Interview Transcript
Part 1
Grandmom
My name is Shih Wong, Mei-Chin. I am Jacqueline’s grandmother.
Granddad
My name is Shih, Da-Hsiung. I am Jacqueline’s grandfather.
Jacqueline
Today, I would like to know the history of our family secret recipe of pickled plum, and how did it come from and how to do the preservation. When did you learn this recipe? How did you respond when great grand father decided to teach you?
Granddad
I first learned this recipe during my high school years (1940+). My parents made the plum for years. At the beginning, I didn't know much about the details of the recipe, except that key elements like – salt, sunbathing, and specific flavor herbs, were the critical three elements. Sunbathing is the most important. The minimum pickle (preserved) period shall be more than 3 months.
(grandmom seems not agree on this….. she thinks shall be 3 years.)
Grandmom
I married your Granddad in 1968. I was taught the recipe from family & your great grand dad.
In past time in Taiwan, there were many plums. Fresh plums were sour, or sweet, or astringent. Not many snacking choices at that time. Preserved fruits or dried plum became one of the snack.
Granddad
No, it was not just as snack.
It is because this country abounds with fruits, and plum is one of them. The excess fresh fruit were not able to sell out. During the Japanese colonial period, they introduced the methods for fruit preservation to solve the seasonality problem. About pickled plum, the Japanese also used it as a breakfast dish. The Japanese love pickled plum and also their recipe: Plum with rice or ben-don is the routine.
My dad was educated by the Japanese. They knew how to make the preserved plum. But my dad created his own recipe by adding some 3-4 types of herbs. Our secret family recipe was very tasty & becoming popular among our district. We loved it, especially in summer time.
Jacqueline
Great grand dad decided to teach you, or what’s the reason you pick up this recipe from him?
Granddad
As a kid, I was curious only.
Grandmom
We had been curious about why our family’s plum so tasty. That’s the reason we learnt how it is made. I asked him to teach me with those secret formula, herbs and process.
Granddad
Your grand Auntie (my elder sister), she made the pickled plum just as good as my dad did.
Jacqueline
Would you please explain briefly, the process of how to pickle the plum?
Grandmom
In early April, the fresh green plums with sour & astringent. (70% mature)
Go to the market and pick up those large sizes. Soaking in the salty water for 2 days (actually is overnight).
Wash out the excess salty water, and sunbath for more than 2 days to dry the skin.
Once it is soft & colored to yellow and orange, it is ready to pickle with sugar and herbs, like Perilla (Tse-su).
The most important thing is to keep the jar in 70% full, leaving some space for the fruits juices coming out during the preservation. And the best pickled period will be as long as possible. You will get the best flavor with long pickled time.
My own way is to keep it for at least 3 years. Once you open the jar, the smell is so wonderful.
Jacqueline
Was this method influenced by the culture at that time?
Granddad
Sure a little.
Grandmom
Yes. Japanese people having formal meals, the pickled plum is still on the dishes.
Granddad
Plum can help produce saliva and relieve thirst. As old saying – Looking at the plum, quenches thirst.
Jacqueline
I know great great grandmom was aboriginal princess.
Does our family recipe influenced by our aboriginal background?
Granddad
No, I don’t think so. I think aboriginal has their own way to make pickle plum.
Grandmom
Many people have their own recipe. Every recipe is different.
Some people said the body acidity can be adjusted by plum – less chance to be biten by mosquitos.
Granddad
But it would be better not eating too many plums, as their acidity will erode the tooth.
Part 2
Jacqueline
What’s your opinion about the differences of Taiwanese style of pickled plum vs. Japanese style, such as ours having a unique flavor & aroma; and Japanese ones are in red color but less in aroma?
Grandmom
Every person has his/her own recipe to make it. Japanese use red colorant to dye, and in Taiwan we do not use any dye on on plum preservation
Jacqueline
Do you think our recipe reflect any Taiwanese element in it?
Granddad
Every place has its own method, like we use dried perilla (Tse-su) when pickle the plum. Although Japanese use a lot of fresh perilla in meal, but they don’t put the dried ones into pickled plum. That’s why taste are different.
Grandmom
Yes, that’s why the aroma & taste are different. On the street, there’re many kinds of pickled or dried plum with its own characteristics.
Granddad
Like the ones you brought back to me from Tai-nan’s hundred-years shop, the dried plum tasted not as good as ours. Well, but it is still a good ones because of its very traditional way of dried process.
Jacqueline
Aside from the benefit of balance body acidity, any other benefit that plum can deliver?
Grandmom
You can have it blended with iced water, or with hot tea.
Jacqueline
I was told by mom that great grand dad was living in an area where lots of plum trees in the mountain, that’s the reason he started creating the pickled plum recipe.
Granddad
My dad was working in the county government in the agriculture department. He was assigned to reclaim a mountain area as farm and forest for agriculture and forestry purpose. The place called “Tong Shih Forest Garden” (https://www.tsfa.com.tw/index.aspx) He was the chief of Tong Shih. There’re plum tree garden since it’s reclamation.
Our family supposed to be honored guests (no need to pay the entry fee).
I haven’t been there, but your grand aunties visited several times.
Jacqueline
Do you have any memory of great grand dad?
Granddad
My dad was educated during Japanese colonized period. He was in the most famous agriculture school called Chiayi Institute of Agriculture, the school short name called “Kano”—a film with the same name, featured the Taiwanese baseball story.
Taiwanese was not allowed to enter the political area, same as study. So Taiwanese only can choose to go to medical school, agriculture areas.
Grandmom
He is a gentle and very kind person.
He is a well-respected elderly in our community.
He is a well-respected elderly in our community.
Jacqueline
Any other family traditions ?
Granddad
Our family traditions in calligraphy. We all are well trained.
One of my uncle even can write calligraphy by his foot in Lu Kang.
(Lukang is a township in Changhua County)
My families are well-educated and being respected in Lukang.