「你們在台灣吃四川菜嗎？」  
"Do you eat Sichuan food in Taiwan?"

「當然，大家冬天都很喜歡吃辣呢。」  
"Of course, everyone loves spicy food in winter."

「那我們晚上就煮火鍋吧！」  
"Then let's cook hot pot tonight!"

曾飄香於酒城的辛香滋味，竟不知不覺隨著世界的腳步，住進了荷蘭爸爸的心中。  
The fragrant, spicy notes that once wafted through the wine city had unknowingly, along with the world's pace, taken up residence in the heart of this Dutch father.

我們彷彿都看見了那鍋正在翻滾回憶的湯頭。  
The pot of broth shimmered with memories. 

餐桌旁，我看他生疏的翻閱著食譜，不放過任何細節。  
By the dining table, I watched him flip through the recipe book with a certain unfamiliarity and yet leaving no detail unattended.

舉凡八角、薑片、乾紅椒、肉桂條，廚房中無一不缺。  
Star anise, sliced ginger, dried red chilies, cinnamon sticks—the kitchen lacked nothing.

我卻萌生起了念頭，想要偷吃步 (ㄊㄠ ㄐㄧㄚˇ ㄅㄡ)，去東方超市買個正統的火鍋湯底。  
Yet a thought crossed my mind: I wanted to take a (shortcut) and buy an authentic hot pot soup base from the Asian supermarket.

「不然我等等經過超市時可以買一包來煮，」我提議著。  
"How about I pick up a packet on the way to the store?" I suggested.

「沒關係，我有香料就行，只怕你認為味道不夠道地而已。畢竟煮給台灣人吃，你吃得出差別啊！」  
"It's fine. Just having the spices is enough—I'm only afraid you'll find the flavor not authentic enough. After all, cooking for a Taiwanese person, you can taste the difference!"

紅色方格桌巾上，一座煙囪狀火銅鍋映入眼簾，逸散著迷人的蒸汽。  
On a red-checkered tablecloth, a chimney-style copper hot pot came into view, exuding mesmerizing steam.

湯底裡所乘載的故事，讓我想起了爸爸。  
The broth carried stories and it reminded me of my father.

「八角溫陽散寒、冬天的時候下菜可以讓身體變熱，」他用一口流利的台語，在記憶的錄像帶中和我說道。  
Star anise warms the yang element, dark element, and dispels cold. When you add it to the pot in winter, it warms your body," he told me in fluent Taiwanese, as if from a videotape of memories.

幾塊火鍋肉片、豆腐和難煮的粉條下鍋了。  
A few slices of hot pot meat, tofu, and those hard-to-cook clear noodles went into the pot.

餐桌前，一群人各自將喜歡的食材給放了下去。  
Around the table, everyone added their favorite ingredients.

剛煮熟的白蘿蔔，蟹肉棒和高麗菜共譜了舌尖上的層次感。  
The freshly cooked white radish, crab sticks, and napa cabbage together created layers of flavor on the tongue.

或許今晚品嘗的是貼近家的時光。  
Perhaps what we were tasting tonight, these layers of flavor, instantly fossilized to a moment close to home.

一口湯頭入喉，溫暖的麻辣感瞬間驅散了體內的寒氣，而心也跟著舒暢起來。  
After a sip of the broth, the warm, numbing spiciness instantly dispelled the chill in the body, and my heart felt at ease.

我熟練的夾起一塊如滿月的白蘿蔔。  
I skillfully picked up a piece of white radish, round as a full moon.

它油光映照，照耀著旅人們的鄉愁。  
Its oily sheen reflected the homesickness of travelers.

曾經當作理所當然的事物，竟也有扣人心弦的時刻。  
Things once taken for granted could, it turned out, be deeply moving.

一幕幕將作客時的景色捕捉下來，我們一同歡笑，兜著最愛的話題討論，而椒麻香縈繞心頭。  
Living and moving in scene after scene of our time as guests, we laughed together, circled around our favorite topics, while the pepper-spice aroma lingered in our hearts.

抹上這股炙熱的紅，歇息一會兒吧。  
Wipe away this blazing red, and rest awhile.