Milk: yes? No? Maybe?
Do you put milk in tea? If so, when? What kind? If not, why not? Let’s talk about milk!
I use nonfat milk wherever I feel like it will reasonably suit the brew (I’ve even been known to add it to Earl Grey, shock and horror!) though while I’m a big fan of creamy stuff, even semi-skimmed in my tea tastes too claggy. And I’ve been known to drink coffee with that fabulous 18% cream. Phwoarrrrrr.
That and I usually prepare most chai as a soy latte. It has to be unsweetened soymilk, because for some reason both dairy milk and sweetened soymilk make it taste sugary, and I like a good punch of spice. Last time I was in LA, I ordered a chai latte from Starbucks, not realising that their soymilk is sweetened, and OH MAN it was like a sugar bomb exploding in my mouth, and I normally have quite the sweet tooth! (As my expanding waistline will attest to)
First, it’s usually “teh skinniez” who post about expanding waistlines, so I imagine you’ve got nothing to worry about in that department. Just saying.
Second, cream ftw!
So yes, milk and cream in everything…almost. Either actual cream, or if I’m in a pinch I’ll use milk, though I try not to be in those types of pinches too often, myself.
Shh, no for reals, I’ve all but stopped working out for the past few months since I had my phone stolen not far from my house and don’t feel comfortable going for walks around here anymore, and I’ve always been on the curvier end of things to begin with. Which I’m quite happy with, except if I have to start replacing my jeans, because I genuinely can’t afford new jeans!
You know, I swear they’ve never heard of half and half in the UK? All the cream I find here is super thick and comes in pots as opposed to cartons or jugs, and goes all weird and blobby in drinks. What’s up with that?
I’m from the UK too, and I’m pretty sure elmlea cream substitute is similar to half and half in America (: I tried it when I was in America and couldn’t see much difference. Elmlea is what I use if I want cream in my tea or coffee, although I usually prefer skimmed milk in tea as I don’t like it too creamy for the most part. Or if you want actual cream, you could add single cream – this usually isn’t thick and doesn’t come in a pot, it pours easily into drinks (: I hope that helps!
Also, don’t worry about milk in earl grey – I add milk to almost every black tea, and earl grey with milk and 1 sugar is one of my absolute favourites ;)
Totally dependent on the tea, I would never put milk on some teas while others require it. And uh, sorry if this is not helpful, whichever is the open package I am currently drinking.
If making chai indian style, then I try to use full fat milk, it really makes a difference.
I tend to put milk in flavoured black teas. Not in all of them and not always. I guess it depends what I feel like at the moment. Also, it has to be whole milk. I never add anything to my white, green, oolong or pu’erh teas.
I put milk in chai when I make it on the stovetop. I don’t put it in anything else unless I’m having really bad luck with the flavor of a tea and I read notes here that suggest adding milk would help. I usually find that for me, adding milk doesn’t make enough of a difference to redeem a tea, though sometimes for flavored black teas it can have a synergistic effect with the flavor and bring it out more.
I do add milk to coffee, and I really can’t stomach coffee without milk. So go figure. In coffee, I have to use at least 1% milk. Fat free just makes it turn grey and weak without adding anything good in terms of flavor. But half and half or cream are too far the other direction for me. They make the coffee too sweet for my taste.
I’ve never been raised with milk in tea, having grown up in a Chinese household. I’ve had chai with condensed sweetened cream, which was alright but not what I enjoy in a tea. The only time I have additives to tea on a semi-regular basis would be bubble tea, but as far as I understand even that is drastically different from the typical cream/sugar.
I usually don’t add milk to tea or coffee ( though for a treat I will have caffe con panna, and I have had my share of Chai). Mostly because although I like cheese and yogurt, I have never liked milk ( I don’t even have it on cereal).
Milk as a thing in itself is weird – like, I don’t drink it normally, and then maybe twice a year I’ll feel the need to drink a ton of it, and then I’ll be over it and not have any on its own for ages.
LOL. I’m just the opposite, I crave milk but generally don’t like cheese (Except for melted cheese, and in certain salads or sandwiches/wraps.)Damn talking about milk is now making me want a glass.
Milk in tea: Generally not something I do, except for some really strong, intense teas and even then not likely. (I won’t drink bitter anything. Chances are, if it’s that bitter in my mouth, my tummy will make me regret it later on.
Milk in my hot chocolate however! lol. My hot chocolate tends to be at least half milk if not all. I adore hot chocolate, especially dark. There is a website that sells flavored hot chocolate, like strawberry or orange or it might be other powders….hmm.
I think my dislike for milk is because I don’t digest it very well. It doesn’t cause me pain, but I feel like I perpetually have a cold with the pasteurised stuff..
Thinking about chocolate and milk, my cousin had a bf from Guadalajara for a while. He once made us hot chocolate with cocoa from the Dutch shop using a molinillo and spices and accident my made it with whipped cream,it tasted like decadent chocolate mousse.
i use fatty or nutty milk when i make chai on the stove (pretty much the only way i really like the taste of chai) as well as flavored matcha (i have learned the hard way i can’t drink matcha at all unless it’s with a significant amount of milk, otherwise i get waaaaay too jittery and it’s hard on my stomach).
and standard milk often with flavored afternoon blends and the occasional brisk morning blend (though often i prefer morning blends like irish breakfast sans milk, weirdly). i used to add it to everything, earls included. when i got more into straight premium black tea leaves that fell away some.
Huh. That’s probably how I should try Matcha out….I can be weirdly sensitive to certain caffeinated items (Like Coffee or too much Mountain Dew.) but most caffeinated teas don’t seem to bother me in that way.
I do milk (and sugar) in black teas that are too “robust” for me otherwise, like most assams, or some low-grade leaf that is bitter. I also use milk in matcha lattes.
As for type, I used to think I only liked almond milk in my matcha lattes, and then I started drinking local organic milk (instead of huge, factory-farm grocery store brand milk). Night and day difference, and for the first time I actually like the taste of milk itself. I use 2% and it’s plenty thick for me.
I add all sorts of interesting things to my teas, as you will no doubt discover (I think you’re following me?). Coconut-egg creamer, maple syrup, coconut cream, almond milk, maple whipped cream, weird honeys, etc.
For Sbux, get a chai latte made with tea bags and no syrup. :) Much less sweet, and I feel it’s spicier. But yes, their soymilk is super sugary.
I thought Sbux used the tazo pre-made mix? At least that’s what we used at the cafe I used to work at where we served ‘by Sbux’ drinks. It was exactly as on the directions on the box, lol.
I think that chai mix and thai teas are the only ones I add dairy in. I prefer the heavy whipping cream when I have it (like 1-2tsp though), but sometimes use condensed milk as an additive. But all the teas are primarily brewed in water. I rarely add sugar or honey.
I’m excluding of course store bought ‘milk tea’. =)
I should try making chai tea with milk, but we don’t usually have milk in our house.
They do, but they also have tea bags. :) I prefer them because the final product is less sweet.
I’ll have to request it with tea bags next time I’m in a store. =)
Honestly I only ever go in anymore to look at what new and pretty cups they have for sale.
Login or sign up to leave a comment.