It always warrants a double take. This time, I was in Malmö, Sweden, admiring the cobblestone pavement and enjoying the cool, crisp weather, when the sign came into view: “Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea” it said, next to a line of Chinese script. I recognised the brand immediately. Yi Fang is a Taiwanese bubble tea chain with outposts in more than a dozen countries across the world – it’s a store I have seen multiple times around the block in Taipei where I live.
It may not be as surprising to discover such a shop in Sweden today as it would have been 10 years ago but, as a Taiwanese American food writer, I couldn’t help but think about the remarkable globalisation of my island’s cuisine. I also made a mental note that if I needed a hug from home, an ice-cold cup of bubble tea would be within easy reach.
