A Grand Collection of Creative Desserts and Souvenirs at the 2015 Taiwan Bakery & Gourmet Food Exhibition

Text by the MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel & Lifestyle Network Editorial Team

 
The "2015 Taiwan Bakery & Gourmet Food Exhibition" opened sweetly on July 31 at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 3. Organized by the Taipei Pastry & Biscuit Merchants Association and in partnership with the Taipei City Government's Department of Information and Tourism, the exhibition was themed "Creative Dessert Carnival and Taipei Pineapple Cake Culture Festival." It brought together renowned baking businesses from Taipei to showcase their creativity and ingenuity. On the opening day, awards were presented to winning shops in the "Pineapple Cake" and "Nougat" competitions. This year, the "Pineapple Cake" and "Nougat" contests were divided into traditional and creative categories, with particular attention drawn to the Creative Nougat Competition, which represented the "Taipei Cake."

On the opening day, Friday, July 31 at 2:00 PM, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je will personally attend the event. Along with Kuan-Te Wu, Chairman of the Taipei Pastry & Biscuit Merchants Association, and Yu-Yen Chien, Director of the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism, he will take on the role of bakers. They will create "Taipei Cakes" by combining various types of flour doughs or pastry crusts with nougat. The "Pineapple Cake" and "Nougat" competitions will kick off the day, featuring hundreds of entries competing for the championship title. Who will take home the prize? Join us at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 3 on the afternoon of July 31, as Mayor Ko reveals the winners himself!

The "2015 Taiwan Bakery & Gourmet Food Exhibition," held from July 31 to August 2 over three days at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 3, combines multiple themes such as the Taipei Pineapple Cake Culture Festival and the Creative Dessert Carnival. It aims to offer the public a taste of Taipei’s diverse and joyful flavors. During the event, four major competitions will be held, including "Pineapple Cake," "Nougat," "Souvenir Packaging and Gift Box Design," and the newly introduced "Creative Dessert" category. The first 1,000 visitors each day will receive a free pineapple cake.

At the pre-event press conference for the "2015 Taiwan Bakery & Gourmet Food Exhibition," Yu-Yen Chien, Director of the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism, said that the "Taipei Cake" is a flour-based product filled with nougat, with an exterior that leaves plenty of room for imagination. Through the creative ideas of baking businesses, more diverse and fusion-style products have emerged, also reflecting Taipei’s multicultural atmosphere and the blending of old and new. In the future, it will be officially launched under the name "Taipei Sweetheart" (Honey Taipei), innovating Taipei’s souvenir offerings. This year, the Department of Information and Tourism actively assisted the association in organizing the event to promote Taipei’s baked goods and creative desserts on a larger scale, hoping to win the hearts of many and allow everyone to discover Taipei’s sweet flavors. The inaugural Creative Dessert Carnival also featured innovative products such as traditional mung bean cakes mixed with rich chocolate, blending Chinese pastries with Western desserts to present a fusion of old and new—highlighting the ingenuity of Taipei’s baking industry.

In addition to the exciting competition activities, the three-day Taiwan Bakery & Gourmet Food Exhibition also offers numerous giveaways jointly organized by the organizers and exhibitors. For example, the first 1,000 visitors each day can receive one free pineapple cake. In addition, the popular DIY experience classes, which sell out every year, have been expanded this year. Well-known baking businesses, including Wei Qu Pastry, will demonstrate how to make handmade pineapple cakes, while Tommy’s Bakery will offer a nougat-making experience. The Creative Dessert DIY session specially invites renowned bakers from Demi Food to work with the public on creating fondant-decorated cupcakes, allowing everyone to easily enjoy the fun of baking. Spaces are limited, so sign up quickly. The stage area will also feature several exciting time-limited activities—don’t miss out!