郭爺爺的故事
一八六七年，郭爺爺的曾祖父從福建漳州龍溪縣渡海來台，在士林落腳，以一根扁擔沿街叫賣養家活口。之後由郭爺爺 祖父傳承，祖父早逝，就由十四歲入行的父親傳承，十八歲起開始當糕餅店老闆。
從小跟隨在父親身旁，對做餅產生濃厚的興趣，郭爺爺和父親的徒弟一起日夜工作，從最基層做起，凌晨三、四點就得 起床，洗豆子、做餡料，再把父親做好的成品用三輪車配送給小攤販，再將糕餅拿到市場去販售，就這樣做了三年四個 月，瞭解消費者與經銷商的反應，才上工作台。
因為是所有兄弟中唯一傳承父親手藝的，於是在郭爺爺十七 歲那年，父親就讓他全權接管糕餅生產製作的所有業務。
郭爺爺一輩子都在做餅，他用整個生命的熱忱，製作出一個個具有生命力的餅！別人是關起門來苦幹，郭爺爺是到處打 探、到處鑽研，他是很用心的做著好吃的餅，很認真的要把漢餅的美味留傳下來，就是想為台灣的餅藝文化盡一份心意 ，並熱切期望能將他所鑽研的漢餅製作技術傳承下來，讓更多的人認識並喜歡傳統漢餅的現代美味。
文章英譯：
THE STORY OF GRANDPA KUO
In 1867, Grandpa Kuo’s great grandfather crossed the Strait from Lunghsi County, Changchow, Fukien, and arrived in Taiwan, where he settled in Shihlin, supporting his family by selling pastries on a pole, which he carried from street to street.Grandpa Kuo’s grandfather carried on this tradition of selling pastries.Grandpa Kuo’s father took over the family business at the age of 18, when his father passed away prematurely.
By the age of 14, Grandpa Kuo was already working day and night, together with three apprentices whom his father had taken in.Grandpa Kuo would get up at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m., wash beans, make fillings, and then ride a bicycle to deliver his father’s finished goods to the street merchants.In the evening, he would also take pastries to sell at the market.Grandpa Kuo spent the next three years getting to know the business. When Grandpa Kuo turned 17, his father recognized the business acumen he had inherited and gave him exclusive authority (among his brothers) to manage pastry making and business production operations.
Han pastries are a unique Chinese delicacy which has become part of the gourmet culture.There are two types of Han pastries, Soochow-style (or Taiwanese style of layered crust) and Cantonese style (shortcrust).The Taiwanse style Han pastries have been around Taiwan for 200 years.It was Grandpa Kuo’s interest in developing his talent for making these specialized pastries which took him on several trips to exotic locations in China such as Shantou, Fuchow, Fukien, Chungching, and Jiangsu, in search of master pastry makers, like the 78-year old pastry chef in Jiangsu who used a unique method of preparing dough.
Grandpa Kuo has been making pastries all of his life.He translates his passion for life into the wholesome goodness which goes into the pastries he produces.Grandpa Kuo is committed to innovation and is constantly seeking to refine his skills and include excellent new recipes.The value of preserving the tradition of making Han style pastries, as part of Taiwan’s cultural heritage, is important to Grandpa Kuo, who hopes to pass on this culinary legacy to future generations.Grandpa Kuo also seeks to develop a broad appeal for his products and the labor of love which goes into the pastry production.
