The must-try squid “vermicelli” in Penghu comes from this community — Master Zheng’s handmade creation is full of heart

▲Master Zheng twirls the noodles while sharing the key points of noodle-making.

Reported by Jiayun Zheng / Penghu photography and reporting

When visiting Penghu, many people come for a bowl of the locally famous squid vermicelli. The essence of this dish isn’t just the ocean-fresh sweetness of the squid — the vermicelli itself greatly influences the overall texture. Inthe “hometown of Penghu vermicelli,” Xiwai Community, shops selling vermicelli are everywhere, but truly traditional handmade vermicelli has become rare, and “Master Zheng’s Vermicelli” is one of the few that remains.

Even before passing through the gate, you can smell the rich aroma of flour wafting from the courtyard, with white powder floating in the air and gently settling on your skin like a “flour snow.” Outside the door, bundles of vermicelli wait to be dried in the sun before packaging, alongside bamboo baskets filled with uneven bits of vermicelli ends — unique byproducts of handmade noodles.

▲Drying the noodles is the final step before packaging.

▲The uneven ends and bits of vermicelli.

Seeing a crowd of visitors, Master Zheng doesn’t pause his work. He stays busy, pulling noodles one moment and carrying more out from the house the next. He explains that if the noodles sit too long, they lose their elasticity and become hard to pull — so everything must be done in one go. What was once an empty railing is soon covered with ivory-colored noodles swaying in the breeze like strands of hair.

▲Vermicelli drying in the sea breeze.

With 47 years of noodle-making experience, Master Zheng learned the craft from his father while still in school, eventually becoming the fourth-generation successor of the century-old “Master Zheng’s Vermicelli.” He says he starts mixing flour at 3:30 a.m. every day, and it’s often 8 or 9 p.m. by the time the dried noodles are ready to be packaged. It’s a job that demands a lot of time and energy, which is why, two decades ago, more and more producers turned to machines.

But Master Zheng believes machine-made noodles are fundamentally different from handmade ones. The heat generated during machine operation can ferment the flour, altering its molecular structure, and the motor affects the noodles’ elasticity, compromising their quality. “When true tradition is lost, what you end up with are noodles in name only,” he laments.

▲Master Zhengcarefully hangs the noodles on the rack.

Temperature and weather are always the biggest challenges in handmade noodle-making. Seasonal temperatures vary, as does daily humidity, requiring constant adjustments to the salt content in the dough; otherwise, noodles may not stretch properly in winter’s cold or become too slack in summer’s heat. Master Zheng says these subtleties and principles are honed over years of experience, but most young people today only know the concepts and lack enthusiasm for the intricate noodle-making process. Though still in good health, Master Zheng, now planning for retirement, is also thinking about how to pass on the craft without a skills gap — preventing this century-old tradition from disappearing.

▲Master Zheng demonstrates noodle-twirling.

▲Master Zheng also offers noodle-twirling experiences for tourists, priced at NT$50 per try.

In Xiwai Community, the once-common sights and smells of early-morning flour mixing, kneading, and hand-pulled noodles are becoming rare, replaced by the roar of motors and machine-made noodles that lack the chewy texture of handmade ones. To most modern diners, the difference might seem minimal — but the heritage and simple flavors preserved in Master Zheng’s courtyard are irreplaceable.

▲Every strand of noodle is made by Master Zheng’s hands.

Master Zheng’s Handmade Vermicelli
Address: No. 199, Xiwai Li, Magong City, Penghu County
Phone: (06) 927-8256
Hours: 08:00–18:00　
Note: Vermicelli costs NT$100 per pack and can be delivered.