Discover Penghu's Ocean Flavors! Inside the Fishing Village Food Scene

◤Text by Rene Hung

The woman's slender spiral hook glints alongside her keen gaze, the night filled not with lingering seaside ghost stories, but with her singular focus on filling her checkered woven basket to the brim.

Under the moonlight, her hook basket shimmers with vibrant colors – blue, yellow, green, and orange interwoven in striking patterns. To her eyes, these hand-woven bamboo strip baskets, with their gaps that naturally filter out seawater and fine sand, gleam more brilliantly than even Bottega Veneta's celebrated woven pieces.

▋Island Culinary Culture: Penghu's Food Scene Takes the Spotlight

The people of Penghu have cultivated a distinctive "island food culture" unlike anywhere else. Looking back through history, this land served as a strategic fortress–not merely a rest stop for ancient navigators crossing the treacherous the Black Water Trench (the historical name for the Taiwan Strait). Here, blessed by unique natural surroundings and geographic advantages, Penghu developed an openness and embrace of diverse culinary traditions. This receptiveness stems from the countless transient populations that converged here, weaving together the archipelago's singular food network.

From the Japanese colonial period's establishments serving only Japanese officials in Magong, to the post-liberation restaurants catering to mainland Chinese newcomers and stationed troops, to the seafood cuisine that emerged with the tourism boom of the 1960s–Penghu's restaurant industry has witnessed the pulse of changing times. Today's Penghu has become a renowned travel destination, drawing massive numbers of visitors annually. They come seeking not only the breathtaking ocean vistas and natural beauty, but those distinctive flavors born of island life.

Unearthing the island's flavors, the tidal flats teem with treasures–shells, seaweed, and small fish reveal themselves at low tide. The woman races against the rising waters, filling her basket heavy with sea snails before returning home with another bountiful catch. By dawn the next morning at Penghu’s largest Beichen Market, the same hardworking island women sort through crowned turban shells while hawking pickled specimens sold in repurposed Apple Sidra (a popular Taiwanese carbonated drink) bottles. For preserving everything from cabbage to oriental pickling melon to crowned turban shells, Penghu locals favor the thick-walled Apple Sidra plastic bottles, sturdy enough to withstand fermentation pressure. Those midnight-gathered shells transform into refreshing cold appetizers, while pickled cabbage paired with fresh tuskfish becomes a tangy, sweet-finishing sauce that graces fishing village family tables–a humble yet satisfying combo with rice.

Times have shifted. The complex work of night harvesting and shell sorting grows scarce, and these handcrafted foods from our masked women become increasingly rare. What were once everyday staples in ancient fishing village households now transform into sought-after nostalgic delicacies. Young chefs returning home to open restaurants reimagine these sea snails and tuskfish as refined Western-style dishes, offering fresh interpretations of ingredients Penghu locals have always taken for granted. Meanwhile, visitors can not only join tidal flat experiences organized by local tour operators, but also discover what islanders consider routine–squid noodle soup for breakfast–elevated into a must-try specialty.

▋Penghu Summer: Ocean on a Plate

Summer visitors pack the small fishing villages, drawn by bowls of fresh squid that arrived in port that very day–their surfaces gleaming like scattered stars –paired with Penghu's signature thin noodles, dried by sea breezes and sunshine. This exquisite squid noodle soup captivates tourist palates. But visitors might not realize that authentic Penghu-style squid noodles, according to locals, must include the squid's inky black sac–that briny essence only fresh squid can deliver at the perfect moment of tio̍h-sî (Taiwanese for "at the perfect moment").

When did fishing village cuisine become a must-eat pilgrimage for Penghu visitors? Beyond summer's bounty of chewy fresh squid, there are the bafun sea urchins (literally "horse dung urchins") once easily gathered from tidal pools. The local practice of cracking open urchins and scrambling them with eggs seemed almost extravagantly luxurious to mainland Taiwanese. Restaurant versions have evolved into sea urchin fried rice– perfectly separated grains generously topped with silky, rich scrambled urchin and egg–transforming humble local eateries into impossible-to-book destinations. Penghu sea urchins aren't just regional specialties; they've become staple ingredients at Michelin-recommended restaurants across Taiwan.

▋Local Daily Catch Turned into Michelin-Starred Highlights  

But when discussing how fishing village cuisine evolved into extraordinary culinary economics, one cannot overlook cha-kue (savory rice fritter) and squid balls. "Cha-kue" stands as one of Penghu's signature dishes, with each shop offering distinct fillings – from plump “dog shrimp” (Metapenaeopsis barbata) and tender fish to refreshing vegetarian options. Paired with sweet chili sauce, garlic soy sauce, or fiery hot sauce, every bite delivers unforgettable flavor.

The Penghu squid balls now found in major supermarket chains serve as convenient delicacies for ancestor worship and guest entertainment. Mothers simply retrieve boxes from what locals call the "tong-siun" (chest freezer), drop them straight into hot oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper – and dinner is served.

These plump, firm spheres bursting with real squid are predominantly made from pharaoh cuttlefish. Processing facilities hand-peel the tough outer membrane, remove the limestone inner shell, then blend the cuttlefish into paste before shaping and setting into round balls. The bouncy, sticky texture and rich sweetness of Penghu pharaoh cuttlefish has earned it a place as the designated ingredient at "Origen by Molino de Urdániz," the Michelin-recommended Spanish restaurant in Penghu.

The squid balls found in supermarkets represent the modernization of fishing village economics, but to taste the most authentic squid balls in Penghu, head to Dachi Village in Xiyu Township, Penghu County──marked by a squid mascot statue holding squid balls──the thriving fishing village where these treats reached their pinnacle.

Pinsin, Mingsing, and A-Dong rank as the top recommended brands for squid ball purchases. These generously chunky squid balls naturally deliver substantial pieces of cuttlefish, selling not only throughout Taiwan's markets but even reaching Nanmen Market, famously known as "Taipei's kitchen." This demonstrates how fishing village products have transcended rural boundaries, overturning urbanites' stereotypes about night market squid balls. Penghu cuttlefish can be both everyday affordable and luxuriously premium–genuine treasures of the fishing villages.

Gazing across Penghu's vast seas, each season brings abundant harvests. The Lantern Festival's "Shangyuan Qigui" (Upper Lantern Festival turtle blessing ceremony)–offers perfect timing to experience Penghu culture, while admiring the famous Wai'an fishing boat lights illuminating the darkness with their brilliant boat lamps. Amid the gentle sea breezes, savor fresh seafood delicacies like grilled oysters and sea urchin rice–flavors that taste like the ocean's own gifts, worthy of a special journey to experience.

Note: Names of varieties, publications, and individuals without established English equivalents are rendered using pinyin transliteration; refer to the original Chinese text for authoritative spellings.