COOKing Day!

It's FIRST time I cooked and it's in TAIWAN!!! Today our project-mates (Jingning, Terrance, Jeffrey and me) will be have a try for cooking Malaysia foods by using our project's main product ~ Rice Noodles and Meatball.

This try cooking is we would like to cook before we going to serve our audiences in the Sharing Day.  Sharing Day is on the next day ~18th July 2012 and we are trying our first time cooking Malaysia foods in Taiwan and it's my very very FIRST time to cook~!(although in home I got cook a simple dish but this time is really a FIRST time).

During our cooking time, we cooked for 3 dishes (Bak Kut Teh, Acal/Pecal and Curry Laksa). 4 of us are helping each other to complete our dishes. It's was a first time four of us together doing a thing as before that we are busying and focus on our allocated shop. But this time we got a chance to know each other more and got the time to have a chit chat in the Kitchen!=)

After we cooked finished, we got people to help us to test our dishes which are farmer, ah yi, Boa, Agnes, Jess, farmer's sons and also CTLC AIESECers (Ting Ting, Mike and Monica). For the very first time cooking, we got a good impression and we are happy on it. ^_^

And we got to see our own postcard, it's the message we wrote in the card and also the picture we took during our working time in shop. We all saw it feel very great and beautiful~! After that we continue prepare the dishes for tomorrow sharing time....

After everything is done, we all went to Ching Hua University's night market to get some drinks. Once we get some drink we went back to Trainee House and have a short rest to continue later on (around 1am) pay a visit to a meatball factory and also our Sharing Day!!!

What an excited day to be looking forward~!!!=D

The cooking place~

Meatball!

Curry Laksa cooked by Jingning

Bak Kut Teh cooked by ME

Acal/Pecal cooked by Jeffrey

Group pictures (Project-mates + Manager)

After cooking, get a COLD drink!

BeiPu Day (北埔行) + Visit Historical Places in Hsinchu!

Today no work in factory nor shop, Mrs Guo let us (his son, daughter and me) followed her father to go out delivery rice noodles. We had went to ZhuDong (竹东) and also BeiPu (北埔). After we sent out rice noodles then we go to BeiPu to buy a famous food - Sweet potato cake (芋子饼) to bring back to Mrs Guo.

We driving car back to Grandfather's house (Mrs Guo's father) and took some rest there. Around 4pm we back to shop and I had followed Mrs Guo to go out for delivery job. The places we went can be reach by driving motobike and during the time we delivery rice noodles to the stall around, Mrs Guo had brought me to the historical places in Hsinchu. 

It's really glad that I can know so many historical places as there is not showed in travel guide book. It's my pleasure that Mrs Guo had introduced me about it!=) Every place we sent out rice noodles, the nearby there surely have some historical places to let us visit.

After sent all rice noodles, I had went to cycling and it's my first time cycling in the evening time. The winds in Hsinchu is so nice and comfortable! What a good day which doing delivery job and visit historical places!!!=D

Sweet potato cake (芋子饼)

The old building still in Hsinchu city

one of the temple in Hsinchu and according to Mrs Guo, this temple more than hundred years old.

Cycling after working time!

Delivery + Taste!!!

First time doing delivery job and it's needed to wake up by 5am~! Today I had followed Mrs Guo going out early in the morning to delivery rice noodles to the stalls around Hsinchu area. It's was my first time woke up so early and the sky is brighter compare to Malaysia.

During the time we in the car, Mrs Guo is keep explaining how she did delivery job and from time to time introduce me the places we reached. I'd understand and know many history of places we went, such a good chance for me following for delivery job. More thing and stories to know!!!

Because of delivery places is near one of the famous places in Hsinchu ~ NanLiao, Mrs Guo had brought me to the place and took some photo there.=)

Ready to start the delivery JOB!

Mrs Guo is sending rice noodles to the stall

The place in NanLiao

NanLiao Market

The view on the bridge

After we done the delivery job, then we go to the factory to do the rest of the job. Today, we do  Dry Rice Noodles (炊粉), compare to Wet Rice Noodles, this type of rice noodles is east and very fast to complete. But it's need some technique to make the job end faster.

So I ended my job before lunch time and then I go back to shop to see what help I can. When I in shop, Mrs Guo had asked me whether want to follow her go to Bank as she need to take money to pay salary to workers. Normally in Taiwan, workers will get their salary between 2nd - 3rd of every month, this is what I heard from Mrs Guo.

After went to Bank, Mrs Guo brought me to a place that Hsinchu's famous temple - 城隍庙. Inside this temple, there are many foods and Mrs Guo was brought me there to taste the delicious food (Oyster omelet - 蚵煎, Meatball soup - 贡丸汤, Steamed spring roll - 润饼)

So many new things I know throughout today and I was satisfied with it. Let's seek for more and more new experience in coming!=)

First Step

Dry Rice Noodles ( 炊粉  )

The Aunties that helped out on making rice noodles

Dry Rice Noodles

I also doing on it~

Slowly on making rice noodles. The Grandma beside me is a expert!

See the result!

Taiwan Bank!

A special thing in Taiwan Bank is that have a evaluation customer service box by putting coin into the box.

Meatball Soup

Oyster omelet 

Steamed spring roll

Packaging Time!

It's Rice Noodles packaging time~!!! Today is focus on packaging the Rice Noodles that had been dry out by hot sun & winds. Now it's the time to do packaging for it. 

Firstly we have to check is that the Rice Noodles is it 100% completely dry by using hands to touch it. If the Rice Noodles still not yet dry then have to take out and separate it. Those not yet dry Rice Noodles will be dry again under the sun with winds.

Doing this job is practicing how our hands feel's Rice Noodles and not everyone know how to see it. While doing this I also visit the electronic big FAN. It's use when the weather is not so good and it's use to dry out the Rice Noodles. 

My host family's children also helping out as currently they are having summer break now and I'm same with them doing the job in the factory. New experience on how's packaging of Rice Noodles with different pack.

Checking on the Rice Noodles

Those Rice Noodles had completely dry~

Workers are cleaning after check the Rice Noodles

Hsinchu Yu-Gui Rice Noodles!

Big FAN! - it's use when the weather is not really good and Rice Noodles need to be dry out.

My host family's children. 

My host family is estimate the weight of Rice Noodles and get ready to  do packing.

5KG for each pack!

It's preparing the date of stamp to chop in the plastic bag 

Machine to stamp the expired date on the plastic bag

The pack of Rice Noodles!

Many packs of Rice Noodles~~

New place....

It's 2nd cycling day to working place and as usual, I lost the way go and use another new way to working place. =P

Today factory will be doing Wet Rice Vermicelli (水粉) and it's need all the collaboration all the workers. Everyone is working on their own part and so efficiency and effective. 

The whole view of doing Rice Vermicelli

The worker is the expert on this!

We all around 11.30am done all the Wet Rice Vermicelli and it's consider fast as usually it's end 12pm. We get a rest and had a lunch. After lunch, Mr Guo's son brought me along to see around the environment of the factory.

After all done, Mr Guo's son brought me around to see the environment  of factory .

Today I leave early because I have to move to Mr Guo's house and start from today I will be staying with them and get to know more about their lifestyle. While I cycling back, I cycling around and found a famous shop that recommend by people which is a dessert shop --> 阿忠冰店.  I'd ordered the most famous dessert and it's really nice! ^^

Famous Dessert! Mango Ice (芒果冰)

At night, I going out to meet up with my TN(Mrs Guo) and I wait her at Train Station. It's my pleasure to stay with them as they really friendly and kind to me. Always teach me, sharing about the lifestyle here and allow me do whatever that I could. 

Train Station