[Jiufen, Taiwan] - Jiufen Desserts

Technically, I am only going to talk about two of the desserts you can get in Jiufen. There are other things to enjoy there, but these two were the highlight for me. Jiufen has blown up in popularity and can get pretty crowded, even on rainy days. Have that in mind when making your trip out here. Getting out to Jiufen from Taipei is pretty easy. Actually, getting just about anywhere in Taiwan is super easy. You can take the bus, train, or a cab just about anywhere (if you don't feel like renting a car or scooter). 

Jiufen is a pretty small place with lots of nooks and crannies to explore. If you walk along the main thoroughfare, you'll pass by lots of shops that sell all of the local goods along with cute little knick knacks. There are also lots of restaurants and tea houses to choose from. Hard to go wrong with any of them. Just go for the one with the most people and you'll be rewarded. I've been to two of the tea houses there so far and enjoyed both. The view is fantastic (pick accordingly!). One of the tea houses I went to was smaller and had lots of ginger teas. The other one, seen below, was much fancier and had a lot of higher end teas to choose from. Get your tea ceremony on!

Dessert wise, I love the ice cream wrapped in a crepe. They have a huge block of peanut brittle that they shave slivers off from to put in the crepe. You also have the option of getting some cilantro tossed in. I like it, but it's not for everyone. I definitely recommend at least giving it a try. I heard it originated in Yilan, but this one is still very good. Since I'm going again this winter, I'll be sure to go to Yilan and see how it compares. Stay tuned!

My other must get dessert while in Jiufen is a bowl of taro balls. It's one of their specialties that everyone comes to eat. It is also very hard to make consistently. The texture of the dough needs to be perfect. The cooked options are to have it served either hot or cold. I prefer cold. The texture is very Q. The chew to it is has been the same with each trip. I'm not sure why places in the States can't manage to get it right (I'm looking at you, pearl milk tea places with the too hard or mushy pearls!). The owner is very friendly (he told me to take a picture of the entire bowl because the colors are pretty). You can get a bowl and walk around eating it, or grab a seat next door (specifically for customers to eat. Be nice and clean up after yourself!). 

Eating, walking around, enjoying scenery--not much to dislike about Jiufen!

Shaved peanut brittle, ice cream, and some other goodies all rolled up in a thin crepe -- Makes for a pretty nice treat while you walk around the hillside. There are a few places to get this here, but this one is my favorite.

I also like going during the day and getting my tea ceremony on.

There are a lot of tea places to choose from. I was drawn to this one because of the cats!

You can watch them make it fresh, if you'd like.

Right next to the table of freshly made balls are the ones ready to eat.

Hot? Cold? Make your selection. I prefer it cold.

It's easy to find this place as there is usually a small crowd.

Iced. Perfect on a hot day.

My buddy enjoying her own bowl because I said "Joey doesn't share food!"

Look familiar? Jiufen was the inspiration for Miyazaki's "Spirited Away."

Between eating, don't forget to enjoy how pretty the hilly town can be. Be prepared to be stuck in a crowd on this stairwell, day or night, as it's a favorite place for pictures.