10 Must Try Drinks

From the interactive matcha tea of Tokyo to the egg coffee of Hanoi here are my top 10 must try drinks from my journey so far...

When travelling the world it is easy to get caught up in all the different smells, colours and textures of food, with drink options often taking a back seat. For example if a Wagu Sando is on the table it's obvious that a cold beer will take centre stage as the most suitable option to accompany this delicious dish, followed by a Coke, Sprite or water and so on. Many times during my travels I have found myself going for the easy drink choices which are all a bit too familiar, which restricted my options. So I started to get a bit more adventurous when it came to drinks and more often than not I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

So from Japan through to India I bring you a selection of ten drinks that will make you go ooooooooh!

10. Yuja Cha - South Korea

Yuja Cha is a sweet citrus tea produced from the Yuja Fruit, also known as Yuzu fruit in Japan. The Yuja/Yuza looks and taste like an orange, a lemon and grapefruit had a baby and the result was a Yuzu fruit, which is divine. Yuzu is used as juice, a base for Ponzu (a type of sauce), or a vinegar. So having this in a tea was a nice change. Its sweet citrus taste was a great winter warmer during our visit here in November and is allegedly used in traditional medicine to help boost the immune system and prevent infections such as the common cold.

9. Ice Thai Tea with Sweet Milk - Thailand

This orange glass of refreshing iced tea hits the spot on the hottest of days. It's the cold cousin of Indian Chai Masala. This is because it's made from black tea varieties such as Assam or Ceylon, that is brewed cold, mixed with spices such as Star Anise, roasted Tamarind seeds and orange blossoms served with a generous helping of sweetened milk, normally condensed. Tea has become popular in Thailand due to the focus away from opium production to more wholesome plantations of tea and coffee which has given light to some really cool tea creations and cafe culture.

8. Sapodilla and Coconut Smoothie - Laos

Now for most of the Western world, Sapodilla is something we are not familiar with. So when I saw it on the House of Fruit Shakes menu (in Vientiane, Laos) I had to order it. And I am glad I did because to my surprise it tasted like a date or caramel with the texture of a pear which when combined with the creaminess of coconut milk was a recipe for success. The shake also contained no added sugar and was dairy free, gluten free, and suitable for vegans, so ticking almost every health conscious consumers box.

7. Chinese Jasmine Tea - China

In the karst mountains of Yangshuo, the month of December can get pretty chilly, so to help beat the winter chills I enjoyed a lovely cup of Jasmine chai. The taste is floral with a light sweetness (which is great especially if you're trying to cut back on sugar) that is made from Jasmine blossoms mixed with green tea and black or white tea varieties. It has a rich history as it is believed to have been cultivated in China for over a thousand years with its origins being of India or Southern Asia. In Chinese medicine it is revered for its alleged health benefits such as improving cardiovascular health and preventing anti-inflammatory and promoting anti-ageing factors, mainly due to the high antioxidant content. So with this in mind this tea not only tastes good but could be good for you too.

6. Takayama Sake - Japan

SAKE, you've probably tried the Japanese rice wine once in your life, and probably didn't like the experience. Well that was the case for me, until recently. A visit to the small mountain town of Takayama, in the Hida province of Japan, blew my mind when it came to Sake production. Not only are the streets of Takayama densely populated with independent Sake breweries the selection in this region is like no other Sake I have ever tried. Not only were there were so many flavours, colours and strengths but I learnt that the Sake here tastes so good because of the cold climate, pure waters and Hida region grown rice which are the crucial factors for producing a high quality product. To make Sake you have to polish the rice to remove the bran which is then fermented to convert starch into sugar to create the alcoholic beverage. The quality of rice and higher percentage of polishing will result in a better clarity and stronger flavour with a higher price tag. There are so many options; fruity, mature, light, smooth, and full bodied with simple and complex aromas that vary from delicate to rich that can be drank hot or cold which is a huge extension to our usual Sake experience. I of course did a number of Sake tastings at the Harada and Funasaka breweries with my favourites being Jo-sen Miyama-Giku.

5. Umeshu (Plum Liqueur) - Japan

Umesh-YUM! A plum-like liqueur made from steeping green unripe ume fruit (similar to plums but containing higher contents of citric acidic and polyphenols - all good for you) in alcohol and sugar that's left for months to ripen and develop into the glorious sweet and tangy liqueur that is known as Umeshu. This drink has been around for decades, with historical records detailing medicinal uses of ume fruits dating back as early as 918. Umeshu can be drank straight, on the rocks and warm in winter as well as in cocktails. Safe to say, I sampled many varieties of Umeshu during my time in Japan.

4. Sweet Lassi - India

Until you visit India you truly haven't tried an authentic Lassi. The supermarket Lassi's we are used to are typically a thick uniform yogurt drink rather than the real deal. These vary from shop to shop, region to region and each having their own individual recipe and served in a clay cup called a Kulhar. Recipes are typically made from yogurt, water, sugar, spices (cardamom is key) and occasionally fruit and sometimes topped with nuts and Malai (clotted cream). It also has the title of the ancient milkshake claiming to be the worlds first, originating in the Punjab. During our time in India the best Lassi was from a back street shop called Bikaner in Paharganj, Delhi. Why? Because it was a homemade thin-ish yogurt base with bits of thick cream throughout that was deliciously creamy, but not uniform or too sweet. The pistachio and rose petals were a nice decoration too.

3. Matcha Latte (Hot/Cold) - Japan

Matcha Latte cravings are real. Literally every other day in Japan I had a Matcha latte, hot or cold. The reason for this is the delicious taste and vibrant colour. The tastes varies depending on the ratio of matcha, milk and sugar (if any). So why is Matcha so special? Well, in Japan it's a bit of a celebrity because it was, and still is, traditionally used in tea ceremonies with a rich history as well as having a plethora of acclaimed super-food benefits such as high antioxidant content and anti-ageing properties just to name a few. The best hot matcha latte was served in a small gassho-zukuri (straw house) in Shirakawa-go, a village situated high up in the mountains, in the Gifu prefecture. An elderly lady and her husband were running a small cafe out of their house so I sat on a tatami mat waiting for my drink and all of a sudden I was greeted with the most gracious tea ceremony. The Matcha latte was prepared with such passion and gratitude and tasted balanced, creamy and slightly sweet. However, if you can't make it to Shirakawa-go any time soon Starbucks do a version that is a guilty pleasure, as it was sweet and consistent every time.

For the best cold Matcha latte visit Tsukiji market, Tokyo, where you will find an artisan production stall named Maruni. Here you will get a show of true craftsmanship with the latte being made before your very eyes in the traditional manner with a Kazuho whisk and Tokoname dish that's finished to perfection.

Now if true theatre is what you want the best experience is at the En-Tea Cafe at the Team Lab exhibition in Tokyo. Here they combine drinking tea with interactive digital artwork. The experience is like no other. It's fun, other worldly and the designs are colourful and move wherever the tea is placed on the table with explosions of pink, yellow and purple flowers. I decided to go for a Green tea and chamomile latte and Matcha ice cream set. And the taste? Sweet, umami and slightly bitter which was compensated by the sweet ice cream. The tea itself is designed by tea master Shunichi Matsuo and grown in the Hizen region of Japan for that extra special finish. I would 100% recommend visiting the Team Lab exhibition and the cafe for an experience like no other.

2. Butterfly Pea Flower Tea - Thailand

All you need to know is that butterfly tea is a tall refreshing cup of blue awesomeness. This tea was made for the 'Gram due to its vibrant and picturesque blue colour. The blue tea is 100% natural as it is made from flowers of the Clitora Tenatea. This variety of flower is grown all over the world and has many purposes within food and medicine. Alleged medicinal uses include improving female fertility within Chinese medicine and improving memory and mood in Ayurvedic medicine. Food uses also include deep frying the flowers or using them as a natural food dye. The iced tea itself can be drank with or without sweetened milk, however, with the milk it is sweeter and more balanced. The best butterfly tea encountered was in Ayutthaya, at the Celebb Rotea cafe, simply due to the fresh taste and beautiful presentation - see picture above.

1. Egg Coffee (Cafe trung) - Vietnam

At first, the thought of egg coffee completely baffled me. How was egg and coffee even a thing, I mean how would it work without scrambling? In my ignorance, I did not associate this with the French colonisation of Vietnam. So, how did egg coffee arise? It was invented out of war time dairy shortages by a bar tender from Hanoi who substituted condensed milk with whipped eggs that over time has improved due to the infusion of European and Vietnamese cooking techniques as now many recipes include sugar, honey, condensed milk and so on. The best way I can describe egg coffee is as a drinkable tiramisu. The balance of sweet and creaminess from the egg foam is the perfect compliment to the bitterness of the coffee. It's a must try! For the best egg coffee in town we found that our accommodation host Phuong at the BC Family Homestay in Hanoi made one of the best (nothing beats home-made!), as well, try egg coffee from one of the many train track cafes as featured in the photo above.

Want to learn how to make this delicious cup of egg coffee then try my recipe - click here

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