From Goose Fat to Historical Restriction - Hakka and Jews - Xmas 2020 Story

 

(This is also 'NOTE 23' of the main ongoing Anthropology page HERE. https://katyhuiwenhung.blogspot.com/2020/04/food-anthropology-notes-from-taiwans.html)

It went back to Feb 2019, a young chef and 'London Bao Soho' researcher and I met up in Taipei. Of the limited time we had, I took her to National Taiwan University to 'explain' our book title 'Beyond Pork and PONLAI'. There is not better way and location for this purpose. 

We visited 'ISO HOUSE' (Dr Iso, the father of Ponlai rice) - A relatively neglected 'Formosa rice' development center, unknown to most expats and many Taiwanese locals. 

Formosa rice refers to Ponlai rice.

She mentioned she liked to bring some souvenir back to London for her chef friends to enjoy, something interesting and 'delicious'. 

'Goose Fat with Crispy Shallots' 

I knew she would like it! when I introduced her this goodie at NTU campus shop of agricultural produce and upon my showing and explaining, she immediately decided that was the gift she would like to bring back to share in London kitchens. 

Now a year later in Taipei, it's my turn to experiment during this festive season, 'shake and bake' potato tossed in 'Goose Fat with Shallots' from a jar I recently bought from the campus shop. 

The result is GREAT - fluffed and light golden potatoes with the very Asian crispy shallot taste. 

Crispy shallot is one of the key Taiwanese 'old-time' ingredients and is one of the distinctive ingredient separating Taiwanese shacha 沙茶 from the SE Asia's: "Dried shrimp replacing shrimp paste is one way in which Taiwanese shacha differs from Southeast Asian satay; Taiwanese find the smell of the latter too strong. Another difference is that satay lacks fried shallots. (Chapter 7. A Culinary History of Taipei)"

Historical restriction on Hakka and Jews

Hakka - What's about Hakka?
Well, the idea of using 'goose fat with crispy shallot', was reported a Hakka woman's invention some 7 years ago but gained increasingly good reputation more recently. Hakka and a 'bitter leaf' (aka 'goose leaf') has a long tradition going back centuries - information included in this post.

Jews  - What's about Jews? 
The Schmaltz - rendered chicken or goose fat originated in the Jewish communities. Chicken has historically been the most popular meat in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, due to historical restrictions on Jews who were often not allowed to own land in Europe on which to tend to livestock. Schmaltz originated in the Jewish communities of North, West, and Central Europe as it was an economical replacement for olive oil which was typically not available in these areas. (Wikipedia)

(Hakka and 'Goose Leaves' details 'NOTE 14' HERE. )

'A Culinary History of Taipei' (Crook and Hung):“Other commonplace vegetables have been given colorful nicknames. Lactuca indica, Indian lettuce or swordleaf lettuce, is usually known as A-cài, the Roman capital A appearing before the Chinese character for vegetable. 

The A comes from the Taiwanese pronunciation of its original name, e-á-tshài. Other names for it are é-cài or “goose leaves” because it was often used to feed geese, and—giving a clue as to why it was used as animal feed—khú-chhoi or “bitter leaves” in the language of the Hakka minority”

UPDATE 12/30 (GREAT feedback from two professionals)

1. Professor Charles Tu (Taiwanese American, leading scholar of YUSHAN Scholar Program)

" This is very interesting. I was just given a jar of goose grease with shallots and another with chili recently from DOCTOR’S HEALTHY DIARY CO., LTD. They are now considered 'Taiwanese treats' package to US customers. "

2. Marlena Spieler  (Award-winning food writer. Jewish cuisine expert)

Interestingly the whole goose fat of the Jews of Europe, has a fascinating history, that links into the culinary specialties of France and Italy especially (goose prosciutto, and duck prosciutto, being two of these specialties).

Schmaltz (chicken, duck or goose) was so treasured, as it was a richness that might be the only rich thing available during a time when meat was scarce; the leftover fat was a cherished substance. There was a saying about if a person was so lucky, that even if they fell down, they were be fine and end up better, was: "when he falls, he falls into a Schmaltz bucket". 

Eastern and Northern Europeans never used olive oil, but in Russia, etc were vegetable oils such as sunflower. and butter of course. and then there was kashrut: while the oil is pareve (meaning you can cook it with meat or dairy), butter is obviously dairy and cannot be used with meat, and Schmaltz is obviously meat, and cannot be eaten with dairy. i remember my grandparents treat of chicken Schmaltz spread on top of rye bread with chopped onions.