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The Chongqing people’s love for tofu is Sweet fermented grains, a traditional snack ger or brown sugar. But Huijing pioneered the
not to be underestimated, so Douji’s updated of Lanzhou, are made from high quality naked practice of adding Huangjiu to milk tea. Al-
ingredients menu incorporates the option of oats, which is boiled until it is 80% done, mixed though milk tea tastes silky smooth, too much
silken tofu, with the selected texture of the tofu with sweet distiller’s yeast and then fermented. of it can be greasy. The full-bodied Huangjiu
to meet the local taste preferences, once again Originally it can be consumed by stirring it in melts away the sweetness with a grown-up,
accurately targeting the taste buds of Chongq- cold water. Fundosa Coffee, however, has the mature wine sensation, leading to a lingering
ing people. fantastic idea of adding sweet fermented grains aroma of tea and a long aftertaste.
Furthermore, Douji also recreates the to green tea. Its own unique sweet and sour taste The Huijing shop is located directly across
milk tea base with local intangible cultural is the best seasoning for the tea, as well as high- from Lu Xun’s former residence. After being
heritage - fermented rice. The natural fermen- lighting the fragrance of the tea. In particular, reported by the media in 2014, the shop once
tation of traditional distiller’s yeast is not only each cup of sweet oats milk tea has a full 1-liter produced more than 600 cups of Huangjiu milk
incorporated into milk tea, but also into a tea capacity, further embodying the generous tem- tea within one day. Besides, its Shaoxing Huang-
style of its own. The waxberry wine and os- perament of the Northwest people. Recently, jiu Popsicle has also been a popular product.
manthus wine with the fragrance of fermented Fundosa Coffee has also matched the sweet More recently, they’ve been selling fruity
glutinous rice are both worth trying, especial- fermented grains series with a variety of tea Huangjiu, such as a mojito that replaces rum
ly when you have hotpot, they add to the fun drinks, such as the jasmine scented green tea and with Shaoxing liquor, and bold innovations like
and ease the spice. milk tea that have both reaped a lot of favorable liquor-infused yogurt, derived from the tradi-
This Chongqing brand’s design style is comments. tional Huangjiu technique.
characterized by the iconic Chinese red, with Following the sweet fermented grains milk
modern touches depicting oriental elements tea, Fundosa Coffee carries on with the North-
such as lanterns and landscape texture, which west style. Adding fruit tea ingredients such as
is a perfect fit for the traditional inspiration of mint leaves, cucumber and kumquat to the soup
milk tea. If you’re not a fan of dairy-containing of the Gansu “Jiangshui” noodle to make fruity
drinks, go for lemon Sprite flavored sparkling fermented drinks. Also there’s a traditional des-
water and a variety of fresh fruit teas. Even el- sert in Lanzhou, a porridge made of local pot-
derly who once thought “milk tea is unhealthy” tasche, peas, red dates and sugar, called “grey
are captivated by the brown sugar snow fungus beans”. Infused with Assam black tea, the
made from ancient recipe and sun-dried crunchy old-fashioned northwestern delicacy gives off a
pumpkin tea. malty aroma that is both friendly to the locals
and in tune with the new trend of teas that high-
LAN ZHOU, GANSU light the chewing sensation.
Fundosa Coffee
SHAO XING, ZHEJIANG
It is often said that the North China is the Yellow Wine Milk Tea
“desert for milk tea”, referring to the lack of inde-
CHONG QING pendent brand and the status quo that the big new Together with beer and wine, Huangjiu
Rice Ball Milk Tea tea brands are on the fence and having concerns (also called “Yellow rice wine”) is known as one
about entering its market. Although purchasing of the oldest alcohol in the world. Originated in
Many people’s impression of Chongqing’s preferences have shaped the market environment, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, it is also referred
cuisine is that of hotpot, noodles and other sa- the past concerns have been getting wavered in to as the “old wine” because of its “the older, the
vory and sauce-rich dishes, but it is not surpris- recent years by increasingly loud demand. better” character. As Chinese young people’s
ing that Sichuan people are also fond of rice. With the “coffee” in the brand name, Fun- purchasing preferences converge with interna-
Douji, a local brand that originally focused on dosa Coffee created Lanzhou’s most famous tional trends, the consumer groups and market
herbal jelly, has started its new chapter in tea sweet fermented grained milk tea instead. The space for Huangjiu is constantly being margin-
drinking this year, innovating a milk tea with popularity of sweet oats milk tea is not a result alized. Under this circumstance, a local brand
glutinous rice balls, replacing the bubbles in the of the different consumption practices of Lan- from Shaoxing, named Huijing, started to devel-
milk tea with small, stuffed glutinous rice balls. zhou people, but from the integration of sweet op a variety of modern derivatives of Huangjiu.
Their glutinous rice balls are softer and more fermented grains that has made the milk tea more One of them is the Huangjiu milk tea.
chewy than the hard-to-cook taro, which gives compatible with the taste buds and preferences There have been many ways to drink
the milk tea an enhanced flavor. of local people. Huangjiu, including heating, adding eggs, gin-

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