Milk Tea - Cha- Silk Stocking Hong Kong Tea

I did a class on Silk Stocking Hong Kong Milk Tea for April's Passport to Tea 2023.

Hong Kong Milk Tea has evaporated milk, where Malaysian Milk Tea has sweet and condensed milk. In Taiwan Bubble Tea is usually made with non- dairy creamer.  Brits tend to use whole milk, where Americans use 2%, almond milk, coconut milk, Cashew milk, etc.  It is amazing how changing the "milk" can completely change the tea.  And depending what a country has access too, may determine what they use.

Evaporated milk was used in Hong Kong since there was no access to cows milk.

Hong Kong Milk Tea is usually a combination of strong Ceylon teas, a pu-erh, oolong or even an orange Pekoe.  Orange Pekoe is not an orange flavored tea, but refers to the grade of tea.  It is typically  the top two leaves.  It's a whole tea leaf that shows no tip.  It is the highest grade of tea.  It is called orange pekoe, because it was a tea reserved for the Dutch royal family- the House of Orange in the 1600's.

I can't believe it, but I bought Lipton bagged tea, lol.  But, I read that there yellow box of Lipton was an good orange Pekoe tea.  So, when I made my milk tea I used my Ceylon tea with the Lipton orange Pekoe.  The Ceylon tea is from India, Sri Lanka mountains area.

I had some treats at the tea for the tea too.

At Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati I picked up some tea "cookies" from Hong Kong and some canned milk tea as well.  They seemed to enjoy both.

The 9am class had these 4 ladies.

I was demonstrating "pulling" tea.  The act of moving the tea from one kettle to another kettle.  I just got my sling off from my shoulder surgery, so I wasn't able to pull with the left arm, only the right arm.

The 11am class was full with 9 ladies.

Earl Grey was having fun playing with the ladies at the table.

The ladies were able to try the Milk Tea I made....

I showed them the unused silk stocking.  This is what is used to pull the tea back and forth with.  It strains the tea.

They also tried these milk tea candies, Mochi.  I also had 3 instant milk teas for them to try.  These instant milk teas, also called 3 in 1 teas have the milk, powered milk, and sugar already in them.

It was a mix of favorites.  It really was divided evenly on who liked what.  And they all seemed to like the tea I made.

My tea was hot water, mix of Ceylon and orange Pekoe tea.  They steeped for about 10 minutes, then I pulled back and forth.  Then we added evaporated milk into the cup, about 1/3 of a cup, and then filled the rest of the cup with the black tea.

Next month join us for Matcha.  We will be visiting Japan on May 6th.