taipei daughter - winter 2024

The Winter 2024 edition of Taipei Daughter welcomed chef and fellow Taiwanese American Henry Hsu in creating a piān-tong (Taiwanese bento) and camellia print set. We chose dishes with familial resonance to present as warming winter fare, each paired with a limited edition painting reminiscent of a long-past Taiwan.

the camellia print

The camellia, a Japanese colonial-era symbol of Taiwan, was chosen as the insignia for our piān-tong. The winter bloom is at once an elegant and common favorite of many a Taiwanese garden.

Originally rendered in pencil, marker, and indigo watercolor, the artwork was then translated into an rich emerald and ochre palette as a secondary colorway that evokes holiday velvets and wintry nights.

Each piece was printed on washi, and wrapped around the bamboo piān-tong box as both a label and keepsake item.

Read more about the process on Patreon.

the menu

With recipes developed by Henry Hsu of Oramasama Foods, we presented thoughtful lunchboxes, reminiscent of Taiwanese railway lunches. There are heartwarming connections to both of our grandparents: Henry’s grandfather used to work with the railway in Taiwan, and both dishes were the favorites (and specialties) of my two grandmothers.

Bí-hún : Rice noodles with red kuri squash, Taiwan cabbage, pork, dried octopus, and shrimp
Iû-pn̄g : Sticky rice with shallots, shiitake, dried shrimp, and braised egg

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