Did you know that the original taste of this global beverage has a hint of spice?
Thai Tea, or Cha Yen as it is often called, is a Thai beverage that is gaining popularity around the world. Recently, Thai iced tea was ranked the 7th best non-alcoholic drink in the world by foodie website TasteAtlas, a travel guide platform.
The drink is basically a mixture of black tea, milk, sugar and spices. On the other hand, there is also a natural dye from the leaves of the kesumba flower that gives Thai Tea a unique and attractive orange color. Thai Tea has a sweet and creamy taste, but it also has a hint of spiciness due to the addition of spices. The spices in Thai Tea come from star anise, cardamom and tamarind seeds, giving it a distinctive, slightly spicy flavor. Hence the milk or condensed milk and sugar in it to balance the spiciness. However, it is not commonly described as a spicy drink. The taste of Thai Tea also began to be adapted to local communities around the world.
This is the first time you've heard about the ingredients of Thai Tea in this article, because usually the ingredients of Thai Tea you see are in powder form, right? Of course, this is also because Thai Tea is becoming more popular and more companies are modifying it to make it more convenient to make.
The origins of Thai Tea reflect how globalization has been at work for centuries. It is said that the tea drink was brought by the Chinese through the trade route from China to India that passed through Thailand as early as the second century BC. However, there is also speculation that the popularity of Thai Tea in Thailand grew out of interactions with the British in the early 19th century. Nowadays with the passage of time, Thai Tea has grown in popularity among the general public and has become a highly sought-after drink for tourists visiting Thailand.
In some Southeast Asian countries, Thai Tea is served with additional local modifications that make it even more delicious. In Indonesia, for example, Thai Tea is often served with ice cream or boba. But not only in Southeast Asia, Thai Tea is gaining popularity all over the world. Several cafes and restaurants in the United States, Europe and Australia serve Thai Tea as one of their beverages.
In fact, famous beverage brands such as Starbucks have created a copycat recipe for Thai Iced Tea. Although this recipe is not the original recipe, the barista's recipe has a similar taste to Thai Tea. Not only Starbucks, another brand, McDonald's, has launched its own Thai Tea variant to meet the market demand. This menu has been released in several countries such as Singapore and Indonesia.
The popularity of Thai Tea increased when many companies began to explore the flavors for the food they would produce. In some countries, Thai Tea is even used as a base for making other foods and drinks, such as ice cream, cheesecake, croissants, or smoothies.
In order to promote Thai Tea and other Thai culinary products, the Thai government has even launched the "Thai Select" program. This program is part of Thailand's gastrodiplomacy in promoting its cuisine. This program will help foodies choose more authentic Thai restaurants. This is because one of the goals of the program is for Thai restaurants and food and beverage producers around the world to be guaranteed authenticity and conform to government standards. In addition, the program also aims to increase the number of Thai restaurants around the world. The program has also helped Thai Tea become increasingly popular in many countries and raised worldwide awareness of Thailand's rich culture.
It is no wonder, then, that Thai Tea is also a symbol of Thailand's rich culture and priceless historical heritage. It has become the epitome of Thailand's culinary diversity and one of the factors driving the growth of the country's tourism industry.
For food lovers, tasting Thai Tea while visiting Thailand or looking for Thai Tea varieties in local restaurants and cafes is an experience not to be missed. And for food and beverage manufacturers, Thai Tea can be an inspiration to develop creative and exciting new products.
