Today, my friend came over for an afternoon catch-up, and I suggested that we grab milk tea from TP Tea, which is owned by Chun Shui Tang, the original Taiwanese shop that is reputed as the original creators of bubble tea. It happens to be just a few blocks from my apartment, so she picked up an order for Chris’s parents and me on her way over. I chose the osmanthus oolong milk tea with house-made lychee jelly, 30 percent sweetness, and less ice.

I was thinking about my milk/bubble tea choices in the last year or so. I don’t get milk tea that often, though New York City has exploded with endless Chinese, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese franchises, with the biggest being HeyTea. But one type that has always been popular among Asians that I only recently got into was osmanthus tea. Osmanthus is a yellow fragrant flower that, similar to jasmine, is oftentimes added to tea or drunk on its own (like chrysanthemum). It’s very aromatic and oftentimes infused with green, black, or oolong tea leaves. It has an almost fruity taste. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it’s known for promoting relaxation, supporting digestion, and also delivering a high amount of antioxidants. I’m getting more into the non-tea fruity, floral flavors as of late. The tea isn’t always enough for me anymore, even if it is really good, fresh loose leaf, and high quality!