Sin Wan Steamed Buns Introduction
Cai Chongming (born in 1951) was originally an employee at the Taiwan Salt Corporation's Chiayi Salt Field. His wife was a seamstress who sewed clothes for local residents to supplement the family income. Starting in the 1970s, the emergence of ready-made garment factories significantly impacted the tailoring business, leading to a substantial decrease in income. To allow his wife to have a side business while taking care of the children, Cai Chongming went to the Wushulin Salt Field in Kaohsiung to learn the techniques for making buns and steamed buns from his brother-in-law and sister-in-law. They were employees at the welfare society of the Wushulin Salt Field and had learned from an elderly vendor who specialized in making buns and steamed buns to increase their income. After mastering the bun-making techniques, Cai returned to Xinyuan and began selling buns and steamed buns. Initially, his skills were not very refined, and he consulted an elderly vendor known as "Haikong" at the Budai office for advice, constantly improving and innovating until he achieved the current esteemed reputation. His son, Cai Cheng'en (born in 1979), returned to assist and learn in 2010, officially taking over the business after marrying in 2014. The production of buns and steamed buns begins the day before. In the afternoon of the previous day, the dough is kneaded and allowed to rise, then at half past midnight, it is kneaded again, shaped, placed in the fermentation box for a second rise, and then put into the steamer to be cooked. The first batch is ready at 3 AM. The ...
