10 Asian drinks you've (maybe) never tried
Bubble Tea (Taiwan) Bubble Tea, also known as "Boba", was invented in Taiwan in the 1980s and is a tea-based drink. milk that contains chewable tapioca pearls. The glass must be shaken before inserting the (thick) straw to distribute the "bubbles". Bubble Tea has not only revolutionized Taiwan's traditional tea culture (centennial institution), but has also become a popular global phenomenon. In the past few years, Bubble Tea revenue in Southeast Asia has increased more than 30 times in just one year. But recently it has become increasingly popular also in Europe, including Italy. Even if those who have tasted the one from Taipei find it hard to get attached to the version found in the West.
Cà phê đá (Vietnam) Wikimedia Commons
Copyright: yoon-cho It can be strong, it can be dense, but also sweet and chocolaty. Coffee is an institution in Vietnam. Introduced to the country by a French Catholic priest in 1857, today the local coffee market is very strong. Vietnam only became a major coffee exporter after reforms and the opening up of the economy during the Doi Moi era. Today, there are many coffee plantations in the central highlands. Vietnam is today the largest producer of Robusta coffee and the second largest coffee producer in the world.
Singapore Sling (Singapore) Wikimedia Commons
Believed by many to be Southeast Asia's most famous cocktail, the Singapore Sling was invented in Singapore's Raffles Hotel in the early 1900s. The cocktail was created for women, as the rules of traditional etiquette they did not allow them to consume alcohol in public. And the peculiarity of the Singapore Sling is that it has the appearance of a fruit juice, even if in reality it is mainly composed of gin. The drink also contains lime juice, pineapple juice, cointreau, cherry liqueur, grenadine and Bénédictine.
Teh Tarik (Malaysia) Wikimedia Commons
Prepared with black tea and condensed milk, this drink is something of a national treasure in Malaysia and is found in restaurants and stalls across the country. It is consumed by Malaysians at any time of day, whether with meals or for an afternoon drink or while following their favorite sports competitions.
Pennywort Juice (Southeast Asia) Wikimedia Commons
The juice is obtained from the leaves and stems of the centella plant, widespread throughout Asia but particularly in Southeast Asia . In addition to being healthy, centella juice is believed to have medical properties as well. In Asian medicine it is said to be able to help the body balance the temperature. Widespread in Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and India, it has a delicate and refreshing flavor. But if consumed in large quantities it can cause nausea. \
Baijiu (China) Wikimedia Commons
We enter the (nourished) kingdom of Asian spirits with the most consumed spirit in the world: Baijiu . That's right. Although exports abroad are not as huge as other spirits, the Chinese white liqueur makes use of the immense internal market of the People's Republic to conquer this primacy. Baijiu has an alcohol content of around 40-50% and has a very strong taste. For many, too much…
Sake (Japan) Wikimedia Commons
Films, television series, books and of course Japanese restaurants scattered throughout Italy. Sake has also been known in Europe for some time, although not everyone has tried it. It is not a liqueur or a distillate, but a drink obtained from the fermentation of rice. This process is induced by a microorganism (a mold) and by the addition of yeast. It can also reach high alcoholic strengths.
Soju (Korea) Soju is a distillate originating in Korea. Traditionally it is made from rice, barley or wheat but modern producers also use tapioca and potatoes. The alcohol content varies from 14% to 45% but the most common variant is around 20%. It is experiencing a moment of great popularity thanks also to the global spread of K-Drama on small and large screens and the great international interest in Korean culture.
Lao-Lao whiskey (Laos) Wikimedia Commons
A powerful homemade whiskey made from fermented rice is the national drink of Laos. Locals consume it in huge quantities. The peculiarity of the name is dictated by the fact that "Lao" means alcohol and always "Lao" (with a different tone) means Laos. You who try it lose all sobriety.
Kaoliang (Kinmen) Wikimedia Commons
Kaoliang is a liqueur obtained from the fermentation of sorghum. It is a type of Baijiu with a light aroma, but it can reach gradations well above 50%. Today it is widespread mainly in Taiwan and the most famous producer of Kaoliang is located in Kinmen, a mini archipelago administered from Taipei but a few kilometers from Xiamen, a metropolis of Fujian China. President Xi Jinping and then Taiwanese colleague Ma Ying-jeou consumed it during the historic meeting in Singapore in 2015.
