Celebrity chef James explores the Three Gorges — Pear shoots taste like pears and are low in calories

Reported by the Travel Center / Taipei

The New Taipei City Government Agriculture Bureau and the Sanxia District Farmers' Association held the "2013 Sanxia Agricultural Specialties Joint Marketing Event" on June 29 and 30 at Sanxia Old Street and the head of Changfu Bridge. They also invited celebrity chef James to teach the public how to enjoy the refreshing and guilt-free taste of Sanxia’s specialty pear shoots. The event offered both food and fun, along with 500 servings of tea and bamboo shoot dishes for visitors to try.

Chef James (center) teaches everyone how to eat healthily, refreshingly, and deliciously in the hot summer. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Agriculture Bureau)

The hot summer is the perfect season for refreshing, high-fiber, and low-calorie Biluochun green tea and green bamboo shoots. The New Taipei City Government has specially gathered famous agricultural specialties from Sanxia, allowing the public to shop to their heart's content. They also invited celebrity chef James to teach everyone how to enjoy them. Chef James said, "The pear shoots from Sanxia have a texture like pears, with a delicate and deep sweetness. They are high in fiber and low in calories, offering an excellent taste that you’ll love once you try them. The main harvest season is from June to September each year, so I recommend coming to try them while they’re in peak season."

In addition, Sanxia District is home to Taiwan’s only "Biluochun" tea, made from the unique local "Qingxin Ganzi" tea variety. The tender one bud and two leaves are hand-picked and processed on the same day, making it a premium among green teas. Cold-brewed Biluochun has a particularly fragrant and sweet taste, offering a uniquely refreshing choice for the hot summer. The newly launched Honey Aroma Black Tea is also special, as the tea leaves are bitten by small green leafhoppers, giving the tea a subtle honey flavor.

New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Lee Chuan-hsien stated that Sanxia is one of the important production areas for New Taipei’s fine teas and green bamboo shoots. In addition to showcasing the diverse agricultural development characteristics of Sanxia District, the event also aims to boost regional tourism and leisure industries. By combining the area’s historical culture, natural ecology, old street business districts, homestays, dining, and abundant agricultural specialties, visitors can get closer to Sanxia and experience its beauty.