I have developed quite a fondness for HK style milk tea. I’ve had it from several places in town: extremely strong black tea and either evaporated milk or cream and brown sugar or some sort of sweetener. Apparently, some places use egg shells in the steeping or simmering of the tea.

Anyway, whatever the secret is, it is a feisty cup. That perfect balance of flavours—that’s key.

So I found myself again not too far away from Chinatown, or rather one of our Chinatowns, and decided to pay a visit to the HK style bakery where I had an amazing HK style milk tea a couple of weeks ago.

The ambiance is typical Chinatown bakery. Bright fluorescent lights flooding both the seating area and the glass covered sliding shelves with baked and steamed buns— savoury or sweet, spongey, flaky or slightly chewy. You take your tray and yellow plastic tongs and help yourself to the pastries, go to the counter and pay. While there, you can order steamed or fried dim sum or various rice bowls. Or an egg bacon sausage plate with toast. And your HK style milk tea.

I was there around noon, so I joined the retirees at the seating area. Every table was occupied: some with a gaggle of elderly men animatedly engaging with each other, some with elderly couples putting up with each other, and some with lone individuals, like me. Young people flitted in from work to get their lunch.

I sat with my tea and soaked up the moment. My tea was hot, milky, sweet. Strong. Borderline harsh. But delicious.

And me, I’m going to be up till Tuesday.

gmathis

That sounds like such a fun outing! All of it—the tea, the treats, and the people-watching!

Evol Ving Ness

It was, it really was. I love Chinatown here. It is constantly evolving. The base and beginnings of it are Cantonese-speakers from southern China and HK who have been here for many many decades. Mainland Chinese have arrived more recently and added to the mix. Still, in my view, it is the Cantonese-speakers who are the core, and the identity of this Chinatown is theirs.

One of my favourite things is going for dim sum brunch in one of the places where teams of women manoeuvre trolleys of various delights around the tables. You get to peek in pots and steamer trays and select the things that tempt you. COVId has made this difficult because tables are now surrounded with plastic and plexiglass stretched on wooden frames. And I don’t know what the trolley situation is in these troubled times.

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gmathis

That sounds like such a fun outing! All of it—the tea, the treats, and the people-watching!

Evol Ving Ness

It was, it really was. I love Chinatown here. It is constantly evolving. The base and beginnings of it are Cantonese-speakers from southern China and HK who have been here for many many decades. Mainland Chinese have arrived more recently and added to the mix. Still, in my view, it is the Cantonese-speakers who are the core, and the identity of this Chinatown is theirs.

One of my favourite things is going for dim sum brunch in one of the places where teams of women manoeuvre trolleys of various delights around the tables. You get to peek in pots and steamer trays and select the things that tempt you. COVId has made this difficult because tables are now surrounded with plastic and plexiglass stretched on wooden frames. And I don’t know what the trolley situation is in these troubled times.

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A monk sips morning tea

A monk sips morning tea,
it’s quiet,
the chrysanthemum’s flowering.

- Basho

(1644-1694)

Note to self—-you do not actually need any more tea.

My real tea obsession began in February 2015.

Not, sadly, when I had been living and working in China, though I very much enjoyed sampling a variety of teas during my travels there as well. No, no, that would have been far too sensible.

I am a reformed coffee drinker. I still enjoy a long double espresso with a good quantity or milk or cream from time to time, but for now, tea is my thing. All day.

*note—this is way out of date, so if we are doing a swap and you are checking to see what I like and dislike, mostly never mind what you find below. One of these days, I will update this. In the meantime, check what I’ve been drinking and use your own judgement. I like all the teas. Well, I am open to trying all the teas.

I tend to drink black, green, or oolong tea in the morning to early afternoon. Rooibos or
Honeybush or herbal in the evening. And perhaps some sort of sleepy-type tea in the wee hours.

This year, I’ve been discovering flavoured teas, so it may look like that is all I drink although that would provide a false impression.

Not a big fan of chocolate or mint in teas, but I will try them and, from time to time, have been pleasantly surprised. Also, usually I dislike a prominent cinnamon flavour, if untempered with other things, in teas. Again, I say usually, because there are exceptions.

Also, please note that haven’t quite gotten into the habit of updating my tea cupboard on Steepster, and it is unlikely that I will do this on any kind of regular basis.

I drink my tea black and unsweetened. If there comes a rare moment that I add something to it, I will mention it.

Finally, while I thank large and successful tea companies for tantalizing and beckoning me to the world of tea, I prefer to support independent ventures with real people, real enthusiasm and commitment, and real dreams.

Currently, I am researching monthly tea subscriptions. Perhaps it will keep me out of tea shops.

And here is Shae’s rating scale— which I am using with permission, of course— which more or less describes the way I have been rating teas. I am going to make more of an effort to stay very close to these parameters now.

Rating Scale

1-20: By far, one of the worst teas I’ve tasted. I most certainly will not finish my cup and will likely “gift” the rest to my sweet husband who almost always enjoys the teas I dislike (and vice versa).

21-40: This tea is not good but if I mix it with another tea or find another steeping method I might be able to finish it.

41-60: This one is just okay. I might drink it again if someone were to give it to me, but I probably won’t be buying more for myself.

61-75: This is a consistently good tea. It’s reliable but not necessarily special.

76-90: This one is a notch above the rest and I would gladly enjoy a cup of it any day of the week. I’ll likely be keeping this in my cupboard, but it isn’t one of my all-time favorites.

91-95: One small change and this tea would be perfect. I’ll definitely have a stash of this in my kitchen if you come over for tea.

96-100: No words can describe this tea. It’s an experience, an aha moment. Closed eyes, wide smile, encompassing warmth. Absolutely incredible. Perfect.

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Mostly, but not always, Toronto, Canada.

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