讀後心得

Xiancao Hill is a dessert shop located in Taoyuan's Xinyonghe Market, specializing in handmade xianchao desserts. It incorporates innovative elements like taro balls and tea balls xianchao jelly, offering a diverse range of choices. The shop uses locally sourced ingredients from Taiwan and does not add artificial components, ensuring that each dessert retains its pure flavor. Additionally, they sell the popular turnip cakes. In terms of transportation, visitors can drive to Xinyonghe Market or take a bus to Sanmin Road Intersection and walk for about 5 minutes. The desserts at Xiancao Hill are loved for their smooth texture and rich aroma, making them well worth a try.

The Xian Cao Qiu in the Taoyuan New Yonghe Market is a unique little shop that focuses on the specialty dessert made with Guanshi red bone old Xian Cao. The store uses local Taiwanese ingredients, and after harvesting the Xian Cao, it is dried and simmered for ten hours without any added alkaline, in order to preserve the pure flavor of the Xian Cao. In addition to traditional Xian Cao jelly, Xian Cao Qiu has also innovatively launched products like taro balls Xian Cao jelly and tea balls Xian Cao jelly, adding layers of texture and satisfaction to the desserts, and the radish cake is also well-liked by customers.

For transportation, those driving can set their navigation to "New Yonghe Market" and park before walking to Xian Cao Qiu; alternatively, you can take a Taoyuan City bus to "San Min Road Intersection Station," and after getting off, it’s about a five-minute walk to reach the shop.

Xian Cao Qiu's signature items also include handmade radish cake, made from pure rice ground using Hakka techniques, available in original, Hong Kong-style, and taro flavors, priced at 140 NT dollars for a piece (about 2 pounds).

The menu at Xian Cao Qiu mainly focuses on Xian Cao products, such as Guanshi Xian tea, Xian Cao jelly, and burnt Xian Cao, and the beverage options are particularly popular, as the taro balls and tea balls need to be cooked for about 15 minutes, with a tasting period of one hour.

Xian Cao Qiu adheres to a natural and healthy philosophy, not adding artificial colorings or chemical ingredients, allowing customers to savor their offerings with peace of mind. They also provide Xian Cao cooking packs, suitable for those wanting to make Xian Cao chicken or other dishes by themselves, and during summer, winter melon bricks are also available for purchase.

While waiting, customers can also purchase cooked food from other shops and enjoy it in the dining seating area, making dining convenient; of course, take-out is also an option, or one can head to the nearby Hutu Mountain for family activities and enjoy snacks while admiring the flowers.

The desserts at Xian Cao Qiu are primarily made with hand-stirred Xian Cao, paired with different ingredients, ensuring that every bite is filled with herbal fragrance and a smooth texture.

The price of tea ball Xian Cao jelly is 95 NT dollars, the tea balls emit a natural tea aroma, with a soft yet chewy texture, enhancing the flavor profile when paired with Xian Cao jelly. Each bite combines the wonderful taste of tea fragrance and Xian Cao aroma.

The tea balls are quite large, comparable to a 50 NT dollar coin, allowing you to feel their size. They have a bouncy texture and a rich tea flavor.

The texture of the Xian Cao jelly is extremely smooth and aromatic, along with the dense red bean particles, it brings a subtle sweetness.

Additionally, Xian Cao jelly usually comes with a ball of cream, which can enhance the aroma, but generally, not everyone may be accustomed to adding it.

The price of tea ball Xian Cao jelly is 80 NT dollars, while the handmade taro balls are known for their chewy texture and subtle taro aroma. This combination provides a refreshing and cooling effect, with moderate sweetness that encourages you to keep taking bites.

The taro balls come in two flavors: sweet potato and taro, and with every bite, you can taste the granules of sweet potato or taro, becoming more aromatic the more you chew. The texture is completely different from factory-made products, making it worth a try if given the opportunity.

Overall, Xian Cao Qiu creates a simple and unpretentious atmosphere, with finely textured and smooth Xian Cao presenting a natural herbal aroma. Compared to commonly seen instant Xian Cao on the market, the flavor is purer, making it suitable for dessert after meals or as a refreshing option on hot days. Although the prices are slightly higher, considering the long process of natural crafting, the expense is worth it; it’s definitely worth a try when the opportunity arises.

Additionally, the nearby He Shun Herbal Tea is also worth mentioning; this herbal tea shop, originally in the Yonghe Market, now has two locations, one behind the old shop and the other located in the New Yonghe Market, continuing to offer various groceries and traditional Chinese desserts, with a diverse selection of products.

He Shun Herbal Tea offers options for takeaway bottles and family-sized options, and I usually prefer the family size. Every time I go grocery shopping, I also bring home some wolfberry tea to savor slowly.

This time, I brought friends to experience these traditional Chinese flavors; the mildly bitter taste of the herbal tea suits those who enjoy bitter flavors, while the wolfberry tea is more universally accepted. Friends who like drinking tea should definitely give it a try.

Xian Cao Qiu Address: No. 8, Section 2, San Min Road, Taoyuan City, Taoyuan District 330 (New Yonghe Market F16)
Operating Hours: 08:00–14:00 (closed on Mondays)
Phone Number: 03-333 3007