How do they do it in Thailand?

[Scarlet Glow]

Ok, here is the sit-rep:

My mom is hosting a bonfire at our house this Sunday ( 8/31/08 ). One of the couples that will be there is hosting a foreign exchange student from Thailand. She is a senior in high school, just arrived here at the beginning of August, and doesn't know anyone but the few classmates she has met at her high school when school started a couple of weeks ago.

So, the only other person around her age that will be at this bonfire is... yours truely. In other words, my mom thought that her and I could hang out during the bonfire... thinking that she would feel more comfortable around someone closer to her age. My mom's exact words were "Do they drink tea in Thailand? Maybe you guys can talk about that." My reaction -->

Heh, I don't think she got the hint that I didn't like how she thought every "foreigner" drinks tea while the Americans may contemplate murder in order to get their beloved coffee.... but I digress.

Our conversation did get me thinking, however. Tea is a relatively universal drink... so there might be a slight chance that tea could be a good topic to talk about. My problem is... finding out HOW they take their tea.

I have found info about tea from Thailand - horrible tea with red or orange food coloring in it... or something?! However, I have not been able to find out if they drink tea other than this "native" stuff.

My question(s) that I am wanting your help with is... HOW do most people in Thailand like their tea? Do they even drink it at all or as much as other countries? Do they really like their tea with food dye in it? China and India are very close by... do they have an influence on Thailand's tea drinking habits? (I'm sorry, I don't know what part of Thailand that she comes from, as of yet)

I have tried researching this myself... but I guess I'm not entering in the right keywords into Google to find what I'm looking for. Maybe I will strike gold and someone out there will know the "tea culture" of Thailand better than I do at the moment. Any info at all would be appreciated!

I think it will be so interesting to talk with her this weekend. I love learning about new cultures. I just want her to feel comfortable as possible... so the more I know, the more it might help.

[Pentox]

Well here's what I know.

There is a Thai iced tea that is rather unique. I'm not sure if it's a bastardized foodstuff like most chinese food we eat in the US is, but it is quite oddly colored. That could be what you're talking about when you read that it is dyed. The base tea used for it when brewed comes out very red, i'm not sure if this is a natural color or not for the particular leaf used, but it's almost an uncanny shade of red. Then that is iced, when served condensed milk is poured on top as a cream header, when the milk mixes with the tea it turns orange.

Aside from that I'm not sure how they take their tea.

[hop_goblin]

Well here's what I know.

There is a Thai iced tea that is rather unique. I'm not sure if it's a bastardized foodstuff like most chinese food we eat in the US is, but it is quite oddly colored. That could be what you're talking about when you read that it is dyed. The base tea used for it when brewed comes out very red, i'm not sure if this is a natural color or not for the particular leaf used, but it's almost an uncanny shade of red. Then that is iced, when served condensed milk is poured on top as a cream header, when the milk mixes with the tea it turns orange.

Aside from that I'm not sure how they take their tea.

Yeah, Thai ice tea is a sweet milky bev. Good!

[chamekke]

I just want her to feel comfortable as possible... so the more I know, the more it might help.

Actually, it might help cement the new friendship even more if you say that you love tea, don't know a thing about Thai tea drinking, and would really appreciate if she would tell you all about it. Then you will have the pleasure of learning about it from someone who really knows, and she will have the pleasure of explaining Thai customs to someone who is truly eager to learn about it.

I'm like you, I like knowing things in advance, but sometimes there's no harm in not knowing, and letting someone else have the fun of filling you in.

[Scarlet Glow]

Thanks for the info Pentox and Hop_goblin!

Good point, chamekke. I thought about just simply asking her about her tea experiences... but, then I got this weird image in my head of her sitting in a chair with a single light in her face (think of your favorite interrigation scene) and me hovering over her with a clip board, shouting questions at her.

Of course, I know that is not how things are going to play out. I just thought if I could find at least some background on the ways of Thai tea, it might help me feel like I'm not just talking to her like she is an alien from another planet.

Eh, I'm shy when it comes to meeting people for the first time. Awkward silences are frequent in my conversations... haha! Since I knew about this meeting in advance, I was trying to be prepared for it. However, like you said, chamekke, asking the source directly would probably be the way to go.

[edkrueger]

Presumably Thailand produces some excellent oolongs. Google "Thai Oolong" for some.

[hop_goblin]

Presumably Thailand produces some excellent oolongs. Google "Thai Oolong" for some.

Interesting. I have never heared of Thai oolongs. Are they produced in the traditional oolong fashion and are the actual leaves cultivated in Thailand?

[Victoria]

Oh I have to try some Thai Oolongs now!!!

[ABx]

Upton has a rolled high mountain Thai oolong that is really quite good; very very lightly roasted. Upton notes that Thailand produces oolong that rivals those from China and Taiwan, and I agree. The floral profile is a little different, which the light roasting can partially (but not fully account for), but is otherwise quite like similar oolongs from China and Taiwan.

I don't know how popular these are in Thailand, but I suspect that they're not unknown.

[ABx]

Here's a pretty good article:
http://www.teacoffeeasia.com/news.asp?id=752

You can find more by Googling "thailand tea culture." It actually looks like they drink tea something along the lines of India - black tea with lots of milk, sugar, and spices over ice. I'm sure they still drink a fair amount of hot tea, though.