Translated by: Ting-Yi Shih
A multi-faceted dining culture has been developed in the past century in Taiwan due to the island's unique geographical position and historical background. That makes the fastest way to know Taiwan is through its food. The Michelin Guide, recognized as the travelers' bible of the past century, created the Green Guide in 2011. In this book, Taiwan's must-see destinations and hotels were introduced to the world. This made Taiwan only the third Asian country to be evaluated by the Michelin Guide, behind Japan and Hong Kong/Macau. Since that time, the Government Information Office has established a "Taiwan food culture net" (http://taiwanfoodculture.net) in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German and Russian to allow the world a true understanding of the rich culture and customs of Taiwan.
台灣因特殊地理位置及歷史背景，數百年來發展出多元融合的飲食文化，想要深入認識台灣，了解台灣的飲食文化是最快的捷徑。2011年享譽國際、有百年歷史的旅遊美食聖經「米其林指南」（MichelinGuide），發行「台灣篇」，向全球介紹台灣最值得觀光的景點和飯店，是繼日本、香港、澳門後，第3個被米其林評鑑的亞洲地區。為了讓全世界更深入體驗台灣精緻多元的美食和文化內涵，行政院新聞局特地建置中、英、日、西、法、俄、德和韓文等多國語文的「台灣美食文化網」http://taiwanfoodculture.net，希望透過美食，用更豐富的姿態讓世界認識台灣豐厚文化、貼近台灣社會風情。
Delicious Taiwanese cuisine: In addition to the Hokienese cuisine, the development and the transformation of Taiwanese cuisine has also been deeply influenced by Fuchou, Teochew, Hakka and Cantonese cuisines. Japanese-style cooking was also absorbed during the Japanese occupation adding to the eclectic cooking styles.
美味台菜：台菜的發展與演變，除了深受福建菜系的影響，也受到福州菜、潮州菜、客家菜與粵菜的影響，而台菜的烹調也吸納台灣日治時期日本式風格，使得台菜擁有多元的風貌。
Taiwanese-style seafood: Surrounded by the ocean, seafood is an important food source in the Taiwanese diet. A specialty is to use saute and stir fry techniques to preserve the freshness and nutrition, which results in light, refreshing Taiwanese food that is still rich in flavor.
台式海鮮：台灣四面環海的地理特性，豐富的海產是台菜中重要的食材，運用爆香與快炒的烹調技術，保存食材的鮮度與營養，「清、淡、鮮、醇」是它的特色。
Mixing bowl: With the retreat of the nationalist government to Taiwan in 1949, various Chinese cuisines were also brought to Taiwan. Combined with local flavors, a new way of cooking was born for each of the eight major Chinese cuisines: Sichuan (Szechuan), Cantonese, Chiang-su, Shantung, Hokkien, Chekiang, Hunan and Anhui.
融合中華：民國38年隨政府播遷來台，為台灣增添傳統川、粵、蘇、魯、閩、浙、湘、徽菜8大菜系，更因台灣的「融合」特性，將8大菜系賦予嶄新風貌。
Hakka Cuisine: The Hakka diet is known for its salt, aroma and fat. Preservation of the food’s original flavor through the use of spices and sauces is important; therefore, a huge selection of preserved food, such as pickled radish and mustard greens became a part of the Hakka’s daily diet.
客家美食：客家飲食口味是鹹、香、肥，重視食物原料原味的保存，擅長運用香料與沾醬。發展出各式各樣的醃漬品，像菜脯、鹹菜乾等皆為客家人常吃的食品。
Aboriginal flavor: Long before the Han Chinese migrated to Taiwan, the aboriginals’ diet relied heavily on the natural food sources found in the mountains and in the ocean as a form of respecting the nature.
原民原味：遠在漢人移居台灣前就定居在此的原住民族，飲食特色具有靠山吃山、靠海吃海的原始風味，充分反應出原住民對土地、對大自然的尊重。
Taiwanese snacks: Taiwanese snacks originated from the street vendors selling food from traditional recipes and family specialties ranging from seafood to mountain products. Gradually, Taiwanese street vendors became a must-see attraction for both domestic and international tourists, granting an authentic Taiwanese experience.
台灣小吃：台灣小吃多數源起於沿街叫賣的攤販，從傳統古早味美食、各地特產、家鄉味，甚至從海產到山產可說是琳瑯滿目、應有盡有；並已逐漸成為台灣民眾平時休閒旅遊及外國遊客體驗台灣當地庶民文化的重要發掘、探討的主要標的。
Gifting: Taiwanese tea is internationally famous, with oolong and oriental beauty teas as the most popular. Their taste combined with the innovation of “pearl milk tea” is considered even more irresistible.
甜點飲品伴手禮：台灣茶遠近馳名，舉凡凍頂烏龍、東方美人，樣樣皆是極品，加入新式素材的珍珠奶茶，撞擊出絕佳的滋味。
In Taiwan, giving gifts represents warmth and caring for your friends, because the Chinese are very hospitable. There are local souvenirs and gift shops everywhere selling favorites like pineapple cakes, beef/pork jerkies, preserved fish roe, tea leaves and local alcohol.
在台灣，伴手禮代表著送禮者無價的心意，人情味濃厚的華人社會，道地的名產美食，如鳳梨酥、肉乾、烏魚子、茶葉、酒品等，更是不勝枚舉，這些名產也陸續成為外國旅客回國前指定購買的伴手禮。
