A new road for Zhazao (fried glutinous rice balls)

Zhazao were a culinary delicacy and integral part of the elderly generation’s life on the island of Penghu. From marriage and completing the building of a new home, to the launching of boats, no occasion was complete without them. People from rural communities of the past would take a portion of Zhazao to the fields with them, making this highly sweet glutinous rice delicacy an unforgettable memory for the elderly generation. 

Over time, however, changes in eating habits left Zhazao outmoded, and the skill required to make this delicacy gradually vanished. On graduation from university, Chen Zhi-ming (陳志明) decided to remain on Penghu and continue in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, learning the art of making Zhazao and developing the family’s food business. After opening a new shop, he began offering DIY classes in making Zhazao and rice-cake turtles, as well as changing the packaging of traditional food products.

For example, he redesigned the packaging for Penghu peanut-based delicacies such as peanut candy, peanut flour tea, and seaweed rice popcorn, exchanging the former plastic zip-bag packaging for a jar and adding the words “Fortune of Penghu,” together with a cute family drawing. With Chen Zhi-ming’s newfangled packaging ideas already attracting the younger generation, his hope that Penghu’s tasty delicacies remain alive into the future is becoming a reality. 

A new road for Zhazao (fried glutinous rice balls)

URL:https://www.peopo.org/news/259647

(以下為中文對照)
炸棗新出路

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澎湖傳統美食「炸棗」，在老一輩人的記憶中，結婚嫁娶、新居落成和漁船下海，炸棗是少不了的。以前農村社會中，家人外出種田耕作也會隨身攜帶一些炸棗，糯米製、具高糖分的炸棗是澎湖人忘不了的家鄉味。隨著時代變遷，飲食習慣改變，炸棗僅剩形式，製作炸棗的技藝，也已慢慢流失。陳志明在大學畢業後，選擇繼續留在家鄉澎湖繼續傳承父親與爺爺的手藝，延續家中食品廠的發展，也開設新店，透過DIY課程，製作傳統美食炸棗與鳳片龜，也改良傳統零食包裝，像是用澎湖盛產的花生做成的花生糖、麵茶、海菜米香，將原有的塑膠夾鏈袋包裝，重新設計，以小罐子配上"澎福"一家人可愛的貼圖，吸引年輕族群，希望將澎湖在地好滋味用心傳承。