Magic In Our Unique Asian American Drinks: Asian Pacific Heritage Month
During the month of May, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is nationally celebrated in the United States. This is a time used to appreciate and recognize the culture and tradition that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have introduced to America.
As an Asian American small business owner in the restaurant industry, I am inspired by my childhood memories to create drinks and items that are similar to the ones I grew up with. I remain tied to my Vietnamese heritage through my family and continue to learn more about Vietnam and other Asian Pacific cultures through my travels to Asia. In recent years, I have traveled to Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan.
Through these trips to Asia, I have learned more about the food and beverage world to introduce and incorporate into our menu. I appreciate immersing myself in the culture of these international countries to understand the flavor profiles of people across the world from us. My trip to Taiwan was the most eye-opening experience for our business since bubble tea originated in Taiwan and is vastly present there. I used my travel experience to the bubble tea capital of the world to gain a deeper knowledge of the tea and coffee industry.
To celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage month, I’d like to share with you some of the popular, unique drinks on our menu that are influenced by tastes and flavors present in Asia and the Pacific Islands.
Cafe Sua Da
Cafe Sua Da, or Vietnamese Coffee, is an everyday drink present in Southeast Asia. In Asian countries, this beverage is comparable to a morning “cup of Joe.” Families will enjoy a cup of Cafe Sua Da together as part of their daily morning routine before heading to work or at family gatherings. At Magic Cup, we make this drink with a rich blend of medium roast house coffee, using our slow drip brewing method for a strong flavor, and sweeten it with condensed milk.
2. Nuoc Mat
Nuoc Mat, or Winter Melon Artichoke Iced Tea, is popular in Vietnam for its refreshing taste and health benefits. This tea can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and is thought to be a great drink to detoxify your system. The older generation of Asian Americans enjoy this drink as a cool refresher and it is now catching on with the younger generation.
3. Thai Tea
Thai Tea is a renowned beverage in the bubble tea community. As such, we made sure to include our own version of it on the menu. To make our unique Thai Tea, we steep the tea for 12 hours to extract all of its flavors and make a smooth, well-balanced, and creamy final product. I recommend trying our take on this classic drink at your next visit!
4. Winter Melon Lime Iced Tea
Our Winter Melon Lime Iced Tea is included on the menu as a result of my trip to Taiwan. Winter Melon is a popular flavor in Taiwan for its light and refreshing taste. We like to include drinks on our menu that are popular and recognizable to our customers -- Winter Melon is a flavor that many customers requested when visiting our store. As such, we introduced a Winter Melon Lime Iced Tea as a fresh, revitalizing drink perfect for a hot summer day.
I hope all of us Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders take pride in the heritage, culture, and traditions that make us unique! And for those of you who are just here to enjoy the flavors and tastes of the world, we always welcome you.
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