Ep. O: Ô-á Oysters 蚵仔

(想聽2021年7月16日的廣播節目可以點開上面音符圖案的檔案 If you'd like to listen to the original 7/16/2021 radio episode, please click on the above music note to play the file)

I have to admit something here. My hometown in the US is a little famous for oysters. We even have a breed of oysters named after my hometown! But even so, the first time I ate raw oysters was in my home county of Changhua in Taiwan! Oyster culture seems to be a bit different in my two home regions. In Changhua, most farmers use something called longline farming, where the oyster farms hang many old oyster shells on long wires that hang between wooden posts in the sand. The hanging oyster shells attract baby oysters that grow on them. Farmers collect the oysters by driving special trucks with engines on top of the trucks so that when the tide waters come in, the waters won't cover the engines, and the farmers can still drive in the water. Of course, before trucks, farmers used oxen to pull their oyster carts, and even today some of the farmers still do that. In my hometown in the US, some oyster farmers use similar longline farming like the Changhua farmers, but some also use bottom planted, where oysters are grown right on the sand, or they might use hanging bags to grow the oysters. And they mostly use boats to collect the oysters. But the biggest difference that I've seen is that in Taiwan, many places have opened up to let tourists come and experience shellfish farming culture. We can ride in oyster farming trucks, go digging for clams and catch crabs, and spend a wonderful day on the beach. Where I'm from in the US, I've never had the chance to visit the farms or farmers. This is another reminder of how open and friendly Taiwanese people are about sharing their culture and life with others. I'm sure the US farmers and scientists are friendly too (lots of people in the US love to talk to strangers!), but perhaps they are more focused on conservation and protecting nature than sharing the farming culture with outsiders? Also, it's often way too cold in the Pacific Northwest to play with shellfish in the water all day! Plus, maybe because seafood is one of the most important foods for all Taiwanese people, people here are more interested about where it comes from than in the US? That's just my guess. But either way, oysters are pretty yummy, raw or cooked. And if you've never had the chance to visit an oyster farm, get to Taiwan's west coast and try them out. Even if you don't like oysters, the farms are a wonderful way to have fun! (Remember to look at the bottom of the post for the song chords!)

我得在這裡承認一件事情：我在美國的家鄉其實以蚵仔而有點聞名．我們甚至有一種以我家鄉命名的蚵仔！但即便如此，我第一次吃生蚵仔還是在台灣的家鄉彰化縣！在我這兩個家鄉地區，蚵仔文化似乎有點不一樣．在彰化，大多數農民用一種養蚵仔的方式叫做延繩釣法，蚵仔養殖場將許多舊蚵仔殼掛在長場的繩子上，繩子掛在沙子裡的木柱之間，懸掛的蚵仔殼會吸引長在上面的小蚵仔．農民們通過駕駛蚵仔車，引擎裝在車子較上面的位子，這樣當潮水進來時，水才不會蓋住引擎，農民仍然可以在水中行駛．當然，在卡車出現之前，農民用牛來當蚵仔車，而且直到今天還是有一些農民這樣做．然後在我美國的家鄉，一些蚵仔農民也使用類似彰化農民用的延繩釣法方式，但也有一些採用底部種植，蚵仔直接生在沙子上，或者它們可能使用吊帶來種植蚵仔．而且他們大多使用船來收集蚵仔．但我發現最大不同的地方是，在台灣很多地方都開放讓遊客來體驗貝類養殖文化．我們可以乘坐蚵仔車，去挖蛤蜊還有抓螃蟹，簡直在海灘上度過美好的一天．在我美國家鄉，我從來沒有機會參觀這些貝類養殖場地．這再次提醒我們，台灣人民對於與他人分享我們的文化和生活是多麼開放和友好．我相信美國的農民和科學家也很友好（美國很多人喜歡和陌生人說話！），但也許他們更關注保護和照顧大自然而不是與外人分享他們的特殊文化？此外，美國太平洋西北通常太冷了，不能整天在水中玩耍貝類！另外，也許是因為海鮮是所有台灣人最重要的食物之一，所以這裏的人比美國更關心它的來源？這些都只是我的猜測，但無論如何，蚵仔都非常美味，生的或熟的都好．如果你還沒有機會去參觀蚵仔農場，一定要去台灣西岸看看！即使你不喜歡吃蚵仔，農場也是一種享受樂趣的絕妙方式！（記得看網頁最下面的地方就可以找到歌曲的和絃囉！）

Oysters Song Lyrics歌詞

Spoken A: Excuse me, I'm going to Taiwan's west coast soon. Can you recommend some food there?
A說：不好意思!我將要去台灣的西岸．你能推薦吃那邊的什麼好吃的食物嗎

Spoken B: West coast food? Oh. Yes, yes I can!
B說：西岸的食物？嗯，可以，我一定可以！

When you go to Taiwan　當你去台灣時
To the coast on the west　去西邊的海岸
You're going to eat a seafood　你將會吃一種海鮮
That will put you to the test　它會考驗你的

You grow them, and catch them　要養出它們再抓起它們
Then shuck them from their shells　然後從他們的貝殼幫他們去殼
Oysters are the best　蚵仔是最好的

Spoken A: Oysters, really?
A說：蚵仔？真的嗎？
Spoken B: Yep!
B說： 真的！

If you visit Chiayi　如果你拜訪嘉義的話
Or Tainan or Changhua　或者台南或彰化
The oyster towns there　那邊的蚵仔小鎮
Will let you eat them up raw　允許你可以生吃它們

Spoken A: Raw?! I don't think I want anything RAW...
A說：生的？！我不太想吃甚麼生的．．．

You grow them, and catch them　要養出它們再抓起它們
Then shuck them from their shells　然後從他們的貝殼幫他們去殼
Oysters are the best　蚵仔是最好的

Spoken A: I'm not sure I want to eat raw oysters...
A說：我不確定我要不要吃生的蚵仔．．．
Spoken B: OK well,
B說：好吧，那麼，

If raw's not your thing　如果你不喜歡吃生的
Maybe fried you can get　也許你可以買炸的
Or in thin noodle soup　或者蚵仔麵線
Or an oyster omelet　或者蚵仔煎

Spoken B: mmmm...ô-á-tsian
B說：嗯，蚵仔煎
Spoken A: Ô-á-tsian?
A說：蚵仔煎？
Spoken B: Oyster omelet
B說： 蚵仔煎

You grow them, and catch them　要養出它們再抓起它們
Then shuck them from their shells　然後從他們的貝殼幫他們去殼
Oysters are the best　蚵仔是最好的

Eat your oyster omelet (ô-á-tsian)　吃你的蚵仔煎
Your oyster omelet (ô-á-tsian)　 你的蚵仔煎
Your oyster omelet (ô-á-tsian)　 你的蚵仔煎
Oysters are the best!　 蚵仔是最好的

So get to Taiwan　所以呢要去台灣！
Down on the west coast　要到西岸去
Go to the seaside　到海邊
Where they have the most　那裡有最多

You grow them, and catch them　要養出它們再抓起它們
Then shuck them from their shells　然後從他們的貝殼幫他們去殼
Oysters are the...okay maybe not the best, but　蚵仔是，好啦，它們或許不是最好的但是
Oysters are really (for some people) good!　 蚵仔（對一些人來說）非常非常好吃！

Spoken A: ok ok...ô-á-tsian oyster omelets, I'll try that
A說：好啦好啦．．．蚵仔煎，這個我可以試吃！