Campus Edibles

The refreshing drinks of Formosa QQ Tea

Flavours form the Far East

Rakibul Hasan
Photos: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Would one want to have something that sends a chill wave to every other cell of one's body during a time of biting cold? The proposition might not sound very tempting but students across the city seem to hanker after the different flavours of cold Formosa Q Q Tea all around the year. The reason is easy, no matter how the weather is, the unique taste of Formosa Q Q Tea with black gelatinous bubble sitting on the bottom of the container make it a must-have to the students all around the year.

Formosa Q Q tea is usually a cool, refreshing and sweet drink. Though the recipe mainly derived from Taiwan (hence the name Formosa, which is the ancient name of the country), in Dhaka the drink is often made with fresh fruits or milk and crushed ice which turns the drink into a healthy Smoothie. The gelatinous bubbles found in the bottom of the drink are tapioca pearls. Another obvious trait of the drink is a huge fat straw. The straw comes handy to suck up the tapioca pearls and it's obviously a lot of fun to chew these gelatinous bubbles. In fact, the word QQ means chewy in Chinese!

The gelatinous bubbles	Blending the incredients

	Packging the drink

There are several spots all over the city where one can savour a heavenly glass of Formosa QQ Tea. Dhakaiya Formosa QQ Tea located in the city's Bashundhara Shopping Complex is one such place. Md Mainuddin, a server at the shop says, “Though it has been very cold for some days, the demand for Fromosa QQ tea from the students remained same. I think the vibrant colours and the fun of sucking up the tapioca pearls through the straw is what makes this drink an absolute favourite to the student.” At Dhakaiya, Formos Q Q tea comes in different tastes and sizes. One can add Black Plums, Passion Fruits, Mulberry or Pineapple with the drink according to one's choice. The price of the drink ranges from TK 100 to 150 depending on the size of the containers in which the drink come. Fouzia Tabassum, an MBA student from North South University says, “I absolutely like to drink QQ tea with Passion Fruits. The drink is just addictive. I love to chew the Tapica balls for their unique consistency which is between jell-o and chewing gum!' Ashfaque Hossain another student from Dhaka University says, “For me QQ tea is a healthier option than drinking other fizzy drinks. Since the drink has fresh fruits in it, it shouldn't add to my increasing bodyweight. Plus, to gulp down the Tapioca pearls while making swooshing sound through the straw is an absolute delight!”

A weird but delicious fact about QQ tea is the drink's aftertaste. The taste actually lingers on ones palate for quite a few minutes even after finishing it. Aparna Huq a student from University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh says, “It feels wonderful to savour the sweet and sour aftertaste of Q Q tea. I think the combination of Jell-O and fresh fruits complement each other perfectly!

Indeed with so much flavours and a strange consistency, a glass of Fromosa QQ tea offers a blast in a bottle. Be it a hangout with friends or a little refreshment after a tiring day of classes, a drink of Formosa QQ tea can make one's day. Formosa QQ tea is not a fad, it's a trend. If you have already a glass of Formosa QQ tea, you must know what I am talking about!