Guo Gou Miao Kou Oysters Cake Introduction
The children who have gone abroad from Guogou, daughters who have married out, or fellow villagers working overseas, all hasten to visit the "Temple Entrance Oysters" stall at the Zhuangmiao Jiande Temple plaza upon returning to their hometown. They order oyster omelets, meat omelets, or fried cakes to relieve their longing for the flavors of home they have been dreaming about day and night. Some even grab a couple of fried cakes or oyster omelets at the temple entrance to satisfy their cravings before stepping through their family door with their luggage. "Temple Entrance Oysters" has become a nostalgic symbol for the people of Guogou. The oyster omelet or meat omelet is still commonly referred to as "bitter omelet" locally, derived from the establishment of the stall by Tsai Wu-Hsiu-Chun. At the time of its inception, Taiwan's social and economic conditions were generally poor, making oysters or pork scarce and considered high-priced ingredients that most people couldn't afford. Hence, the minced filling wrapped in a mixture of flour and bean flour consisted of only cabbage, chives, and ginger, without any oysters or meat, and was called "vegetable omelet." Tsai Wu-Hsiu-Chun had a habit of frying the "vegetable omelet" longer, and since she used lard without changing the oil, the "vegetable omelet" became crispy, crunchy, and dark, giving it a bitter taste. Therefore, everyone called it "bitter omelet," a tradition that continues to this day. Although lard is no longer popular and frying time has reduced, the older generations of villagers still affectionately refer to it as "bitter omelet." As Taiwan's social and economic conditions gradually...
