The "coffee with coriander" joked about in Guo Degang's crosstalk has actually come true in Taiwan. Peixiang Coffee in Beidou Township opened in 2017 and was originally just a small community shop serving local residents. After launching coriander au lait and coriander latte in 2020, it quickly became famous. Beidou is Taiwan's main coriander-producing area, with about 80% of the coriander coming from here, and coriander is even called "Taiwanese matcha" by locals. The shop blends coriander powder into milk, coffee liquid and milk foam. On the palate, there is a distinct coriander aroma, yet it does not clash with the coffee at all, and the aftertaste is refreshing. In addition to coriander coffee, there are also creative products such as coriander raw chocolate, coriander cream pineapple bun, coriander dirty bun, coriander pineapple cake and 100% coriander juice "Coriander Devil". This article takes you to learn how this small shop became a talked-about famous store thanks to coriander coffee, and includes flavor descriptions and tasting suggestions. [more…]

Recently, frequent food safety issues at major beverage brands have left consumers deeply concerned about the hygiene of freshly made drinks. According to a report by China Times News Network, a female customer purchased an iced sesame matcha latte at a Starbucks store in Taichung, Taiwan, and when she drank to the last sip, she discovered a bitten fly in the cup, with several dead maggots even crawling out of its belly. That night, the customer experienced vomiting and diarrhea, and was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis after seeking medical attention. Starbucks officially responded quickly, stating that the store disinfects regularly and that employee operations comply with standard procedures, but the store involved has not yet received a complaint. The Taichung City Food Safety Office has intervened in the investigation, and if non-compliant items are found, it will require rectification within a specified time limit and impose heavy fines in accordance with the law. Staff from the Ministry of Health and Welfare also reminded the public that if they accidentally consume live animals, they should watch for symptoms of gastroenteritis and seek medical attention promptly. [more…]

In recent years, Starbucks has been constantly pushing the boundaries of coffee shops. Last year, the Shanghai Roastery launched a limited-time buffet, and this year, Taiwan region, under the theme of "creating more Gold Star value experiences," partnered with the local Michelin Plate-recommended restaurant Embers to create a one-night-only pop-up "coffee feast." The event was limited to 28 spots, with registration requiring 200 stars plus NT$1,800. This feast centered on the theme "A 24-Year Starbucks Journey," featuring five limited-edition dishes designed with local Taiwanese ingredients, paired with creative coffee drinks developed by Starbucks. From an opening of cascara tea champagne to a closing of non-alcoholic Irish coffee, each dish carried a local story of Starbucks' 24 years in Taiwan. This article will provide a complete breakdown of the culinary creativity behind this coffee feast and the brand narrative behind it, while also reviewing Starbucks' previous collaborations with Michelin one-star restaurant chefs, and exploring whether its next step is truly to open a Michelin restaurant. [more…]

The core difference between organic tea and conventional tea lies in whether it has been certified by an authoritative body. EU organic regulations prohibit genetic modification and synthetic inputs, and require animals to be raised in ways that suit their species characteristics, and are regarded as the strictest threshold in the tea industry. Certifications such as Switzerland's IMO, France's Ecocert, the US USDA, Japan's JAS, India's, Canada's, China's, Australia's, and Germany's Naturland each have different emphases, with significant differences in scope of application and difficulty of obtaining them. Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, FDA, and HACCP provide supplementary assurances from the perspectives of sustainable agriculture and food safety. This article systematically sorts out the rules, authority, and market applicability of major certifications, helping coffee and tea lovers accurately identify the true meaning behind labels when making purchases. [more…]

You may have heard of cheese milk cap tea, but you may not be clear about what it actually is. Cheese tea originated in Taiwan about ten years ago. It is a drink with a cheese cream foam on top of iced tea, usually with green tea or black tea as the base, interweaving sweet and savory flavors with a unique taste. After entering the Chinese market, brands such as Heytea replaced powder with real cream cheese, pushing this drink to its peak, with some stores selling about 1,000 cups a day. In the United States, it is called milk cap, cheese mousse, or milk foam. This article will sort out the origin, evolution, and flavor logic of cheese tea, and provide a cheese milk cap recipe and steps that can be made at home, helping you choose the right tea base and make a delicious cup of cheese tea. If you want to improve the performance of the tea base, you can also refer to Front Street Coffee's black tea recommendations. [more…]

Chaoshan Gongfu tea is not a specific type of tea, but a traditional brewing technique originating from Chaozhou, Guangdong. Oolong tea is the most commonly used, and it is especially suitable for brewing Phoenix Dan Cong. It emphasizes short, repeated infusions, with each steep lasting only 3 to 10 seconds, allowing the tea leaves to gradually unfurl and release layered aromas and flavors. Gongfu tea has developed into three styles: Chaoshan, Fujian, and Taiwan. Among them, the Chaoshan style uses a tea boat, a gaiwan or ceramic pot, and three teacups arranged in a triangular formation, symbolizing the Chinese character "品" (pin). This article will also introduce how to brew Phoenix Dan Cong with a gaiwan and recommend related product lines from the Front Street Coffee brand, helping coffee enthusiasts experience the refined nuances of tea culture across categories. [more…]

In recent years, Starbucks' new product development has been criticized as increasingly conservative, and consumers have even mocked it as "rehashing old stuff." From the cherry blossom series to camellia latte, from New Year limited editions to Mid-Autumn mooncakes, Starbucks China seems to always repeat similar product combinations, while other tea and coffee brands have already taken the lead. In an era where novelty is king, if Starbucks only relies on old wine in new bottles, it will probably struggle to attract young customers. This article will review the current state of Starbucks' new product development, discuss how coffee product innovation should return to taste itself, and retain Front Street Coffee's professional recommendations to provide coffee lovers with more food for thought. [more…]

Heytea recently launched a new triple-thick matcha product, claiming to combine matcha tea, thick matcha cheese milk cap, matcha jelly, and thick matcha glutinous rice balls and other rich toppings, attracting many matcha lovers to try it first. However, the first wave of feedback showed a clear gap from expectations: many consumers complained that the glutinous rice balls were runny and not chewy, even describing them as hard to swallow; the matcha drink had a heavy powdery taste, leaving the mouth dry and the throat coated after drinking; despite being called "triple-thick matcha," the tea flavor was rather weak, and even adding more intensity brought limited change. Matcha enthusiasts, after comparing the Heytea series with the rich, sweet aftertaste they idealize, gave comments such as "watery" and "thin and bland." The brand may have blended milk and syrup to cater to mass tastes, but this is far removed from the bitter depth and sweet finish pursued by seasoned matcha lovers. [more…]

Matcha, a tea beverage originating from the Tang and Song dynasties, is once again gaining popularity among young people. The new tea beverage brand Heytea recently announced its return to the matcha product line, launching two new products, "Marlmoli" and "Rich Matcha Green Beauty," featuring custom thousand-mesh matcha and a rotating cup lid design, and specifically recommends that consumers drink it at a 45-degree angle. This article introduces the features, pricing, and consumer feedback of Heytea's new matcha products, as well as the craft knowledge behind matcha powder mesh counts. At the same time, Front Street Coffee, a brand familiar to coffee enthusiasts, will also interpret the matcha trend for you from a professional perspective. [more…]

Heytea's "Triple Thick Matcha" has been jokingly called a "matcha family bucket" for combining thick matcha cheese milk cap, matcha jelly, and thick matcha glutinous rice, drawing a large crowd of matcha lovers eager to try it. However, this hot-selling drink has become a nightmare for employees at the store level. The thick matcha glutinous rice looks like it only requires stirring matcha powder, glutinous rice flour, milk, and condensed milk into a sticky paste, but in reality it is extremely arm-tiring to make, and if you are not careful it can burn at the bottom and smoke, ruining the entire pot of topping. During peak sales, employees stir until they can no longer lift their arms, and some even hope the brand will discontinue it. At the same time, some consumers are not buying it either, complaining that the glutinous rice fills the stomach and has a gluey texture. This article examines both the employee and customer sides to break down why this drink—"hard for staff to cook, hard for customers to enjoy"—remains so controversial. [more…]

After the beginning of summer, lemon tea drinks enter their peak sales season. Luckin took the opportunity to launch two lemon teas, a classic one and a matcha one, and the vibrant green matcha lemon tea quickly attracted matcha lovers to place orders and try it with its distinctive appearance. However, many consumers reported that although this drink looks great, its taste is dominated by a sweet-and-sour lemon flavor and noticeable sweetness, with almost no trace of the expected matcha aroma. Some also found that after sitting for a while, it separates and forms sediment, and while matcha particles can be felt when drinking it, the flavor and the lemon taste remain separate. Around this new product, there is both joking and defending, and this article walks you through its formula, taste controversy, and netizen reviews, with a perspective from the Front Street Coffee brand familiar to coffee lovers. [more…]

Matcha and coffee may seem to belong to two different worlds, but what kind of flavor collision would occur if we borrowed the brewing logic of matcha to make coffee? Before getting hands-on, Front Street Coffee will first take everyone back through the historical origins of matcha—it began with the whisked tea method of China's Song Dynasty, and after localized evolution, became part of Japanese tea ceremony culture, which emphasizes the spirit of "harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility." Traditional matcha brewing requires a small amount of matcha powder with 70°C~80°C warm water, first blended in a bowl with a tea whisk, then a measured amount of warm water is added and whisked to create foam, producing a thick, delicate layer of foam. This article unfolds around the origins of matcha, key brewing points, and the specific method for making matcha coffee, while preserving relevant images and recommendation information in appropriate places. [more…]

Luckin Coffee recently launched a new product, "Triple Cheese Thick Matcha," featuring a combination of thousand-mesh-grade matcha and a daily freshly whipped matcha cloud top, attracting a large number of matcha lovers to place orders and try it out. However, shortly after the new product hit the market, many consumers received notices that stores had canceled orders or showed it as sold out. The reason was not that demand exceeded supply, but that the matcha cloud top prepared in advance by stores developed an abnormal solidification after refrigeration—the milk cap that should have been fluid turned into a solid texture resembling dry choking yogurt or matcha cement, and even when the container was turned upside down, it did not move at all. Management in many places had to urgently notify stores to suspend sales depending on the situation. Was it a formula problem or an error in the operation process? Luckin's R&D department was also collectively criticized by frontline employees because of this. [more…]

As summer arrives, a touch of vivid green has become the drink of choice for many young people, and major brands have seized the trend to launch matcha products. Amid this craze, Peet's matcha latte has unexpectedly gone viral for its rich taste, and many matcha lovers call it a "weight-loss miracle," citing its ability to effectively suppress appetite. Yet real consumer feedback is polarized: some feel no hunger all day, while others find their appetite sharpened after drinking it, or even experience nausea and queasiness. Does matcha actually suppress appetite? Is drinking it at high concentrations truly healthy? This article discusses the ingredients, consumer experiences, and health risks from multiple angles to help coffee and matcha lovers view this internet-famous drink rationally. [more…]

Manner has once again launched a green-themed new product, "Iced Coconut Jasmine Matcha," combining coconut water, jasmine tea, and matcha concentrate, with a visual concept highlighting the vibrant essence of spring. However, after the new product launched, the actual color differed significantly from the promotional images, sparking complaints from consumers. Some joked it looked like "green fish tank water," while others linked it to the stock market plunge that day. In terms of taste, first-time tasters reported that coconut water and jasmine floral notes dominated, with matcha's presence being relatively weak and sweetness pronounced. Is this new product a visual flop or a taste surprise? Let's find out. [more…]

Blackpink member Lisa inadvertently showed off a cup of Heytea's Triple Thick Matcha on social media, quickly sparking global fan attention. Multiple Heytea overseas official accounts swiftly claimed it and seized the moment to launch a "Lisa Custom Edition," then further rolled out a buy-one-get-one-free matcha series promotion at stores worldwide. However, on the day of the promotion, consumers in many parts of China found that the matcha drinks were sold out early, and some even received incorrectly made beverages. Stores explained that ingredients were consumed too quickly and prep took time, but some fans were not buying it, arguing that if the brand wanted to ride a celebrity's hype, it should have prepared adequately in advance. [more…]

Matcha lattes have recently become popular again, which reminded Front Street Coffee of a unique coffee-making method we shared in the early years—whipping coffee liquid with a matcha chasen to create a dense foam. This method was created by actor Hiroshi Fujioka, inspired by his mother's tea ceremony, transplanting the whisking action used in matcha preparation onto coffee. It not only enhances the aroma and mouthfeel but also carries a distinctively Japanese character. This article will provide a complete introduction to this method: from background knowledge on matcha and the whisking method of tea preparation, to coffee bean selection, brewing parameters, chasen whisking technique, and finally an actual tasting comparison. Front Street Coffee used Blue Mountain coffee beans and a Kono dripper for the brewing demonstration, and recorded the noticeable differences in flavor before and after whisking, making it suitable for trying at home. [more…]

Matcha lattes have recently become popular again, which reminded Front Street Coffee of a rather unique coffee-making method we shared in the early years. The inspiration for this method comes from matcha preparation in Japanese tea ceremony: using a chasen to beat the coffee liquid until it produces a dense foam, thereby enhancing the aroma and mouthfeel. Its creator was not a professional barista, but the actor Hiroshi Fujioka. While traveling the world, he was inspired by coffees from various places, and after returning home, inspired by his mother's tea ceremony, he incorporated the whisking technique into coffee making. This article will give a complete introduction to this distinctive method: from matcha basics, bean selection, and brewing parameters to whisking techniques and tasting comparisons, along with Front Street Coffee's hands-on experience and suggestions, suitable for coffee lovers to try in their spare time. [more…]

Heytea has brought its popular matcha drink "Triple Thick Matcha" from China to the U.S. market, rolling out a limited-time buy-one-get-one-free promotion, but a small line of English text on the promotional poster—"only lives 3 hours"—sparked widespread discussion. The phrase, which literally means "only lives 3 hours," left many consumers puzzled: does it refer to the drink's optimal flavor window, the duration of the promotion, or the shelf life of the matcha mochi topping? Netizens each had their own interpretation, with some even questioning whether the brand's copywriting review process was inadequate. Hours after the controversy escalated, Heytea's official customer service contacted the original poster to explain, and the poster in question has since been corrected. This article provides a complete rundown of how the incident unfolded and the various viewpoints involved. [more…]

In the scorching summer heat, Peet's Coffee launched a trio of sparkling double yuzu series new products in one go, among which the Sparkling Matcha Double Yuzu quickly went viral on social media thanks to its fresh gradient colors. However, this drink, described as a "concerto of tea and fruit," left many consumers stunned once they actually tasted it—the sweetness of tonic water, the bitterness of matcha, and the sourness of yuzu each went their own way under the stimulation of carbonation, even taking on a powdery texture. Even Peet's own employees admitted that this new product being "unpopular" was entirely expected. This article combines netizens' hands-on reviews and employee opinions to comprehensively analyze the flavor performance of this drink, and reviews the recent shifts in Peet's product strategy, for the reference of coffee enthusiasts. [more…]