Have you ever heard of the "pig blood cake"?

你有聽說過豬血糕嗎?

The pig blood cake is a very important part of the Taiwanese food culture,

豬血糕是臺灣美食文化中不可或缺的一部份

which unfortunately seems to lose it's popularity, especially for young people.

很不幸的是它似乎在年輕族群的生活中逐漸沒落。

If it's the first time that you hear about the pig blood cake

如果這是你第一次聽到豬血糕這個名詞

you might feel a bit confused and wonder:

你可能會覺得很困惑，思考著:

How can somebody come up with that idea to put blood into a cake?

怎麼會有人想到把血加入蛋糕中?

So I always imagined the famous Taiwanese Yuebing

所以我老是聯想到臺灣著名的月餅

just with the filling of blood.

及以血取而代之的內餡。

The confusion is simply made by it's name,

讓人感到困惑的是它的名字

because we refer it to a real kind of cake.

因為我們都會自然將它與蛋糕聯想在一起。

The pig blood cake, in fact, is a mix of pig blood and glutinous rice.

事實上，豬血糕是以豬血和糯米為材料

It can be boiled, steamed, braised or deep fried.

可以水煮、清蒸、燴飯或油炸

In the usual way it will be steamed,

一般大多是清蒸的

cut in a rectangle shape and placed on a stick.

首先將它切成長方形然後固定在竹籤上

Later on, the seller will use a special dip.

接著，店家會使用特製的沾醬

And if you want, you can have it spicy.

如果你想要，也可以選擇要不要加辣

Once it is coated in it's sauce,

在浸過醬料之後

it will be covered with peanut powder

再以花生粉覆蓋

and Chinese parsley.

及香菜。

It is not easy to find out very much about it's history,

關於豬血糕的歷史不太容易追溯

because the origin is not 100% sure.

因為它的起源不是100%確定。

But it is believed, that it first appeared after World War II in Dadaocheng,

據說，它最早出現於第二次世界大戰期間的大稻埕

which is in the Datong district of Taipei city.

位於現今臺北市大同區。

It was a time when the people suffered from poverty.

當時的人民受困於貧窮

And these people highly believed that pig blood is very nutritious,

而他們堅信豬血非常營養

so they went to the slaughterhouses in the early mornings

所以他們一大早就前往屠宰場

to ask for pig blood.

為了取得豬血。

If you are a tourist in Taiwan

如果你在臺灣旅行

then the Taiwanese will mostly introduce the food,

大部分臺灣人會介紹他們的飲食文化

because they do really love to eat.

因為他們真的很愛享受美食。

The pig blood cake is a good example for this,

豬血糕就是一個例子

because you might think, that it is unusual

因為你可能會覺得很奇怪

to eat something that is made out of pig blood.

吃豬血做的東西

And because there are many snacks, different than what you expect,

也因為臺灣有許多特別的小吃超乎你能想像

the Taiwanese will often ask the question

臺灣人常常問起這個問題

"Do you dare eat (pig blood cake)?"

"你敢吃(豬血糕)嗎?"

Okay, let's go somewhere else.

要辣的嗎? - 對, 辣的.

And it's actually really good!

謝謝你. 謝謝.

And this one, too. Tastes very good.

謝謝你.

This is where my story ends.

好，我們走

I hope I could make the pig blood cake more interesting for you.

它真的很好吃耶!

I invite you to try it.

這個也是，非常好吃!

To all friends of Taiwan

我的故事在此告一段落

I dare eat! And you?

我希望我能讓你對豬血糕更有興趣