Xinzhuan Oyster Omelette Introduction
"Xinwen Oysters" has its roots tracing back to the end of the Japanese occupation period at Zhou Shui River and has now passed into its third generation. After more than 80 years, it has become a place of nostalgia for the people of Xinwen. When expatriates return home, they must come to eat here; not having Xinwen Oysters is like not having returned to Xinwen at all. Cai Chong-ji (born in 1956) has a grandfather, Zhou Shui-he, who was a salt worker at the Budai salt field, and during the rainy season or winter's salt drying gap, he set up a stall at the entrance of the Jianying Temple to fry oysters to supplement the family income. Oysters were once called "bitter tidbits," as the proportion of chives was higher, and people preferred them deep-fried until crispy and dark, giving them a bitter taste, hence the name. The people of Xinwen prefer meat-filled tidbits over those filled with oysters, so although the stall is named "Xinwen Oysters," it mainly serves meat stuffed variants. During the Japanese rule, there was no pork, so when dolphins were available, dolphin meat was fried, and when mullet was in season, mullet meat was used, changing with the seasons. Cai Chong-ji's father, Cai Huan-nan (born in 1923), was also a salt worker who lost his job due to the amalgamation policy and took over the oyster stall at the Jianying Temple. In the 1980s, after marrying, Xiao Yu-lan took over her father-in-law's oyster stall, becoming the third generation heir of "Xinwen Oysters." The batter for "Xinwen Oysters" consists of rice milk and yellow soybean flour, while the fillings include cabbage, chives, and more...
