My parents taught me not to waste food. My morn always found ways to make leftovers taste good. I went to Ilan to learn about some of their special food. As I was there, I learned about the food and the history of the area. I learned that they don’t waste food, either, and they use leftovers!
Many years ago, there was not enough food for everyone. People learned to cook and eat almost everything. They had to think of ways to make special dishes. One of these dishes is kao zha. It’s made with leftovers like meat, soup, oil and fat. That might not sound very good, but it does taste good. Today, kao zha is a special dish at big banquets.
Another famous dish is called zao bing. It’s made with fruit, meat and other things. I really liked it! But I didn’t want to eat too much. It has a lot of fat in it.
I smelled something burning and I saw smoke, so I found another special food of the Ilan area—duck meat. The duck meat is put in a big oven to cook it. Smoke keeps the meat fresh. I don’t usually eat meat, but this duck meat was delicious! It tasted sweet.
Ilan is a great place with delicious food. I hope I can come back again!