In cooperation with the Overseas Community Affairs Council, the Hakka Affairs Council has launched the “2019-2020 Hakka Cuisine Touring Workshop (海外客家行動灶下)” program for promoting Hakka delicacies on the world stage. Collaborating with overseas Hakka associations and Taiwan’s representative offices around the world, Hakka culinary delegations are heading for different countries in North America, Oceania, and Asia this year, and will set off for Africa, South America, and Europe in 2020. 

The two-day workshop took place in Vancouver on June 25 and 26. Hosted by Chang Li-na (張麗娜), head of Vancouver Taiwan Hakka Association, the event attracted over 100 food enthusiasts, including Andy Kang-i Chen (陳剛毅), director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Houston, and Angie Tsai, president of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in British Columbia (TCCBC).

Hakka chefs Wen Kuo-chi (溫國智) and Chiu Yu-han (邱聿涵) introduced both classic and inventive Hakka dishes, including braised pork with preserved vegetables (梅干封肉), fried Hakka rice noodles (客家炒粄條), radish and lean pork soup (蘿蔔錢肉片湯), Hakka brown sugar cakes (客家黑糖發糕), and mugwort rice cakes (艾草粄), the latter being a kind of festive specialty associated with the Dragon Boat Festival. Everyone enjoyed the classic Hakka food and was immersed in nostalgic memories.

The workshop was then held on June 28 in Toronto, the tour’s final destination in North America, and drew close to a hundred participants including Hakka Affairs Council Deputy Minister Yiong Cong-ziin (楊長鎮), who was also visiting the city at the same time. He first thanked the Taiwanese Hakka Association of Toronto (THAT) for organizing the event, and further praised the efforts of Taiwanese Canadian Hakkas who are playing a major role in helping Hakka culture take root across North America.

Mouthwatering foods prepared by THAT, including Hakka zongzi, radish buns, miqiba (also known as Hakka sticky rice cakes), aroused both appetite and interest. Wen and Chiu captivated the attendants with their exquisite Hakka cuisine. The cooking sessions provide an opportunity for those who yearn for a taste of hometown food to learn simple but delicious Hakka dishes. In addition to bringing pleasant recollections, these unique Hakka flavors are being passed down to younger generations of overseas Taiwanese Hakkas through the HAC’s touring workshop.