Guogou Temple Oyster Omelette Introduction
The children who have gone abroad or the daughters who are married off, as well as the hometown folks striving overseas, can hardly wait to visit the "Temple Entrance Oyster Omelette" stall at Zhuangmiao Jiande Temple in Guokou upon returning to their hometown. They order oyster omelettes, pork omelettes, or fried cakes to relieve their longing for the flavors of home they dream about day and night while away. Some even stop at the temple entrance to eat a couple of pieces of fried cake or oyster omelette before finally stepping into their home with their luggage. "Temple Entrance Oyster Omelette" has become a symbol of nostalgia for the people of Guokou. The oyster omelette or pork omelette are still commonly referred to as "Kuza Diao" in Guokou, originating from the stall's founder, Tsai Wu Hsiu Chun, when the business first started. At that time, the economic situation in Taiwan was generally poor, and both oysters and pork were scarce and considered expensive ingredients that people could not afford. Thus, the fried batter made from flour and soybean flour only contained fillings of cabbage, chives, and ginger, without any oysters or meat, which led to it being called "vegetable omelette." Tsai Wu Hsiu Chun was accustomed to frying the "vegetable omelette" for a longer time, and given that lard was commonly used then without changing the oil, the resulting "vegetable omelette" was crispy, crunchy, and dark, tasting somewhat bitter. Hence, it was affectionately called "Kuza Diao" by the locals. While lard is no longer in vogue and the frying time has decreased, and the oil is changed daily, the older generations still fondly refer to it as "Kuza Diao." As Taiwan's economy gradually...
