The Food That Made Me

Kids, flavors make us reminisce our past. I love sipping on some lemon tea on a hot summer day.

There are two versions of lemon tea for me. One is the Vita Soy. (I picked this website because the pins look so cute. Also, there is soy milk and chysamtrhem tea that are both refreshing and extra sugary.) The lemon tea’s bright yellow packaging with the green words have not changed much. And, the other version of lemon tea is Lipton tea with lemon and sugar.

The Vita Soy boxes make me feel refreshed after playing an afternoon of soccer or baseball. Or, they quench my thirst on a hot humid Hong Kong summer day.

The Lipton tea version is usually at a bistro (茶餐廳). It is a drink that you can choose to add to your meal. If you want it with ice, then it is a one HKD more or around 20 cents. On a hot summer day, give me the ice! On a cold day, give me the hot version so that I can continue smashing the lemon slices to make it extra tart and sour.

Here is how you make both versions.

1. Vita Soy: Go to Ranch 99 and buy a six pack. When you get home, put a couple in the fridge for a few hours.
2. Lipton: Go to Ranch 99 and buy a box of Lipton tea bags (this will probably last you a lifetime since we only make it a couple times a year because daddy prefers green tea and for nothing to be added). Slice maybe four thin slices of lemon and place into your mug. Heat water to around 190F and then pour it into the cup. You can add honey if you want. Use a small spoon to stir it and press down on the lemon slices for a bit and continue doing so until it is the right amount of sourness for you. I would advise drinking this in the morning or before noon because of its caffeine content. Generally, folks in Hong Kong may also drink this during afternoon tea, but they also start their days later and they also sleep later than some Americans.

I still buy a bottle of vita soy when I see one at the supermarket. A bottle because a six pack makes me indulgence more and a bottle helps with moderation. Still, is it the most healthy for me? Absolutely not. There is a lot of sugar and it is processed three times over. But, it is a treat. I don’t drink sodas, have caffeine, or drink alcohol often amount anymore. Life is about becoming more and more self aware and increasing the awareness around you. When I was young, I probably drank two or three in a sitting if allowed. Now, understanding how caffeine affects my sleep and jitteriness, I have taken an approach that at first need more self control and later became more normal. Do I need to indulge in my pleasures all of the time? Should I? Probably not to both. Everything can be in moderation. Maybe I will now share a pack with mommy. And, sometimes we just want some familiar for our minds to reminisce.