News--Welcome to National Chiayi University

　　To celebrate the upcoming 101-year anniversary, and express gratitude to all the faculty, staff members and students for their longtime support, the Worker Cooperative of National Chiayi University held a series of promotion events by the Qinxin Pond on the Lantan campus on Nov. 13th. At “NCYU Oily Glutinous Rice and Sweet Rice Pudding Free Tasting Event” and “the Hakka Lei Cha and Food and Agriculture Exhibition,” the delicious rice and tea were set to tickle the taste buds.

　　The NCYU Oily Glutinous Rice and Sweet Rice Pudding were prepared with NCYU-Tainan Glutinous Rice No.3 developed by Huang Wen-Lii and Liu Qi-Dong, respectively Professor and retiring Associate Professor of the Department of Agronomy, with joint effort of the Tainan District Agricultural Improvement Station. The palatable rice grains are sticky but not too much, with a chewy texture that is perfect for sticky rice dumplings, oily glutinous rice, and rice puddings. Mr. Hsu Chih Yuan and his wife Ms. Hsieh Meng-Cheng, both alumni of the Farm Management Division, Chiayi Institute of Agriculture, were invited to attend the Hakka Lei Cha and Food and Agriculture Exhibition. As owners of “Tea 22,” the first Hakka Lei Cha store in the Beipu Old Street, they have developed a variety of Lei Cha dishes such as healthy diets, brunch and afternoon tea based on the Ho Po Hakka Lei Cha culture introduced during the Nationalist government’s rule. Their unique blend of tea and nutritious grains are key to promoting the traditional Hakka food culture.

　　Hakka Lei Cha, a traditional tea-based Hakka beverage, has made waves not only in Beipu but many places around Taiwan in the 1990s. There were more than a hundred Hakka Lei Cha shops around the Beipu Old Street at its apex. A great number of foreign students came to join the grand event. Hsu introduced the backgrounds of Hakka Lei Cha and demonstrated how to make the beverage. Foreign students were also invited to taste the Taiwan Hakka Lei Cha. According to Hsu, Hakka Lei Cha consists of ground tea leaves, sesame, peanuts, pumpkin seeds and other ingredients, and is ready to drink with hot water. To avoid sedimentation, the Lei Cha shops used to offer wooden sticks or stirrers for the customers to stir the Lei Cha. Nowadays, hawthorn bars are used instead of the stirrers to render a different experience for the participants.

　　Han Qian Lin, Head of the Board of Supervisors of the Worker Cooperative, indicated that they will share the Oily Glutinous Rice and Hakka Lei Cha with the participants to celebrate the anniversary of the university. During the anniversary slated from Nov. 19th to 21st, “flash sales” will be held at the Worker Cooperative. Customers who purchase over NT$1,000 will receive a NT$100 coupon. All lovers of the quality agricultural products at the NCYU Worker Cooperative are welcome to seize the rare chance to grab this amazing deal.