size (about 3.5"). Pies are designed to be eaten one-handed. Possibly you’re thinking of the outsized American version? 
One guy was selling them from a night market stand. They were pretty good, IIRC. But the Taiwanese punters weren’t even giving him a second glance, and he was gone within a few weeks.
It could be he just wasn’t making enough effort to promote his stuff, of course.
I’ve always wanted to get into pickling my own vegetables but I don’t really know anything about it and am afraid I’d just ruin some perfectly good veggies. @Bree does the muggy climate here have any effect on your fermenting setup?
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I also do some lacto fermentation. I’ve done pickles and kimchi as well. I just started a new hot sauce.
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How do you look up “fermentation jar” in Chinese? If they even sell those here.
You can just use an ordinary jar. Don’t tighten down the lid though cos it’ll explode.
I’ve made piccalilli before. Works fine. The weather these days is probably ideal, or you can just put it in the fridge (ferments slower).
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Most hardware stores sell these. The glass bases. I bought the top part in Canada but you can order them online
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I’m gonna look up some more info about this when I get home. I want to make some sauerkraut.
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My Partner and I are also going more for the Enviromental side of things pickles in Kilner Jars, pay for jar on first purchase, return and only pay for filling, Sourdough bread and scones in paper bags only! stop the plastic waste!
Asia every thing is plastic Welcome Supermarket apples come in the toughest plastic bags I’ve ever come accross.
Let us know how it goes
Quiche is gaining already for 10 years without going anywhere. And quiche on a sweet crust?
Me too. I’m afraid of creating a food poisoning situation.
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Yes. It would be a nightmare to go to the trouble of getting a good jar, some mother, and a nice organic veg and innocently try to pickle it only to open up the jar months later to find a thriving colony of mold. 
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Even the bread here is sweet, first time I visited I bought what I thought was a burger bun from c85, made some homemade burgers cut open the bun, was filled with sweet custard!
Hence beefburgers without the bun that night.
Everything is sweet, except for dessert!
Sugar is good preservative!