Over many centuries, humanity has used methods such as salting and fermentation to preserve easily spoiled food. For foods such as miso, kimchi, parmesan cheese and blue cheeses, extended periods of fermentation create unique flavors that appeal to gourmands.
Yilan County is prone to frequent summer typhoons and damp, windy winters, so many households here have traditionally fermented foods to preserve them. Thanks to those well-honed skills, the fermented tofu (a.k.a. fermented bean curd paste) produced in the area has earned a high reputation islandwide.
Every locale’s fermented tofu has its own unique flavor and mouthfeel. For example, the red fermented tofu produced in Okinawa, Japan is a favorite among Taiwanese tourists, who bring it back as a side dish for rice porridge. It is also available with added ingredients such as spring onion, red yeast rice, or pineapple.
Because of its climate and gravelly soil, the Erhu area of Huxi Village in Yilan’s Yuanshan Township is well suited to planting ‘Smooth Cayenne’ pineapples. It is the northernmost point in Taiwan where this variety is grown. In recent years farmers have been using these pineapples to ferment tofu. They have even opened tourist orchards, where visitors can pick the fruit for their own DIY fermented tofu. In this way, the locale is becoming linked in travelers’ memories to unforgettable flavors.
Early one winter morning, we visit the Erhu Pineapple Hall in Huxi Village to learn how farmers create fermented tofu. The hall itself earned a bronze medal for “leisure agriculture” from Yilan County in 2022.
You can scarcely hear a single vehicle on the village’s peaceful streets. The pineapples that grow in the fields on its mountain slopes are nourished by plentiful rainfall and sweet natural springs. The chatter of chickens and the calls of wild birds provide the soundtrack for an enjoyable visit.
The farmer Jiang Chaoqing takes us into the fields to pick fruit. We hesitate at first, wary of the prickly pineapple leaves. “Just take big strides and the leaves will make way for you!” instructs Jiang. His advice proves spot on.
Jiang says that ‘Smooth Cayenne’ have small fruit that are not as sweet as ‘Golden Diamond’ pineapples. But they have more fiber, with a slightly sour flavor and sweet aroma. They are truly delicious. In the summer these pineapples are a joy to eat fresh, and in the winter—with their high fiber and sourness—they become better suited to processing. Today they are being added to fermented tofu.
The fields of the Erhu area of Yilan’s Yuanshan Township, in the foothills of the Xueshan mountain range, provide a tranquil environment for pineapples to grow.