# What do Taiwanese people mean when they describe food as "Q"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Food & Drink\ **Created:** [December 19, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987 "2013-12-19T00:38:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Belgian\_Pie](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Belgian\_Pie](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Belgian_Pie)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 6:43am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/21 "2018-12-04T06:43:18Z")
> [@hansioux](#): > > good muâ-tsî are not supposed to be rubbery They (the good) are made from rice, the bad ones are a mix of rice and wheat. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Milker](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/dr_milker/32/181996_2.png) [@Dr\_Milker](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Dr_Milker)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 6:44am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/22 "2018-12-04T06:44:11Z")
> [@BiggusDickus](#): > > It’s nothing like al dente. I like “rubbery.” ---
**Author:** ![BiggusDickus](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/biggusdickus/32/90381_2.png) [@BiggusDickus](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/BiggusDickus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 6:45am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/23 "2018-12-04T06:45:00Z")
> [@Dr\_Milker](#): > > > [@BiggusDickus](#): > > > > It’s nothing like al dente. > > I like “rubbery.” The texture of overcooked Brussels sprouts. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Milker](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/dr_milker/32/181996_2.png) [@Dr\_Milker](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Dr_Milker)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 6:47am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/24 "2018-12-04T06:47:40Z")
> [@BiggusDickus](#): > > The texture of overcooked Brussels sprouts. That’s an analogy I didn’t need. I can almost smell them. ---
**Author:** ![Belgian\_Pie](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Belgian\_Pie](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Belgian_Pie)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 6:48am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/25 "2018-12-04T06:48:08Z")
> [@BiggusDickus](#): > > The texture of overcooked Brussels sprouts. Don’t insult Brussels sprouts! Prepared the right way they are délicieux! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Milker](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/dr_milker/32/181996_2.png) [@Dr\_Milker](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Dr_Milker)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 6:49am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/26 "2018-12-04T06:49:00Z")
> [@Belgian\_Pie](#): > > Don’t insult Brussels sprouts! I hear they’re great on Belgian waffles with mayonnaise. ---
**Author:** ![Belgian\_Pie](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Belgian\_Pie](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Belgian_Pie)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 6:50am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/27 "2018-12-04T06:50:11Z")
> [@Dr\_Milker](#): > > > Don’t insult Brussels sprouts! > > I hear they’re great on Belgian waffles with mayonnaise. In a milky silky creamy bechamel, with just a pinch of nutmeg! ---
**Author:** ![BiggusDickus](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/biggusdickus/32/90381_2.png) [@BiggusDickus](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/BiggusDickus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 7:00am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/28 "2018-12-04T07:00:15Z")
> [@Dr\_Milker](#): > > > [@BiggusDickus](#): > > > > The texture of overcooked Brussels sprouts. > > That’s an analogy I didn’t need. I can almost smell them. That reminds me, I must put them on ready for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Milker](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/dr_milker/32/181996_2.png) [@Dr\_Milker](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Dr_Milker)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 7:02am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/29 "2018-12-04T07:02:33Z")
> [@BiggusDickus](#): > > That reminds me, I must put them on ready for Christmas. Grinch. ---
**Author:** ![Flakman](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/flakman/32/135214_2.png) [@Flakman](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Flakman)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/30 "2018-12-04T14:31:32Z")
A few Taiwanese have asked me how to translate Q. I have failed to come up with a suitable translation which does not sound bad…for example, “rubbery”…not too appetizing. I think one problem is my English is so poor. (When people ask me how many languages I speak I tell them a little bit of Chinese and about half of English.) I really envy those of you who completely fluent in more than one language. ---
**Author:** ![DrewC](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/drewc/32/224499_2.png) [@DrewC](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/DrewC)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:45pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/31 "2018-12-04T14:45:51Z")
> [@Belgian\_Pie](#): > > Al dente in Taiwan is like a mush! If you serve al dente pasta they complain that it’s under-cooked! Same thing with steak. If it’s pink in the middle they think it’s raw. They really don’t get the concept of Medium Rare. ---
**Author:** ![BiggusDickus](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/biggusdickus/32/90381_2.png) [@BiggusDickus](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/BiggusDickus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/32 "2018-12-04T14:55:41Z")
When I cook steak for my wife I still have to do it well-done. She refuses to even try anything less than that. ---
**Author:** ![DrewC](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/drewc/32/224499_2.png) [@DrewC](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/DrewC)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/33 "2018-12-04T15:03:48Z")
I feel your pain. My wife also likes burnt hockey pucks of meat. I finally convinced her that having a medium steak won’t kill her and actually tastes much better than well-done, but she won’t go bloody like medium rare. When I cook Costco steaks, I always keep her’s in the pan an extra 3 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![tempogain](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/tempogain/32/264650_2.png) [@tempogain](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/tempogain)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/34 "2018-12-04T17:08:17Z")
At least it’s a clear indicator that I don’t want to eat it. ---
**Author:** ![Belgian\_Pie](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Belgian\_Pie](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Belgian_Pie)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 4:03am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/35 "2018-12-05T04:03:35Z")
> [@BiggusDickus](#): > > When I cook steak for my wife I still have to do it well-done. She refuses to even try anything less than that. Next time cut off your Nike sneaker soles and serve’r that! Or buy the soles in bulk from China! ---
**Author:** ![Chazhamo](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Chazhamo](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Chazhamo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 12:18pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/36 "2018-12-05T12:18:01Z")
I asked my chef husband is there a English word for QQ. He said no, may be chewy. I tried to explained QQ to him in US as related to al dente, he didn’t really understands it until we moved to Taiwan. When he cooked risotto for me the first time, I told he he didn’t cook the rice all the way. LOL. ---
**Author:** ![lostinasia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/lostinasia/32/60703_2.png) [@lostinasia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/lostinasia)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 12:26pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/37 "2018-12-05T12:26:36Z")
“Q” appeared in the _New Yorker_ this week: “bubble tea and _gua bao_ … exemplify a particular springy, elastic texture that’s identified in Taiwan by the letter ‘Q’”. It’s kind of fun reading the article and trying to figure out what food they’re talking about. And boy, do I not know much about the food of the island that’s been my home for well over a decade. > **[886, Ho Foods, and New York’s Taiwanese New Wave](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/12/10/886-ho-foods-and-new-yorks-taiwanese-new-wave)** > > A growing group of young Taiwanese-Americans are showing that there’s far more to the cuisine than bubble tea and pork buns. ---
**Author:** ![tempogain](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/tempogain/32/264650_2.png) [@tempogain](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/tempogain)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 12:32pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/38 "2018-12-05T12:32:09Z")
> [@lostinasia](#): > > that’s identified in Taiwan by the letter ‘Q’”. Something was a little lost in the translation there, lol ---
**Author:** ![BiggusDickus](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/biggusdickus/32/90381_2.png) [@BiggusDickus](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/BiggusDickus)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 12:37pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/39 "2018-12-05T12:37:47Z")
Everyone’s talking about it in terms of texture - springy, elastic, chewy etc. I think it’s more “WTF!”. Such as you are drinking bubble milk tea and this strange ball fires up your straw and you say WTF! ---
**Author:** ![Belgian\_Pie](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Belgian\_Pie](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Belgian_Pie)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:24am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987/40 "2018-12-06T05:24:33Z")
> [@Chazhamo](#): > > I told he he didn’t cook the rice all the way. LOL. How dare you! 😉 [Previous page](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987.md?page=1) [Next page](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/what-do-taiwanese-people-mean-when-they-describe-food-as-q/80987.md?page=3)