2017 has come and gone and just as we were getting used to the idea of unicorn smoothies, gigantic freakshakes, and overhyped cookie dough a new food trend just had to pop up: cheese tea.
What is it?
The name is fairly self-explanatory, it’s tea with cheese in it. While the combination might seem odd to those used to Western desserts, I can personally attest to how delicious it is. The tea is bitter and earthy while the cheese adds the perfect amount of salty-sweetness. If I had to compare it to anything I’d say it’d be like drinking a cheesecake? Which, let’s be honest, all of us have thought about at some point in our lives.
Traditionally, cheese tea starts with some sort of tea (usually oolong or green) as a base and it's later topped with a whipped cream cheese. Cream cheese is used in tons of desserts and by whipping it the texture gets foamy and light while still maintaining its usual salty-sweet notes.
For those who can’t handle caffeine (surely I’m not the only one) you can even find cheese tea without the tea. Lots of places offer other base options like strawberry smoothie or chocolate milkshake, so opt for those instead if you'd like!
How Do You Drink It?
That's right, this drink can't be drunk like your standard matcha latte. One of the most crucial parts about cheese tea is the act of drinking it. Ditch your straw and sip it straight from the lid. Drinking it this way gives you the perfect balance of cheese and tea in every gulp — you’ll also have a pretty cute cheese-stache too!
Where You Can Find It
The popular drink first made a name for itself in Taiwan but that hasn’t stopped other Asian countries like Thailand and China from jumping onto the trend. You can find cheese tea at HEEKCAA in Bangkok, Thailand and at HeyTea in multiple locations across China.
For those of you who can’t catch a plane to Asia, never fear, cheese tea can be found in the State’s too! One chain that serves the trend is Happy Lemon, which has locations in New York, Boston and San Francisco. For those of you in the UK rumors say cheese tea will be coming your way sometime in 2018.