Valentine’s Day with a Local Twist: Mulberries and Dates from Gongguan Featured in Dishes

Reporter Zhu Taimian, Taipei Report

In anticipation of the upcoming Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day), the Miaoli Gongguan Farmers’ Association, through one of its supported local restaurants — Hokka House — has specially launched a first-of-its-kind, limited-edition “Four Seasons Happiness Set Menu” just before Valentine’s Day. The menu combines seasonal Gongguan specialties such as mulberries, dates, taro, and pickled mustard greens, allowing couples to enjoy a romantic meal while also savoring the flavors of locally grown produce.

Miaoli Gongguan Township is Taiwan’s only specialized red date production area, yielding up to 1 million metric tons annually. When the red date harvest season arrives, it attracts large numbers of tourists eager to see the fresh produce. But besides the summer abundance of red dates, Gongguan is also a major producer of mulberries, taro, persimmons, and pickled mustard greens in Taiwan.

To promote distinctive agricultural products and combine them with localized themed travel experiences, the farmers’ association introduced a mascot “Date Baby” that represents both local characteristics and conveys happiness. Officials including Tourism Bureau Director-General Shieh Wei-chun, Council of Agriculture Deputy Minister Chen Wen-te, Gongguan Township Council Speaker Tseng Mei-lu, and Huang Hsin-chuan, General Manager of Lion Travel Group’s Jason Global Integrated Marketing, jointly appeared at the press conference to promote Gongguan’s four-season themed travel packages.

The Gongguan Township Farmers’ Association has introduced a Four Seasons Happiness Set Menu on the eve of Valentine’s Day, using locally sourced mulberries, dates, taro, and pickled mustard greens to create truly local cuisine. (Photo provided by PR)

Liu Yueh-hui, Chairperson of the Gongguan Township Farmers’ Association, stated that to fully convey the happiness brought by Date Baby and to ride the wave of Qixi Festival enthusiasm, the association’s casual dining restaurant “Hokka House” has specially asked its head chef to launch the “Four Seasons Happiness Set Menu” just before Valentine’s Day. Priced at NT$388 per set, from appetizers to desserts — be it taro pearl balls or a date fruit salad — every dish uses local specialties, striving to maximize regional advantages and authentically present the original flavors of the ingredients. In the future, the menu will also rotate according to seasonal availability, ensuring visitors to Gongguan have something new to experience every season. Not only can they enjoy varied agritourism themes, but they can also personally taste the freshest, locally sourced gourmet dishes. Those interested in trying something new are advised to make reservations three days in advance.

Han Hung-en, Secretary-General of the Farmers’ Association, explained that integrating agriculture with leisure tourism is a growing trend in Taiwan’s travel industry. Gongguan Township not only boasts agricultural products widely praised nationwide, but also many distinctive homestays and shops for visitors to explore. Therefore, the association hopes to use the cute and warm image of “Date Baby” to allow people to deeply experience the beauty of Gongguan across the four seasons. In addition to discounted travel packages, until September 30, visitors who take a photo with the Date Baby cutout at the Gongguan Township Farmers’ Association or its sales and marketing center, upload it to their personal Facebook page, and get it verified by staff, can receive a raffle ticket. Aside from having the chance to try the limited-edition red date ice cream, they may also win a tablet computer.