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!

Little Susie Homemaker

Remember me saying that we bought few convenience foods at market, or that time when I admitted to becoming a bit crunchy?  If not, click here or here and you can read exactly what I had to say.  Well, since I'm not currently working outside of the home, I have a bit of time on my hands, and I've used that time to sometimes be a Little Susie Homemaker.  June Cleaver better watch out!!  Not exactly, June looked put together while managing her humble abode.  Most times I'm wearing pajama pants, my hair has been washed (but not dried) and is in a pony tail, and I'm generally sporting a few spit up stains.  Don't judge!!  If you've never looked this way, you don't have children...or maybe you have some sort of alien super child that never spits up and gives you plenty of time for hair and makeup.

Anyhoo...appearances aside, I sometimes like to pretend to slave away in the kitchen over a hot burning stove while somehow managing to take care of a baby and have a tidy house.  Notice I did say pretend.  Usually, it goes something like this..."Crap!  We need (fill in the blank)!!  Stevie's going to start screaming in a minute...I better be quick!!"  I throw together whatever it is, wash up the few dishes, tell Stevie to hold her horses, fluff a few couch cushions, make the bed, dry a couple of tears, and there we are smiling and looking very accomplished when Ben comes home from work.

Lately, I have to give credit to the bread maker for making me look awesome.  It's winter, we've been having soup for dinner quite a bit, and nothing goes better with soup than fresh bread.  Here's an easy peasy recipe I'm going to share with you.  You too can look like a Stepford Wife by making this delicious Honey Nut Wheat Bread!! :D  You'll be able to find the complete recipe at the bottom of this post.
 
First, grab your breadmaker.  If you don't have one of these handy dandy machines, I can't help you...lol

Handy dandy breadmaker

Next, add 1 1/3 cups of luke warm water.  I'm not sure how hot luke warm is, but I made it on the warmer end since I was taking pictures throughout the process.

Water

Then comes 1/3 cups of softened honey.  I was using Manuka Honey, which is kinda pricey and used around here for medicinal purposes.  I didn't feel like running to market for more, so this is what I used.

Manuka Honey

It's also creamed honey, so I needed to heat it to soften it.  You can easily use 'runny' honey, but I prefer creamed honey.

Unsoftened creamed honey

 Next comes 1 Tablespoon of soft butter or margarine.

Butter...still cold

 Add 2 teaspoons of salt

Salt

2 cups of wholemeal flour (wheat)

Wholemeal flour

2 cups of high grade flour (all purpose flour)

 

Also known as All Purpose Flour

 3 Tablespoons of dry milk powder

Milk Powder

4 teaspoons of bread machine yeast.  I have active yeast, and so I only add 3 teaspoons.  If I add more, it rises too much, and then the middle will collapse.

Active Yeast, not the kind for bread machines

This is what it looks like once it's all added to your bread machine.

A big ol' mess!!

Turn your machine on to the wholewheat setting, and let it go.  I know what you're thinking...what about the nuts!!  Yes, well, you wait a bit.  My machine beeps (about 30 minutes into the cycle), and that's when the nuts get added.  I also toasted my nuts before adding them.

2/3 cups of walnuts (crushed)

Uncrushed toasted walnuts

About 3 1/2 hours later.  You get this!!

Bread!!!

Yummy goodness!!

There you have it!!  My cheaters guide to looking like Little Susie Homemaker!  Here's the complete recipe:

Honey Nut Wheat Bread
1 1/3 c luke warm water
1/3 c softened honey
1 Tbsp soft butter/margarine
2 tsp salt
2 c wholemeal flour (wheat)
2 c high grade flour (all purpose)
3 Tbsp dry milk powder
4 tsp bread machine yeast (3 if using active yeast)
2/3 c chopped walnuts (added at beeps)

Add ingredients in the order listed.  Turn your machine on to the wheat bread setting.  Add walnuts at the beeps.

My machine has a 30 minute time delay before it starts kneading.  It then beeps once everything is combined.  If your machine does not have this delay, add your nuts when machine has just started kneading and has everything combined.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.  I'm always anxious for other recipes to try, so feel free to share any of yours!!