By Su Li
For sightseers on tour buses the Tour Eiffel means France, the Brandenburger Tor means Germany, and the molens, the Netherlands. For drinkers beaujoulais is French, bier is German, and genever is Dutch, even if they have never been to Beaujoulais, heard of the Reinheitsgebot, or visited the museum of gin in Schiedam. But what do people associate with Taiwan? I first thought figures like Ang Lee or Chien-ming Wang or brands like Giant and Acer would be inseparable from Taiwanese identity. However, after spending a year abroad as an exchange student even the skyline with Taipei 101 faded from my memory. I realized the most indispensable part of my Taiwanese identity is in fact quite humble: a cup of pearl milk tea. If you think this is my obsession only, look beyond the island. In China pearl milk tea has been brought to every big city by Taiwanese investors. These shops are easily recognized because they always advertise Taiwan as part of their authenticity. I spent two months striving to find a legitimate cup in Beijing, but none passed my test. I often heard people in China criticize pearl milk tea as nothing special. At first I thought this was politically motivated, but then I realized that the problem was not politics but the quality of the tea sold there. My friend Lambert is not an aficionado of pearl milk tea. In fact, he rarely buys it in Taiwan. But in Beijing, he also tried some of these imitations to see how authentic they are. We both agreed that pearl milk tea was something we can associate with, something that retains its Taiwanese identity in all Chinese cultures. Pearl milk tea is also bubbling in North America. Spreading out from Chinatowns, it is gaining fame under another name, bubble tea. Once on my train to Berlin I met a student from Seattle studying in Prague, who was dying for Starbucks after three months away from home. But her eyes lit up when I told her I was from Taiwan. “Bubble tea, right? I’m a big fan. It must be your Starbucks.” Reminded of pearl milk tea, I was suddenly dying for my favorite cup: mint, half-sugar, no ice. But this desire was not easy to quench overseas. We can’t just stop by a random branch in Berlin like we can go to Starbucks. I asked my mom to send over the raw materials to make the pearls myself. Many hours were dedicated to boiling, braising, cooling, and honeying the pearls. For the milk tea, ordinary black tea and cream is satisfactory. But for different flavors, I collected thé au caramel from France, Minzetee from Germany, and teas from all over the world at the oldest teashop in the Netherlands, Klaverblad, on Zijlstraat in Leiden. But of course the slurping sensation could never be complete without those special thick straws made in Taiwan, thoughtfully sent along by my mom. I also found that serving handmade cups of pearl milk tea brings friendships that transcend all cultural boundaries. Fervet olla, vivit amicitia, while the pot boils, friendship endures. Now you can travel all the way to Paris and have your expensive cup of pearl milk tea at Zenzoo. However, we can also cherish our next cup just around the corner. The whole world is bubbling for its Taiwanese pear milk tea! (boxes) Do You Remember… “Cut a cup of pearl milk tea daily for the budget of arms purchase” was flagged by our Prime Minister of National Defense some years ago. It stirred a riot not smaller than the recent catchword “UN for Taiwan.” The cafeteria of the Ninth Girl’s Dormitory offers the best bargain in town, if not on the planet, 20 NTD (0.43 euros) for a tall cup. The running family of the cafeteria has served NTU students for decades. Nothing is more satisfactory then a hearty meal finished with a handy cup. A-Shui Teahouse, another chain store, has a branch in the cafeteria of the First Girls’ Dormitory. They offer daily special with discounts and longer service hours till 22:00. “Frientea” opened a new branch in the First Student Activity Center. Every cup is made according to a strict “tea score” and offered with a 5% discount for NTU members. The owner, Ms. Xiang, has two children graduated from NTU and her attention to details even covers the temperatures to cook different teas. “Be serious, otherwise quit” is her motto. The oldest vendor on the campus for pearl milk tea, since 1986, is the famous fried chicken stand “Sisterhood” at the Second School Shop. Although the sisters are always busy frying chicken, they still want to offer a suitable drink to company the equally famous Taiwanese snack. Grease-free guaranteed for your tea. a
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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