Sparkling Purple Nebula Drink Out of This World!
Read time: 5 minutes
It was a sunny day in Seattle, Washington; it is called the Evergreen State for a good reason. On a bright clear day, the view of Mt. Rainer snow cap peaks and the abundance of flowers blooming along the shores of Lake Washington spills over to the porches of houses tucked into the mountainsides that line the Puget Sound neighborhoods. Seattleites and visitors wait all year for Mother Nature to announce that summer is here! To appreciate this transformation is to understand the area of the state where Seattle is located, as I have nicknamed it, “Seattle Grey,” due to the various shades of darkness with heavy clouds to the light grey clouds with light mist or rain nine months out of the year.
Sunny days in the Evergreen State are cherished by its residents by getting outside to gathering with friends, and soak up their vitamin D, and hiking one of the many nature parks in the surrounding areas.
I decided to explore the U District of Seattle. This area is in a suburban area near the University of Washington Campus, a stunning historical campus. Its library looks like the set of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. On the search on various sites looking for a new local tea shop to visit and get some work done. I saw a picture of a drink with very familiar colors that caught my eye.
The distinct variations of colors reminded me of a libation that I enjoyed on my prior travels to Chiang Rai, Thailand. I had not seen any other tea shops in the area using this flower to create deep blue, rich purple, and pink colors. As I read the drink description, it exactly was what I thought it was Butterfly Pea Flower. This tea bar was making a tea out of this beautiful flower. The tea color is described best by its ombré of transformational effects.
The transformation occurs when the Butterfly Pea Tea has seeped into a dark shade of blue like the deep blue Indian Ocean. Once acidity is introduced to the tea, be it lemon, lime, or any other acidic fruit, it only takes a splash of its juices into the blue color mixture to alter the colors. It was making for a purely joyful, magical moment before your eyes! The colors immediately change from deep ocean blue to vibrant purples to the softest pinks.
If you reference my prior blog post Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Benefits & Healthy Transformations In this prior post I go into the ways this botanical has been used since approximately 1600s for various treatments, textile coloring, and food preparation in various parts of the world. Check out the summertime Butterfly Pea Tea for a picnic recipe to try out at home?
I knew Meraki Tea Bar was using this botanical as inspiration for their specialty drink menu for the summer I had to try it. Although, the name alone would have been enough to catch my attention. Who wouldn’t want to consume a Sparkling Purple Nebula Drink?
Along with the cool name Sparkling Purple Nebula Drink the drink consists of Guava Lemonade with Butterfly Pea Flower Tea and Sparkling water. The acid from the lemonade is what makes the blue tea turn a lovely ombre of hues beginning with purples to the lightest pinks. Sparkling water adds a slight bubble, an extra glow to the presentation, and a crispness to the beverage. As I continued to read about this creative drink it made me fill with happiness like meeting up with an old friend I had not seen for a long time. When I arrived to this family-owned establishment, it had a feeling of openness, welcoming me in, with its clean white look still playful with Rubix cubes on some of their tables.
I ordered my drink from a very kind man, one of the family owners. The lovely women behind the counter preparing my Sparkling Purple Nebula Speciality Tea was another owner. I was very grateful to have meet the owners that sunny day.
The combination of the Guava Lemonade with the Butterfly Pea Flower Tea and a splash of bubbles was a stunning site to see! The ombre purples, lavender, and pinks were amplified throughout the glass by the sunshine beams through the many windows where I sat. I choose to add Lychee Jelly to mine to add a slight sweetness and enjoy the chew. Lychee Jellies are white, creating an added color at the bottom of my glass.
Liquid Art!
I choose not to add any sweetness level to the original drink. The drink is refreshing, crisp, caffeine-free, and light, perfect for a sunny day. The slight acidic balance and the light sweetness from the Lychee Jellies I added perfectly matched me.
Meraki Tea Bar is very accommodating to its patrons. Each drink can be custom-made for the sweetness level you prefer. It was spot on to allow the Butterfly Pea Flower Tea taste to prevail with its light grassy flavor and less sweetness.
The thoughtfulness and imagination that went into creating this drink was really an act of Meraki!
The owner told me his daughter named the Tea Bar Meraki because it was a feeling that expressed how they felt about their beverages, snacks, customers, and their business. I could tell by the flavorful crafted drink I enjoyed so much. I hope tea shops in the community and many creators and innovators will be inspired to try this healthy botanical in their next creative project. Many countries worldwide have utilized its Butterfly Pea Tea Flower properties since the 1600s. I hope more places, especially stateside, start spotlighting its many different uses in their cooking and beverages.
Many thanks to the family ownership of the Meraki Tea bar for making my Seattle sunny day just perfect. The food, hospitality, and atmosphere were delightful. Please check out @meraki_teabar on IG or in person if you should be in Seattle let them know Shellythefoodscholar sent you.
Spotlighting food, people, and preserving their stories is my Meraki!