Double Ten

October 10 is Double Ten day in Taiwan 雙十節 marking the beginning of the Wuchang uprising on October 10, 1911, which eventually led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in China and the creation of the National Republic of China. The Fulbrighters were invited guests of the Minister of Foreign Affairs at an incredible dinner and celebration. I had a chance to meet and shake hands with the President of Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou. However, the absolute highlight of the evening was meeting and speaking with artists, musicians, and chefs from the Paiwan aboriginal tribe. I had the opportunity to sample various dishes and learn about their farming and culinary traditions. One dish is cooked in bamboo stalks with rice, beans, and meat. They also make wine from millet and flowers. There were several hundreds of dishes, numerous rooms filled with the most famous restaurants and incredible artists demonstrating their craft. They even had chefs from Din Tai Fung making xiao long bao in a separate area. My favorite foods were the hakka, Paiwan, and Indian cuisines. The hakka food was salty and flavorful with lots of pickled vegetables, and bean thread noodles. The Paiwan food was savory and cooked in leaves and bamboo, and the Indian food was spicy and smokey and the cumin flavor lingered in your mouth. I was so excited to talk with the other Fulbrighters and many of the new friends I made that evening. It was a true celebration.