【英语阅读】纽约时报 | 台湾美食为什么那么“Q”？

台湾美食为什么那么“Q”？
In Italy, ‘Al Dente’ Is Prized. In Taiwan, It’s All About Food That’s ‘Q.’

• Prized adj.珍贵的,宝贵的 v.珍视,珍惜

NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan — As dusk falls at Lehua Night Market, the fluorescent lights flicker on and the hungry customers start trickling in, anxious for a taste of the local delicacies that give this island its reputation as one of Asia’s finest culinary capitals.
台湾新北市——随着夜幕降临乐华夜市，灯光亮起，饥肠辘辘的客人们三三两两来到这里，急于吃到让这个岛屿享有亚洲最佳美食之城的当地美食。

• fluorescent adj.荧光的;发亮的 n.荧光;日光灯
• flicker on 闪烁在
• trickling in 鱼贯而来;渐渐地到来
• anxious adj.焦虑的;担忧的;渴望的
• reputation n.名声,名誉;声望
• culinary adj.烹饪的;食物的
• capitals n.首都 adj.首都的;重要的;大写的

Neatly arranged pyramids of plump fish balls. Bowls brimming with tapioca balls bathed in lightly sweetened syrup. Sizzling oyster omelets, hot off the griddle. Deep-fried sweet potato puffs, still dripping with oil.
整齐码成小山的饱满鱼丸。一碗碗淋着略带甜味糖浆的凉圆。刚从铁板上下来，咝咝作响的蚵仔煎。还滴着热油的炸地瓜球。

• Neatly adv.整齐地;熟练地;灵巧地
• pyramids n.金字塔;椎体
• plump adj.饱满的;胖乎乎的 v.使饱满而柔软;变园;长胖
• brimming adj.盈满的;满溢的
• tapioca n.树薯粉;木薯淀粉
• lightly adv.轻轻地;轻松地;容易地;不费力地
• sweetened vt.减轻;使变甜;使温和;使悦耳 vi.变甜
• syrup n.糖浆,果汁;含药糖浆
• Sizzling adj.极热的,酷热的;热烈的,激情迸发的 v.发滋滋声
• oyster n. 牡蛎,蚝;沉默寡言的人
• omelets n.煎蛋卷;炒鸡蛋;鸡蛋烧
• griddle n.矿筛;煎饼用浅锅 vt.筛 vi.用锅煎
• puffs n.一阵;喘息 v.吹气;喘息

Take a bite of any of these dishes and you’ll discover a unique texture. But how exactly do you describe that perfectly calibrated “mouth feel” so sought after by local cooks and eaters alike?
随便尝一口这些小吃，你都会发现它们有着一种别具一格的口感。但你该如何形容那种经过精心调配，令当地厨师和食客们趋之若鹜的“口感”呢？

• texture n.质地;纹理;结构;本质,实质
• describe vt.描述,形容;描述
• calibrated v.校准;标定;调整;测定口径

Slippery? Chewy? Globby? Not exactly the most flattering adjectives in the culinary world.
滑溜？有嚼劲？黏糊？这些可算不上是美食界最好听的形容。

• Slippery adj.滑的;狡猾的;不稳定