New Experience~ "Burning Kiln" by Hui Yee

Awesome Outgoing -"Burning Kiln" 

   Our school teachers who was responsible on “taking care” on international students which by mean us had organized a few events. These events are meant to introduce Taiwan’s cultures and create moment of teacher-student interaction.  Burning kiln and visiting minorities’ ethic are parts of favourite events. These events was discussed and decided by all members in international class. The teachers will scheduling the whole trip, we just paid a small fees and got to join the events.

Burning Kiln is a popular countryside activity among local residents. A lot families and students choose to come here for camping and spending family days.What is burning kiln? It means any of various ovens for hardening, burning, or drying substances such as grain, meal, or clay, especially a brick-lined oven used to bake or fire ceramics. Looks like it is hard to understand what does this Burning Kiln are.  Here are some pictures may help you to give it a hand.

Kiln Area

        The day is finally comes, all of us hop on the tourist bus as prepared. We were having a really warm and leisure time in bus. We chat, sing, playing games with other foreign students and lecturers who went along with us. I remember we are having a nice weather in spring, did I mentioned that we are spending those days in Taiwan during spring and winter? Well, perhaps I'm not…While, now you get it. When we reach there Pintung NanZhouTangChang(屏东南州糖厂) at 10am, the students were distributed into 10 groups. Each group is given order split up into two small groups for different missions. One group will be doing the burning kiln while the other group will start camp barbeque. After grouping, one of the teachers passed on food supply and major materials to students obtained from shopkeeper. As everything ready, we move on to next step: start building a kiln and burning charcoal to start a fire .

BBQ Area

        Imagining is easy but working on it is totally a mess! Trust me. I was distributed to build a kiln, I kept follow and copy others’ action and implied on my work. Seriously, I thought it was a perfect imitation; it screwed up when I nearly finished one. In order to get it done, I decided to call for help. My teacher was facing the same situation as I am, but he is smart-- asking a specialize person to build one for him.  Naturally, I’m asking the same favour. A Kiln must be built in a hollow sphere circular shape. It had to be pile up firmly and not over stacked in case it cannot be burn evenly.  

Now, here are some steps to build a kiln:

First - Choose an area for yourself and collect a certain number of red soil and dried firewood.

Second - You have to dig a hole then stack up each red soil in to a circular shape around it. 
                       Remember to keep the inner space empty to allow your food to be cooked in it.




Third - When the kiln is prepared, fill in firewood into the empty hole and put on fire.

Fourth - The kiln must be burn within one and a half hours until it is blackened.

Fifth - Wrap all the ingredients in newspaper, covered with mud to avoid over cooked under high   

                  temperature.

Sixth -  Reopen the red soil on top and throw in the ingredients into kiln.

                  Small tips – put those ingredients which are not cooked soft on the bottom of kiln.

Open top of the red soil and put in the ingredients

Seventh - As everything is done, cover kiln in clay to avoid heat run out from its inside

Let's cover the kiln with mud, do not let the heat run  out

Lastly, you just have to wait for 2 hours or 3 hours to be done.

Oh! Yummy

     On the other hand, we went back to BBQ area grilling  meats and enjoy the frozen dessert such as ice cream in this timid weather. Move on, we spent the whole afternoon playing badminton, soccer games and so on with teachers. In time, we met new local friends by exchanging foods. Haha, they are a big family who prepared a various type of foods, they share with us and chat with us. I think this is because we are not speaking in proper mandarin. I can tell they are really kind and passion to foreigners, because they are inviting us to their house when we pass by place they were living. No wonder, they have a good reputation for their hospitality. Well, of course we do say yes politely. We walk around in this valley leisurely as a perfect digestion activity, of course we won't miss out any photo session.

      As time goes by, evening falls on. Our food is ready too. We dig out the foil wrapper from burning kiln then clear away the mud and pieces of newspaper. Open it and foods is ready!

Dig out the ingredients wrap in tin foil

Put on Glove to remove pieces of newspaper and mud or you will get burn on your hand

It Is Tea Time @~@

                                   

       Looks delicious, Trust me. The smell  will heighten your appetite.Sweet and tender 

grilled potatoes,onion chicken, sweet corns and fragrant smell of eggs. Oh god! It makes me

mouth watering. We were having such a rich meal. Since finishing all the foods, is already 

half pass 6 evening.We started cleaning up the dining area and prepared to leave.We are having 

such a great time, not mentioned about we meeting new friends here. I will always remember

the time I spent in Taiwan, these are my precious memory.

Lets‘ Eat

 Everyone,  

Say Cheese! 

Look here!

Friendship Forever

That is all I'm sharing with you guys. Feel free to check out my next trip.
Hope you guys are enjoying.

Regards
Hui Yee