Beimen Wuwang Bridge Roasted Sweet Potato Introduction
Tu Zhushan (born in 1947), from Keliou, worked various jobs at fish ponds and also dried salt. After stopping salt production, he learned the skill of roasting sweet potatoes from his brother Tu Zhuqing (born in 1943) in Fengshan, Kaohsiung. Upon mastering the technique, his brother gifted him a roasting oven. Tu Zhushan set up a stall in front of Yong'an Temple in Keliou. Later, he decided to sell in farther places, riding his "leaf car" to Xuejia vegetable market in the morning and to the site of Wuwang Bridge in the afternoon. As he got older, he stopped going to Xuejia and instead set up a regular spot at the north end of Wuwang Bridge. He has lunch at 10 AM, and after eating, he goes to the market. While at home, he first roasts a batch of sweet potatoes and then roasts more while selling them at the market. He cleans up and heads home after selling out, sometimes around 2 PM, sometimes around 3 PM. His selling times vary; he doesn't sell on rainy days, when the sweet potatoes are not good, or if he has other matters to attend to. To eat Tu Zhushan's roasted sweet potatoes, one really has to try their luck. A lone "leaf car" stands at the Wuwang Bridge head, without any shelter; it's very hot during the scorching summer and very cold during the harsh winter. However, Tu Zhushan doesn't find it hard; as long as the conditions allow, he stands there selling in the blazing sun and against the cold wind, hoping to serve his old customers...
