The joys of Canadian food: grain-fed healthy beef, fleshy Atlantic lobster and more
Taiwan is Canada’s 13th-largest trading partner globally and its 5th-largest trading partner in Asia. But did you ever think that behind all these dry statistics lies delicious food? Grain-fed beef from Canada has a unique flavor that many Taiwanese enjoy. FTV reporter Stephany Yang recently joined Canadian Trade Office in Taipei deputy director Derry McDonnell for a Canadian dinner. Let’s hear more about what they chatted about.
The chef pan-fries the Canadian ribeye beef medium rare, then tops the meat with a sauce made from horseradish.
This is the main dish, pan-seared Canadian rib-eye served with seasonal vegetables and horseradish sauce. Canada is the second largest country in the world, boasting a vast hinterland, rich water resources, grasslands, and mountains. Canadian Trade Office in Taipei deputy director Derry McDonnell says that Canada uses grain to raise cattle, which gives Canadian beef a uniquely tender taste.
Derry McDonnell
Canadian Trade Office in Taipei deputy director
We are quite proud of Canadian beef. It is very good quality. What is unique about Canadian beef is that it is grain fed so it is quite flavorful and it is reasonably priced and quite healthy. We don’t have, for example in Canada, a high degree of growth hormones, steroids, or that kind of thing. It is really a good choice. It hits the sweet spot for beef.
There is also this dish, "Canadian Atlantic lobster and bisque." The chef first boils the fresh Canadian Atlantic lobster for seven to eight minutes. Then, the chef unshells the lobster
The bisque is boiled with lobster head, onions, vegetables, carrots, basil, and lemon leaves. Due to its geographical advantages, Canada is a large supplier of seafood for Taiwan from the Atlantic Ocean. This includes lobster, crab, flounder, shrimp, shellfish, and more. The Canadian Trade Office in Taipei and a hotel have partnered to launch a month-long Canadian Food Festival in Taiwan’s capital until March 31.
Derry McDonnell
Canadian Trade Office in Taipei deputy director
We have a month-long Canadian food promotional event going on at this hotel. It will be on till the end of the month, where a number of Canadian dishes and ingredients are being featured, whether it is beef, seafood, or even some Canadian desserts, or classic Canadian snacks if you will. Canadian lobster is harvested at a particular time of the year when the lobster has not shed its skin into a new shell. So the gap in between the meat and the shell is narrow. It is not full of water. So, when you buy a Canadian lobster, you are getting as much meat as possible from the animal. That is a nice feature as well.
According to data Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade, Canada’s exports to Taiwan reached US$2.52 billion, and Taiwan’s exports to Canada amounted to US$3.3 billion last year. To further strengthen ties, Canada and Taiwan on Feb. 7 began negotiations for a "Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Arrangement." The two sides are planning to officially launch formal talks this April. The trade agreement seeks to safeguard existing investments as well as strengthen trade and investment ties in the future.
Derry McDonnell
Canadian Trade Office in Taipei deputy director
The primary purpose of a FIPA is to provide investors with reasurrance that their investments in either location are going to be protected. And that it will be a stable investment environment. We have seen a lot of growth in bilateral trade with Taiwan. This past year, 2022, we saw a 20% increase in bilateral trade with Taiwan. That is on top of 30% growth the year before. So, business is booming between Taiwan and Canada. We are really happy about that.
Taiwan is Canada’s 13th-largest trading partner globally, and its 5th-largest trading partner in Asia. The two countries hope that the proposed deal can further strengthen the two sides’ partnership in the Indo-Pacific.
2023-03-07