Have you ever fancied a spicy hotpot at 3 a.m.? Or perhaps you were craving some barbecued shrimp? In Taiwan snack culture, your most outlandish dreams become a new reality.
Fun and wacky flavors come to Taiwan each season. Just as we love our main meals, snacks don’t take a backseat here. Let’s take a look at some of this year’s wild culinary tastes.
Spicy food is in this winter season! Pringles has brought out spicy hotpot-flavored crisps. These delicious crunchies have a meaty mouthfeel, with the distinctive aroma of Szechuan peppercorns. For those preferring something a bit milder, a Satay hotpot flavor is also available. If you are searching for a kung pao chicken treat, Pringles is still in your corner, with their succulent kung pao-flavored crisps also appearing in local shops.
Lay’s also brought a wide variety of wild and wonderful chip flavors to market this year. A selection of five spices, the finest, tenderest beef and a delicious soup have now all been encapsulated into a single chip. It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for, since 1949, with the arrival of Lay’s Beef Noodle chips.
For those wishing to travel to Japan, with their stomachs, Lay’s also released Tokyo barbecued chicken skewer-flavored chips. Tangy, topped with a unique blend of herbs and spices, you can almost imagine the skewers being taken off the grill. A Hokkaido variety is also available from Lay’s, fragrant cheese-flavored chips.
Culinary thrill seekers searching for something more traditional need look no further than the snack company Hwa Yuan. In Taiwan snacking culture, people from all walks of life gather together at the local night markets. One of the popular eatables that’s available into the wee hours of the morning is the oyster omelet. This is top-ranked Taiwanese dish that’s also available to patrons for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Hwa Yuan offers an oyster omelet chip as one of their flagship products. The delicate flavors of soy sauce and seafood meld together over the golden, grooved greatness, creating a chip as worthy as the oyster dish itself.
Taiwanese snacks, whether new or traditional, come in all different shapes, flavors, and sizes, blurring the line between chips, crackers, crisps, and cookies. For those interested in sampling a variety of Taiwanese treats, our Taiwanese Delights Sampler might do the trick. Those looking to try a wider variety of snacks might be interested in our Taiwanese Selection box.
Ni Hao Snacks also has a three-month subscription plan, for those interested in trying a variety of Taiwanese snacks every month. Remember, don't just taste it, discover it!