What's That You're Drinking?!

Last night while having a cup of chocolate and wishing I had a flat white, I knew exactly what I was going to write about today...some of the things we drink in NZ.  I'm sure you're wondering why I thought this deserves it's own post, but you have no idea the amount of heartache I suffered while trying to figure some of these things out.  For instance, tea is not tea like in Alabama.  Coke does not taste the same, and I am convinced that when the U.S. based fast food chains opened up stores in New Zealand, they forgot to mention that the bags of Coke syrup is suppose to be mixed with carbonated water in the fountain drink machine.  More on that another day, but for now, I'm going to talk about the incredible flat white!

I mentioned flat whites here when talking about going to the gardens, so you may have heard of them, but I did not elaborate on what they are. So, what is a flat white?  A cup of wonderful goodness!  Okay, I know that didn't exactly tell you anything, so let me try again.  A flat white is a type of coffee drink that lies somewhere between a latte and a cappuccino (and I don't mean the convenience store cappuccinos either).  It's stronger than a latte and has less foam than a cappuccino.  Flat whites feel velvety on your tongue when you drink it.  I know...I know...I too thought wtf when I heard that they "feel velvety", but they do!  It has something to do with the milk. 

Now, if you look them up online, you're going to find conflicting information...starting with where and how the flat white originated.  Like pavlova, the kiwis and Ozzies argue over who made it first.  That's why you will often see sources stating flat whites are a type of coffee that was popularized in Australia and New Zealand during the 1980's.  From there, it just gets worse when they attempt to describe how to make a flat white.  Some sources say it's a double shot latte, some say it's a cappuccino without the foam, some go into elaborate details on making the perfect flat white, and still other places say who cares you can't find them in America.  They all have one thing in common though...you can always scroll down to read the comments and find a kiwi calling them out for spreading misinformation on flat whites.  To be safe, don't attempt to get one unless it's made by a kiwi, or at least made in New Zealand because apparently the directions for making flat whites are a carefully guarded secret that must be kept local. 

You can find flat whites outside of Aotearoa, though I can't attest to their authenticity.  They can be found in Australia of course, but they're also gaining popularity world wide.  They are found in a few places in the UK now, and they're even popping up in San Francisco and New York City.  Don't expect to be able to bebop down to your local Starbucks and request one because you'll probably get looked at funny. 

Speaking of looks...here's a picture of my Mother's Day flat white.  Notice the pretty little fern design on top!!

Flat White

You can find these EVERYWHERE!!  Seriously, you can find them wherever coffee is sold..except Starbucks.  I'm not sure if Starbucks in New Zealand has flat whites.  I've not been in Starbucks here, and now that I'm thinking about it, I only know of 2 Starbucks in NZ.  Hmmm...  Okay, back on topic...  Flat whites could very well be the drink of New Zealand. 

So, what if you don't want a flat white?  What if you just wanted a regular coffee?  Well, do not fear because yes, you can get it!!  Don't expect it to be poured out of a coffee pot, though.  Nope, if you want a coffee expect to hear whirring and buzzing as the coffee beans are ground and mixed up in a freshly brewed cup just for you!  If you're at home and you want a coffee, well, don't expect to go and 'turn on the coffee pot'.  Ummm...yeah, about the coffee pot.  We don't exactly have the ones found in every home in America.

U.S. Coffee Pot...not found in New Zealand

 I have NEVER seen one of these in NZ!  Not for sale, not in anyone's home, not in a restaurant or coffee shop, or anywhere...  It's okay...I promise!!  It's not the end of the world!  You can still get coffee, but not "percolated" coffee.  Instead, you either 'flip the jug' and use the electric kettle to make coffee, or you have a plunger, and no I don't mean the thing you use to unclog the toilet.  This is a plunger...

Plunger                   

See, no need to panic!  Freshly brewed coffee is available! :D

Say you don't want coffee...what if you want tea?  Well, if you're from the South, you better come visit me if you expect to find "sweet tea" or "iced tea" or as Ben says, "a cup of diabeetus".  Like grits, I can't get him to like sweet tea!!  If you ask for tea outside of my house, you're either A) going to get a meal depending on what time it is, or B) you're going to get hot water, tea bags, and asked if you take milk or not.  I know!!  Milk in tea is blasphemous!!  Who does that?!  Apparently the rest of the world....

Tea

Now, for anyone that comes into my house expecting traditional NZ tea, I'm gonna look at you with a blank stare, and that's your cue to ask for something else or at least help yourself to my kitchen.  What I concoct is not going to be what you're expecting.  If you take milk, it's usually white by the time I'm finished, and if you want it without, it's generally too strong for the average person's liking.  Consider yourself warned...I can't make tea like a kiwi!!  My mother-in-law has learned the hard way...bless her heart.  She now knows to be very specific when telling me how she likes her tea! 

There are other hot drinks I can make quite well, and they are not what you will find in the States.  I can make a mean chocolate or Milo.  I'll start with the chocolate.  It's kinda like hot chocolate, but different.  It's richer, in my opinion, and it is not as sweet.  Also, unlike Swiss Miss, it comes in a container and you scoop out what you like.

Drinking Chocolate...NOT Hot Chocolate

Drinking Chocolate

 
To make a chocolate, put one or two heaping spoons into a cup and you add hot water, milk, and maybe sugar, if you take it hot.  If you want it cold, you mix it up in a glass of milk, but it tastes much better than Nestle Quick! 

You may be thinking "Yeah...yeah...yeah...it's like hot chocolate, but different, I get it already.  What's this Milo you speak of?"  Milo, is something I had never heard of before I moved here.  To be honest, I had never tasted it until after I had Stevie and my midwife made me one.  I was sort of afraid of it...

Milo

I know you see that, and you're wondering what's to be afraid of.  Do you see what it says?!  "Made from Malted Barley"...yuck (or so I thought)!  Come to find out, this stuff is pretty delicious!!  I now keep it in my house and drink it quite often.  It isn't as rich as chocolate, but it does kinda have a chocolaty taste.  It's more "mild" for lack of a better word to describe it.

Milo

Notice it's a bit grainy.  How do you make a Milo?  Here's how I like mine:  1-2 heaping teaspoons (depending on mug size) with 2 sugars, hot water, and milk.  I take mine "milky" so about 2/3 of a cup of hot water and the rest is filled with milk.

Milo..in the making

The Finished Product

I know it doesn't look like much, but it really is yummy, as long as it doesn't get cold.  If it gets cold, Milo gets a film over the top of it and that's just gross.  I can't drink it then. 

So, there ya have it...my hot drinks of choice!  I'll have to talk about the cold drinks another day because Little Stevie is awake, and she's demanding hers!  Hope everyone on the other side of the world had a great Monday, and happy Tuesday to those of you on my side!