上班族必備軟實力

[Dogs are always talking about texture. “Rough” they say, “Rough.”]

As smooth as silk, while many times hyperbole, it is evidence that silk, the quintessential Chinese fabric, is the epitome of glossy elegance. For many years, China had a monopoly on silk because they had worms. When one thinks of silk, one things of China, or one might think of the traditional Chinese dress, a silky tight, red, and slit up the side work of art. That dress is alluring and it drives many men crazy.

There were so many man-made fabrics developed after the second world war that they were worn just for the novelty. They was polyester, rayon, nylon, and worsted. Wearing them was like participating in the magnificent march of scientific breakthroughs. Their shiny, plastic look later became the hallmark of the disco era.

Texture is gorgeous.

It soon became apparent that these modern materials were not a fitting substitute for the natural goodness of 100% cotton. Nothing beats 100% cotton, except 110% cotton, but such a thing does not exist. If it did, then the Earth would spin off its axis and fly off into the stratosphere of the solar system; out where demons live. 100% cotton is soft and comfortable.

The texture of food in Taiwan is exemplified by the bubbles in the tea. It is rubbery and chewy but not sweet. You can find this in food, drink, and dessert. You may see a nice looking pastry with golden brown flakey crust, but when you bite into it, perhaps expecting a hot, fruity filling, you find a rubbery, chewy, and not-so-sweet substance. It is like a thick Jell-O that someone has forgotten to flavor. It is not that it tastes bad, but it is unexpected, incongruous, and unsettling.

And then there is pork floss. Don’t get me started on pork floss. It has a texture that reminds me of dusty wood.

Western style food that is high fat and sugar laden is slowly making inroads into the Taiwan food scene. Many of the local population are showing signs of prosperity—they are getting fat. Soon the predominant textures will be rounded corners and padded walls.

That’s all for me. Thank you for reading, I hope you had a smooth experience.