Ep. X: Xuěhuā bīng Snowflake Shaved Ice 雪花冰
(想聽2021年11月19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 11/19/2021 radio episode, please click on the above music note to play the file)
Food flavoring is a funny thing, because it is very specific to the region and culture it comes from. We have sweet treats all over the world, but what makes a sweet treat delicious or popular is different in every place you visit. For example, I can't tell you how many times I've been asked in Taiwan if it's true that American women are given ice cream in the hospital after giving birth to a baby. I've never had a baby in the US, so I don't know for sure, but my guess is that it's probably true that most American hospitals will give new mothers whatever they want to eat after birth, and ice cream is probably a popular choice. That's because ice cream is a comfort food in our culture, and we think it's important to eat comfort foods when our bodies are feeling bad. However, ice cream is definitely not a comfort food in Taiwan. Most people will tell me that Chinese herbal medicine says cold foods (including ice cream) are not good for women's baby-making parts, especially during periods or after giving birth. So they think it's crazy to eat ice cream in the hospital, especially after having a baby.
However. Just like flavors change from place to place, so do the eating rules. And even though we all know in Taiwan that cold foods are not good for women's bodies, iced drinks and shaved ice are still extremely popular in hot weather, and not just with men! So I think more than anything, we get used to the foods we grew up with. Our culture and our families help establish the comfort foods of our lives, and those comfort food flavors stay with us. It's why many Taiwanese people tell me the candy I bring from the US is far too sweet for their tastes, but then when I bring sweets from Taiwan to the US, my US family will also say they're too sweet. I don't think it's a problem of being too sweet, it's a problem of not being from home. Luckily for me, I have two homes, one in Taiwan and one in the US, so I get to enjoy double the sweets! (Remember to look at the bottom of the post for the song chords!)
食物調味是一件有趣的事情，因為它非常特定於它來自的地區和文化．在世界各地都有甜點，但讓甜點成為美味或受歡迎的食物的原因在你每個拜訪的地方都不一樣．比如說，我在台灣被問過多少次了，美國婦女生完孩子後在醫院裡會吃冰淇淋是不是真的?我在美國從來沒有生過孩子，所以不能完全確定，但我猜測是，大多數美國醫院都會給新生媽媽們出生後想吃的東西，而冰淇淋可能是其中一個熱門的選擇．那是因為冰淇淋在我們的文化中是一種舒適的食物．我們認為當我們身體感覺不舒服吃舒適的食物很重要．然而，冰淇淋在台灣絕對不會被歸類成是一種舒適的食物．大多數人會告訴我，中藥說生冷食物（包括冰淇淋）對女性的生育部位不好，尤其是在月經來或產後的時候．所以他們認為在醫院吃冰淇淋很瘋狂，尤其是生完孩子之後．
不過．就像口味因地而異，飲食規則也是如此．而且即使在台灣大家都知道冷是對女性身體不好，但冰飲和剉冰在炎熱的天氣中仍然非常受歡迎，而不僅僅是男性！所以我認為最重要的是，我們習慣了我們長大的時候吃的食物．我們的文化和我們的家庭建立了我們生活中的舒適食品．而這些舒適食品的味道一直伴隨著我們．這就是為甚麼很多台灣人說我從美國帶來的糖果都太甜了，但是當我從台灣帶糖果會去美國時，我的美國家人也會嫌它太甜了！我不認為這是太甜的問題，而是它沒有家的味道．所幸我有兩個家，一個在台灣，一個在美國，所以我可以享受雙倍的甜點！（記得看網頁最下面的地方就可以找到歌曲的和絃囉！）
Snowflake Shaved Ice Song Lyrics歌詞
It's so hot 天氣好熱
In Taiwan 在台灣
It's so hot 天氣好熱
In Taiwan 在台灣
It's so hot in Taiwan 天氣好熱在台灣
And we hardly ever get snow 而且我們幾乎不會下雪
It's so hot in Taiwan 天氣好熱在台灣
You really need to know 你真的需要知道
Taiwan in summer 夏天的台灣
Is not the best place to be 不是最好的地方
There's the glowing sun, humidity 有熾熱的陽光和濕氣
And over thirty degrees C 還有超過三十攝氏度
What to do to cool down? 怎麼做才能涼下來？
What to take away the frown? 甚麼可以消除皺眉
Take a look around your town 看看你的城鎮
For snowflake shaved ice! 找雪花冰！
Yummy snowflake shaved ice 美味的雪花冰
It's a special summer treat 是個特別的夏季甜點
If you're feeling hot this hits the spot 如果你感覺很熱，它剛剛好
On those muggy summer days 在那些悶熱的夏日
Now don't make the mistake of thinking 那麼不要錯誤的思考
Snowflake shaved ice is just some 雪花冰只是一些
Ice chips with colored syrup on top 上面有彩色糖漿的冰片
*No way, uh uh* ＊不可能，嗯嗯＊
Snowflake shaved ice is creamy 雪花冰是奶油狀的
With toppings that are so dreamy 配上如此夢幻的配料
Almost anything you can imagine 幾乎任何你能想像的東西
Can go on top *(except maybe sashimi) ewwww* 可以配在上面 ＊（大概除了生魚片外――好噁！）＊
Like mung beans, peanuts, chocolate 像綠豆、花生、巧克力
Pudding, red beans, tapioca balls 布丁、紅豆、樹薯球
Oats and fruits and panna cotta 燕麥、水果、奶酪
Don't forget the condensed milk 別忘了煉乳
Yummy snowflake shaved ice 美味的雪花冰
Is a special summer treat 是個特別的夏季甜點
If you're feeling hot it hits the spot 如果你感覺很熱，它剛剛好
On those muggy summer days 在那些悶熱的夏日
It's so hot 天氣好熱
In Taiwan 在台灣
It's so hot 天氣好熱
In Taiwan 在台灣
It's so hot in Taiwan 天氣好熱在台灣
So you gotta eat your snowflake shaved ice to keep cool 所以你得吃你的雪花冰才能保持涼爽
