Taichung: After United Kingdom Representative to Taiwan Ruth Bradley-Jones shared her love for coriander in an interview with CNA last week, former President Tsai Ing-wen also voiced her fondness for the polarizing herb.
According to Focus Taiwan, Bradley-Jones, who assumed her role as head of the British Office Taipei in February, expressed in the interview that her favorite food in Taiwan so far is peanut ice cream rolls, a traditional Taiwanese snack from Yilan County, and emphasized that it must be accompanied by coriander.
The British Office Taipei further amplified this sentiment by sharing the interview on its Facebook page, underscoring the envoy’s enthusiasm for the herb, which often elicits strong opinions due to its distinctive flavor.
On Saturday, former President Tsai Ing-wen joined the conversation by commenting in Chinese on the post, declaring her affinity for coriander. She expressed optimism that their shared appreciation for the herb could serve as a foundation for strengthening Taiwan-U.K. relations. The office responded affirmatively, likening the U.K. and Taiwan to “like-minded partners.”
Tsai’s connection to the U.K. is further deepened by her academic background, having earned her Ph.D. in law from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 1984, and she most recently visited London and LSE in May this year.