Hsinchu County, the home to citrus in Taiwan, always draws gourmets to pick fruits and relish dishes at the end of the year.
Hsinchu County is the home to citrus in Taiwan with a cultivation size of 2,348 hectares. The quality, color and the sugar content are all good. Located at the Dashanbei area in Hengshan county, facing the sun and back to the wind, this place produces citrus fruits with various tastes. The gourmets who know their way always remember to come pick and taste the fruits. Laodafen Leisure Farm and Dashanbei Leisure Farm are both great ochards.
One Orange and 5 Ways to Enjoy in Home to Citrus
The tour of “One Orange and 5 Ways to Enjoy in Home to Citrus ” takes tourists to all the scenic spots in Dashanbei Leisure Farm in Hengshan Township, Hsinchu County. The founder of Big Hill North Moon, Kaiyong ZHANG gave the tour starting from Hengshan Train Station, and then the secret attraction of deciduous cypress, an ancient temple of hundred years in Hengshan, farmers’ market in Dashanbei, Laodafen Leisure Farm, and finally an afternoon filled with sensory experiences in Big Hill North Moon.
First Stop Ancient Temple in Dashanbei
The ancient temple in Dashanbei was founded in 1890, though a Buddhist temple, it also collects various ancient religious artifacts and thus a distinctive historical place.
Second Stop Farmers’ Market in Dashanbei
Farmers’ Market in Dashanbei is organized by local farmers and Hengshan Township Office, a place where the local organic produce can be sold directly to consumers. The transportation cost is saved so the consumers get the economical and fresh produce and farmers get to focus more on their farming. Win-win for all!
Photo: Farmers’ Market in Dashanbei is at the activity center right across the ancient temple. It sells the organic produce grown by local farmers.
Third Stop Laodafen Leisure Farm
Laodafen Leisure Farm is at the core of Dashanbei Leisure Farm Area. Every December to March is the hot season for citrus picking. The owner, Mr. Mingyuan YANG doesn’t hire too many farmhands nor have a large area of plantation to supply distributors, instead he maintains a small size, high quality plantation that is pesticide free and organic. He grows 20 some kinds of citruses and provides tourists a friendly environment of fruit picking in four seasons.
Photo: Ladened branches with different kinds of citruses look spectacular!
Photo: Laodafen Leisure Farm. A better way of cutting the branches can avoid fruits bump in the bags and bruises which make preservation less easy and convenient.
Photo: Asides from the citruses, there is also bamboo shoot harvesting activity in the bamboo grove behind the citrus trees in summer.
Fourth Stop Big Mountain North Moon
Big Mountain North Moon is a mountain view restaurant renovated from a wasted elementary school. The founder Kaiyong Zhuang and his girlfriend started the business together in hope to vitalize this place. Rich history in nature and humanity is hidden in Dashanbei, a base where they utilize local food materials to make dishes. They plan to integrate local resources and introduce all kinds of events and exhibitions in the future and make it a utopia filled with dreams in the mountains.
Dining Ambiance and Menu
Photo: Getting into the restaurant, consumers can see limited local agricultural produce on the shelf according to seasons.
Photo: The restaurant carries the citrus jam made from the excess fruits, such a practice not only pushes the expiration date but creates added value.
Photo: Recommended set menu: Noddles with tree hedgehog in sesame oil (vegan). The tree hedgehog tastes firm and the sesame oil is replete with fragrant smell.
Photo: Healthy Pounded Tea is low in sugar and carries fragrance of crops such as sesames and nuts.
Photo: Hakka moji. The lukewarm moji dipping with peanut sugar doesn’t taste too sweet and not sticky so it is easy to chew and bite.
DIY: Pressed Flower in Lollipop
Our DIY today is “pressing flower” in lollipop. The edible flower is grown in the garden outside. The flowers were dried after picked.
Photo: Pour the edible sugar into the mold till half full and put still till it starts getting solid, and then place the petal and the plastic stick on top of it before filling up the mold.
Photo: When it gets cool down, it is the pressed flower in lollipop, which you can taste right away!
Afternoon Tea: One Orange and 5 Ways to Enjoy
Photo: One orange and 5 ways to enjoy at Big Hill North Moon. From the right to the left are Orange with Rock Candy, Roasted Orange, Orange Bagel, Orange Tea and a very special “Orange Daifuku/Mochi”. This is not a simple fruit meal, but an “art of agricultural feast” combining visual and olfactory sensations.
Photo: Orange with Rock Candy. The orange processed with rock candy can be a snack or dessert.
Photo: Roasted orange. Tasting the roasted orange with the floral fragrance is more like relishing a dish. It’s simple but rich.
Photo: Orange Bagel is fermented for long hours and the orange jam is added to enhance its flavor.
Photo: Orange Daifuku. The whole orange is wrapped in a handmade mochi and now it is a big round daifuku. It is chewy and tasty, smells orange- a combination that I haven’t imagined before.
Photo: Orange Tea with the light orange fragrance warms up and moisturizes the mouth in the end of the meal.
One day tour in Dashan for the citrus brings you to the tantalizing secret getaway, Dashanbei where humanity meets nature is the place people can realize a carefree life in the mountains. Getting to know local farmers and produce and tasting the full and juicy citruses is the most delightful experience in winter.