Take a chance on Taiwanese bubble tea
By Julie Hofler
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Sick of the sugary, caffeinated concoctions at Greenberry's or Starbucks? Today, students can take a break from everyday coffee and tea and enjoy a new taste all the way from Taiwan.
The University's Taiwanese Student Association will bring the latest taste from Taiwan to the Lawn by selling pearl milk tea, commonly known as "bubble tea," from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Eileen Yu-chen Lin, a second-year College student and president of TSA, said the cold tea is mixed with milk and little balls of tapioca, or bubbles, to give it a unique flavor and chewy texture.
"It's not just a drink, it's something you can chew on," Lin said.
She added that her mother brought special large straws back from Taiwan last summer specifically for this event. The large straws enable bubble tea lovers to simultaneously drink the tea and eat the tapioca balls. Lin said the tea will even be sold in transparent cups, so people can see the "bubbles" as they are drinking.
"A lot of people are really curious about it," Lin said.
Slurping milk, tea and tapioca balls through an unusually large straw may sound strange to Americans jaded by skim mocha lattes, frappuccinos and caramel macchiatos, but it is all the rage in Taiwan.
"It's very, very popular in Taiwan," Lin said. "Every five steps you see another stand" selling the chewy tea in various flavors, such as green tea with pudding balls.
Bubble tea stands are a unique feature of Taiwanese night markets throughout the country, Lin explained, but the tea is starting to pop up in other areas of the world such as Japan, Singapore, New York and Los Angeles. Lin said it can even be found in some Chinese restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores in Northern Virginia.
One would pay $4 for a 16 oz. cup of bubble tea in New York and $3.50 for the same amount in Northern Virginia. The TSA, however, will be selling its homemade brew for $2.50 per 16 oz. cup and $1.99 for 12 oz.
"We're trying to introduce a new thing to the community," Lin said.
Proceeds from the bubble tea sale will help fund the TSA, which started last fall.
"We're a new club, so we don't have a lot of funding," she explained.
Bubble tea is just the beginning. Lin said she hopes to introduce the University to the traditional Taiwanese night market in April. She also wants to offer Taiwanese lessons through the TSA where students can learn to speak the language, which is not offered through the University.
"We're trying to introduce a new culture" in addition to the other Asian-Pacfic student groups on Grounds, Lin said.
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