Photo: Mikael Kristenson

June in Sweden means one thing – midsummer/midsommar. Sure - crisp snow, hot drinks and cosy Christmas nights by the fire are all very nice … but after months of short, cold days and long, cold nights most people are longing for warmth, sun and those never-ending Scandinavian summer evenings. And the holiday that epitomizes all this is just ten days away now. Midsommar, when everyone goes just a little crazy and celebrates the ‘lightness of being in light’, falls on 25th of June this year - although the evening before, midsommarafton/Midsummer’s Eve, when bonfires are lit and drinks are taken, is celebrated too.

Photo: Tina Sara

Photo: Davide Biscuso

And in keeping with the season (and hopefully the weather), here at Yocha Studio we have introduced a selection of new drinks suited to the higher temperatures - including our long-awaited Bubble Tea! These authentic bubble teas come in several flavours but all have one thing in common – they are made with freshly brewed red tea from China and our own carefully prepared high-quality tapioca balls to give that perfect chewy texture! Meanwhile, for those who prefer more traditional cool tea drinks, we have Yasumi Ice Tea, Peach Oolong and Green Sakura – all lovingly crafted with our signature quality teas.

YOCHA Bubble Tea 

As we mentioned last month, Yocha founder, Zoe Thompson, has been keeping herself busy (or even busier than usual!) organizing workshops on all things tea-related - and some not!  We have now run an entire series of workshops on the history, cultivation, preparation and serving of different types of Chinese tea and you could say that Uppsala’s latest class of tea nerds has been well and truly brewed.

Over the summer months we will look at running further workshops on different aspects of Asian culture – and of course more tea workshops for the next generation of tea nerds! 

And that makes us quite proud because, unlike many new businesses, we are not a chain or a franchise with the same corporate backed logo appearing in a hundred different towns and suburbs. In contrast we are a small, dedicated team whose one goal is to bring a taste of authentic Asian culture to Sweden, whether it be Chinese tea or mooncakes, Japanese matcha snacks and mochi, or unique original Asian design products - we want to show that products from Asia can be different, surprising, classy - and fun too! 

Of course, it is not always easy to strike that commercial balance, as we insist upon the highest quality in our ingredients and products while at the same time trying to give our customers a fair deal (and keep our landlord and suppliers happy!). But it all becomes more than worthwhile when we see our regular customers returning time after time, new customers becoming regulars and, not least, watching the surprise and delight on the faces of visitors who drop in not knowing what to expect but loving what they see – just like the delight on the faces of those of us who live in the North when another midsummer comes around! 

Photo: Charles Lau

So why not join us in celebrating midsommar, the high point of the Scandinavian summer? You can drop by in person to our tea shop here on Kunsängsgatan in central Uppsala, or make a virtual visit to our online store at  www.yochastudio.com.

Till next month, glad midsommar, and enjoy a joyful June!

The Yocha Team.