TEH TARIK
Teh tarik - Pull Tea, is an asian concoction of tea with milk served with utmost style. That's the only way to describe it. There's nothing really special about the tea itself; it is still tea. Yet, what is it about this teh tarik that emerge itself short of...phenomenon?
Though I couldn't find much reliable source of its origins, it is believed the flamboyance of mixing the tea was supposed to refine its flavour, texture & colour. And since the tea is usually prepared by mixing it with boiling water, the gymnastics was supposed to bring down the temperature of the tea so that it could be consumed almost immediately when served. Which, brings up another logical reasoning.
Teh Tarik was an Indian art. Back in the kampung days, you can only get this much sought after beverage at the sarabat stall, which is a mobile hawker stall that exclusively serves asian-influenced indian food. The sarabat stall is where you can order the mama's mee goreng, nasi goreng and not forgetting the exotic sop kambing(mutton soup). It is also understood that the patrons of these convenient street cafe, were mainly blue-colared workers (as we now say it nowadays) such as coolies. Coolie was a very tough occupation. You work under the sun whole day and have very little time for a break. They do not have 7-11 convenience store that they could run to and buy themselves a bottle of cold drink. Furthermore, people were more conservative those days, believing that too much cold drinks will rot the bones. Now that wasn't such a bright option especially for the coolies. Now what they do have was the sarabat stall that became a likelihood, even a necessity. With little time for break for these coolies, the sarabat stall management faces a small challenge to meet the demands of its patrons without witnessing them downing hot scalding tea down their throats to over compensate time loss. Also not to mention the overwhelming orders they have to entertain from all those tired, sweaty, angry coolies. So, I suppose all the mamaks of the sarabat stall union held somekind of convention one night and come morning...Wala!!! The Teh Tarik was born!!!
The innovation of the Teh Tarik eliminates social problems by appeasing people over the waiting time by providing a) sidewalk entertainment & b) efficiency of serving at least 4 persons at a go. On top of that, its emergence had a significant impact on the economy of the sarabat stall. It became a blown-up demand from the public. Now, it's not only the blue-collared workers beverage. The middle and upper-class socio elites too had caught wind of this magnificent drink.
Teh tarik - Pull Tea, is an asian concoction of tea with milk served with utmost style. That's the only way to describe it. There's nothing really special about the tea itself; it is still tea. Yet, what is it about this teh tarik that emerge itself short of...phenomenon?
Though I couldn't find much reliable source of its origins, it is believed the flamboyance of mixing the tea was supposed to refine its flavour, texture & colour. And since the tea is usually prepared by mixing it with boiling water, the gymnastics was supposed to bring down the temperature of the tea so that it could be consumed almost immediately when served. Which, brings up another logical reasoning.
Teh Tarik was an Indian art. Back in the kampung days, you can only get this much sought after beverage at the sarabat stall, which is a mobile hawker stall that exclusively serves asian-influenced indian food. The sarabat stall is where you can order the mama's mee goreng, nasi goreng and not forgetting the exotic sop kambing(mutton soup). It is also understood that the patrons of these convenient street cafe, were mainly blue-colared workers (as we now say it nowadays) such as coolies. Coolie was a very tough occupation. You work under the sun whole day and have very little time for a break. They do not have 7-11 convenience store that they could run to and buy themselves a bottle of cold drink. Furthermore, people were more conservative those days, believing that too much cold drinks will rot the bones. Now that wasn't such a bright option especially for the coolies. Now what they do have was the sarabat stall that became a likelihood, even a necessity. With little time for break for these coolies, the sarabat stall management faces a small challenge to meet the demands of its patrons without witnessing them downing hot scalding tea down their throats to over compensate time loss. Also not to mention the overwhelming orders they have to entertain from all those tired, sweaty, angry coolies. So, I suppose all the mamaks of the sarabat stall union held somekind of convention one night and come morning...Wala!!! The Teh Tarik was born!!!
The innovation of the Teh Tarik eliminates social problems by appeasing people over the waiting time by providing a) sidewalk entertainment & b) efficiency of serving at least 4 persons at a go. On top of that, its emergence had a significant impact on the economy of the sarabat stall. It became a blown-up demand from the public. Now, it's not only the blue-collared workers beverage. The middle and upper-class socio elites too had caught wind of this magnificent drink.
