When is the right time to leave

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1001

No, sometimes I can’t get exactly what I want but there are always lots of options.

Can you expand your repertoire of dishes with the things available to you (tofu and vegetables are always available, if you know how to cook them)?

Where are you shopping? PX Mart on Sunday isn’t a great choice, but the traditional market is always well stocked. I get raw nuts and lentils and a few other things at a traditional medicine market. Sometimes Costco, sometimes a large Carrefour. Shop around.

I cook based on what is available a lot of the time.

Also, buy things in bulk when you can. Use your freezer and batch cook. Keep your kitchen stocked with all your favorite non fresh ingredients so you have them whenever you want them

I have about 2 months worth of emergency food stash. Some of it is MREs I take camping, some is canned (meat, fruit, soup, bean porridge, etc.). There is pickled cabbage and freeze dried fruit and regular dried fruit and envelopes of corn soup and more. I even have a can of mapo dofu in there. After the new year I went through and separated out anything that expires in 2023, so the whole stash and anything added is best before 2024 or 2025.

Not enough gas to cook it all, but I dont want to store too much of that in my apartment

Only about 30 gallons of water in the emergency stash, need to remember to get more of that

:rofl:
Taiwanese food is famous, but terrible. I’ve been having a lot of Family Mart salads and cold burritos wraps for lunch lately

In Kaohsiung, cookbox always has it and I think a lower price. I feel like simplemart and pxmart also have it

In the long run, buying bulk should be cheaper, or you’re doing it wrong

I don’t eat cereal, but I think Costco is your cheapest bet

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1002

Yes. I’ve seen them (IRREGULARLY!) at Danshui and Zhishan; those are the only two branches I’ve gone to. A little less than $275, when they’re on special; slightly more when they’re not on special, I think.

A few years ago there was a thread about what we wanted at Carrefour, and I put mini-wheats on the list. I don’t know if there’s a connection, but if so, thanks to whoever did that!

EDIT: Ah, here’s that thread. Thanks @Marco! Huh, interesting that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are near the top of the list, and they briefly appeared, but have now gone again - but there are still some Reese’s chocolate bars.

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1003

No joke everytime I want tofu or veggies they are out of what I need.

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1004

Where are you going, and when, that they have no veggies?

1005

I think it’s more the specific veggie is lacking. More than a few times I’ve failed to find a red onion or red pepper. Broccoli or sweet potatoes are occasionally at the 2nd or 3rd place I check. Even firm tofu can be a bit unreliable.

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1006

Ah. 9 times out of 10 I buy based on what looks good and fresh and cheap. I don’t usually go for specific things.

Red onion, red pepper, and broccoli are always available at the traditional market I go to. Firm tofu, to be honest, I only get from time to time. But in addition to the large vegetable area and a few smaller areas that carry it, there is a dedicated tofu seller. I guess I’m lucky to have that market so close by

They dont always have the little eggplants for Thai green curry. If I have some curry paste in the fridge that I’m looking forward to eating and they don’t have the eggplants, I’ll use something else (green beans is also traditional, carrots or even cauliflower will do)

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1007

Do you have to use the little eggplant for Thai curry? The normal long ones won’t do?

1008

It is traditional, but you dont have to. I have used the long eggplant, but I don’t love it in the curry (too spongy). Can use whatever veggies you want in a curry, use the veggies that you like and are cheap!

Look at these photos, so many different veggies:
https://www.google.com/search?q=thai+green+curry+eggplant&client=ms-android-samsung-ss&prmd=isvn&sxsrf=APwXEdf9xrlL6PWN9Gr-qirVqH6ZSElCBA:1679813541616&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiAg7-Lgfn9AhXeTmwGHUgzAQ4Q_AUoAXoECAIQAQ&biw=360&bih=677&dpr=3

1009

European supermarkets also have had availability problems, it aint just Taiwan issue. Besides there’s tonnes of fresh seasonal veg and fruit always.

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1010

Carrots here are like what I used to buy in the U.K. 15kg sacks for horses £1.
Small sweet carrots are rare in Taipei.

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1011

I don’t know if this helps, but I’ve been buying dried beans in bulk from Shopee lately. You don’t need to refrigerate them, and they are healthy, vegan, and nutricious. I also always have dried seaweed, mushrooms, dou pi, and mu er. In terms of veggies, I buy several of them when they are on sale and just freeze them. Though my freezer is small, so I cannot store as many veggies as I would like.
I’m planning on getting some powdered soy milk as well to have in case of emergency. It feels that you are spending too much on food whenever you stock up on your “reserves”, but they last for a while, so you end up saving money in the long run.

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1012

They’re fine in curry

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1013

Yes, stew them up! It works.

Guy

1014

I used in last nights dinner

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1015

Those days were you’re just like fuck it I’m leaving tonight with no plans :face_in_clouds:

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1016

If you’re single, do it. If you’re attached, spend a day or 2 convincing then do it :sweat_smile:

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1017

Wet market, 504NT. Didn’t have to go to a tofu stall, the veggie people had fresh smoked just like i like it

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Didn’t have cartons of eggs (I have some in the fridge tho), but they had plenty of loose wggs that were bluish (i guess duck?) I could have wandered the stalls looking for eggs but wasn’t there for that

Wet markets are where it’s at

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1018

Nope. Never had this experience in continental Europe. Unless you come 2 hours before closing ir Saturday after 3pm. Cause employees don’t want bring food from back of storage.

1019

Do people that have stayed here five or more years even leave forever? I swear everyone always comes back.

Side note: I’m a freaking idiot for starting my life here. I basically feel like Taiwan is “home” even though I want to move to Sweden. :sneezing_face:

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1020

Most people stay here 2 years then leave and never return

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