Among the most popular street foods in Taiwan are spiced tea eggs. The ones in his pot are shelled and ready for lunch. They have been boiled and steeped in black tea, soy sauce, and Chinese 'five spice.' Every 7-Eleven in Taiwan has a crock pot of tea eggs right beside the Big Bites, and that tells you how popular they are. [2011]
I don't think I've had a spiced tea egg, though I have had the pleasure(?) of eating a "Century Egg." Food preservation is fascinating, and East Asian cuisine in particular is full of examples of how people have sought to extend the life of their food during times of plenty.
ReplyDeleteI like also that this is to an extent an example of globalization... Like the "Teriyaki Burger" at McDonald's in Japan, only even more authentic. I remember once when I ordered at the same restaurant chain in Beijing that I ordered something on the menu that looked like barbeque chicken nuggets, and they actually turned out to be wings in a soy-based sauce. Hen youyisi!