Ho Hsing 1947

Desserts with human touch delineate home.

Located on bustling Dihua Street, Ho Hsing 1947 (合興壹玖肆柒) is a traditional Chinese pastry shop that has inherited 70 years of craftsmanship. Mist wafts gently from a steamer inside, mixing with the lively atmosphere in the small shop, composing a warm scene. A chef is steaming and creating colorful pastries, which are then exquisitely displayed on the shelves at the entrance. Guests sit on the bench at the door laughing and enjoying the traditional cakes made by hand.

Through this shop, the third-generation owner Kuang-You Zheng (鄭匡佑) and his wife, Jia-Lun Ren (任佳倫), have given traditional food culture a new look.

Steamed rice is the main ingredient in the store’s signature rice cake (鬆糕, Chinese onge cake), which has a soft texture and sweet taste. In ancient times, such cakes were traditionally exchanged as gifts. They come in a variety of flavors, for instance, sesame and red bean, according to local preferences. 

Mr. Zheng describes the sound made during the production process, “kou kou kou,” as “the sound that represents my home.” However, this special delicacy and its production techniques have gradually disappeared in the modern era as tastes have changed. Mr. Zheng says that the cakes have a unique taste and cultural significance, and also carry many childhood memories of running and playing in the traditional market when he was a child. These are fond memories of his, and he hopes to share the story of the traditional Chinese cakes through his shop and introduce young people to these “heated desserts.”

Reflecting on how he came to run Ho Hsing 1947, Mr. Zheng said that he used to be a designer with a passion for aesthetics and a rebellious personality. He was very resistant to taking over the business. However, he said, “when I went back to the old shops in the traditional market to help my family out during the holidays, I saw that the customers were always old. I started wondering about why young people didn’t like this kind of dessert and what I could do to change perceptions and draw in young customers.” This challenge inspired him to take over the store, hoping to add new elements into traditional desserts, connect with younger generations, and eventually introduce them to the skills, art, and memories of these traditional pastries.

Mr. Zheng said modern people hold stereotypes about traditional food, that it is boring or too sweet. “Each generation has different opinions and ideas about eating, and food has to keep pace with the times.” Decades ago, the taste would be sweet, representing wealth in an era in which resources were scarce. However, modern times emphasize health and flavor. Therefore, their current cakes respond to modern tastes and have reduced the sugar to reverse public opinions of Chinese pastries. They have also adjusted the proportions to create a smaller size, leveraging technology to design more aesthetically-pleasing shapes.

 

 

Mr. Zheng infuses his soul as a designer into these traditional desserts. In addition to their shape, color, appearance, various innovations, and development of flavors, the desserts feature many crossovers with different industries, such as whiskey for a sweet bun, the pottery containers to keep the cakes warm, and limited-time flavors for festivals.

 

Mr. Zheng chose to open his store in Dadaocheng (大稻埕), which is full of traditional buildings and cultural and creative industries and fits their image as a 70-year-old brand. In the store, consumers can witness rice cakes being freshly made, regardless of what time it is (traditional markets typically close at noon, which would prevent many younger people from attending them). By showing the production process, Zheng allows consumers to see, hear, and smell the pastries to evoke the clearest feelings.

“Eat while it’s hot! Please enjoy it within two minutes!” The clerk kindly reminds customers that the cake tastes best when it is fresh from the steamer. 

The piping steamer seems to epitomize the enthusiasm and warmth of this store and its people. Ho Hsing 1947 has the spirit of an old shop, combining the essence of taste and “balance” with innovation. The “heated dessert” conveys the simplicity of the old generation combined with new elements, evolving the tradition. Ho Hsing 1947 thus preserves the warmth of ancient culture in a modern way. Mr. Zheng hopes that one day, young people will proactively return to the traditional market and old shops, and discover more warm stories behind them.

Interviewed on April 7, 2021 / Photography by Richelle Sze

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