A saying among foodies worldwide has it that if you want to know about Chinese food, you'd start with the chopsticks. Then a saying among Chinese foodies has it that if you want to know about Hong Kong food, you'd start with the cha chaan teng (Hong Kong style bistro). And yet a saying among Hong Kong foodies has it that if you want to know about the cha chaan teng, you'd start with the see mut lai cha -- the pantyhose milk tea -- another brilliant culinary invention by Hong Kongese.
But wait a minute question you, also a knowledgeable foodie yourself: what on earth does the pantyhose or stockings or hosiery, a product for ladies that was supposedly invented by an American fellow named Glen R. Mills back in the 60's, has to do with the Hong Kong style milk tea in the first place?
The cold fact, not much. But figuratively, pantyhose milk tea is a name referring to the filter hose used in the brewing process (as you can see from the picture) that looks unbelievably alike a real pantyhose. It is exactly this pantyhose-like filer that gives the milk tea its ultra smoothness and liveliness.
Still, unlike English teas, different kinds of tea are blended to form the base. Some are used for the color; some for the taste; yet some for the smell. Teas that used more often are the puerh tea (a kind of Chinese green tea) and the shou mei tea (or sowmee, a kind of Chinese white tea). Every kitchen has its own secret recipes. While most insist that the golden portion is five to one: five portion of tea to one portion of milk, some may go as far as putting some egg shells in the base to improve the taste further.
