On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:50:42 GMT, blake murphy >
wrote:

>On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:18:12 -0500, Boron Elgar
> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 07:37:18 -0800 (PST), AE Todd
> wrote:
>>
>>>I am curious if anyone has ever tried making Thai Iced Tea, the kind
>>>you can order at a Thai restaurant. What variety and brand is the
>>>tea? What is on top, half & half? I was once told that the tea is
>>>Jasmine, but I sort of doubt this, as Jasmine is not the dark reddish
>>>hue that arrives at the table at the restaurant.
>>
>>
>>I have excellent Asian groceries where I can find the already spiced
>>tea. I keep it vac sealed and in the freezer until use.
>>
>>This web page offers it and I have seen this brand in stores, too.
>>Full instructions are included, along with pictures.
>>
>>http://www.importfood.com/thaiicetea.html
>>
>>From the site:
>>************************
>>Boil 8 cups water. Place 8-10 heaping tablespoons tea mix in a large
>>pitcher or pot. Pour boiling water over the tea and let steep for 5
>>minutes. Use a strainer to strain the tea into a second pitcher (this
>>removes most of the loose tea), then use a coffee filter or the
>>stainless/muslin filter offered below to filter it back into the
>>(rinsed) first pitcher. Add sugar to taste (recommend at least 1 cup,
>>as Thai ice tea should be very sweet), stir and let cool then put in
>>the fridge. Pour chilled tea over ice (prefer crushed ice) and top
>>with evaporated milk. Let the milk float on the ice and slowly sink
>>into the tea.
>>**********************
>>
>>This place also has great Thai ingredients that not everyone can get
>>locally. I have ordered from them in the past, specifically galangal,
>>as I could not find any for awhile, so I planted some of it in a pot.
>>
>>Boron
>
>i was under the impression that it was condensed milk rather than
>half-and-half as well.
>
>your pal,
>blake


The first recipe I saw for it mentioned the condensed. I saw it at the
web site of a favorite Thai cookbook writer, Kasma Loha-unchit.

http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipes/thaitea.html

I suppose that some places may use half and half or cream or otherwise
alter the basic recipe to put their own "signature" on the dish and
there may be regional differences as well, that I don't know about.

I must say that it is something I used to order at every Thai
restaurant I visited and the presentation and taste could vary widely
among them.

Boron