What does it mean to you as a tea drinker -
Every tea vendor speaks of the best brew comes with the freshest water...Extremely right! However, my customers told me an interesting phenomena which I took for granted. When I was in Christchurch, a beautiful mom and daughter came to our stand and told us of how their father and dad loved his tea or chai whilst visiting India from the street vendors of Mumbai.
I smiled and told them that two things were different and missing in New Zealand vs India...Mostly diluted Buffalo Milk and Hygieneful of Clean Water! (Chuckling I thought to myself how simple people are when they travel and enjoy the street food and beverage and don't think too much of getting the Delhibelly).
I loved this mother and daughter-not only did they show love for their father and husband, but appreciated their fathers flavours.
Most street vendors in India have buckets of water in their little cart, sometimes below their cart and water is definitely a scarce commodity in many parts of India. The cauldron would be on its kerosene stove burner throughout the day beyond boiling point (if there could exist) and in another cauldron would be hot-milk also of the same temperature...being constantly reheated.
However, although one doesn't realise it, the turnover of those teas, in little "cutting glasses" as they are referred to are so high that the tea stallholders has no time to think of overbooking because as soon as he engages with a customer, two more place an order for a cutting. Invariably all the customers who may or may not know each other start making polite conversation about politics or just about new movies playing in the "Talkies".
Such is the atmosphere surrounding simple tea stall holders in India. So do people who frequent it come from particular walks of society-No os the answer..the customer can be just about anyone including The Indian Prime Minister or a famous Bollywood Star!
Everybody loves the Chai-wallah. Jai Hind.
I smiled and told them that two things were different and missing in New Zealand vs India...Mostly diluted Buffalo Milk and Hygieneful of Clean Water! (Chuckling I thought to myself how simple people are when they travel and enjoy the street food and beverage and don't think too much of getting the Delhibelly).
I loved this mother and daughter-not only did they show love for their father and husband, but appreciated their fathers flavours.
Most street vendors in India have buckets of water in their little cart, sometimes below their cart and water is definitely a scarce commodity in many parts of India. The cauldron would be on its kerosene stove burner throughout the day beyond boiling point (if there could exist) and in another cauldron would be hot-milk also of the same temperature...being constantly reheated.
However, although one doesn't realise it, the turnover of those teas, in little "cutting glasses" as they are referred to are so high that the tea stallholders has no time to think of overbooking because as soon as he engages with a customer, two more place an order for a cutting. Invariably all the customers who may or may not know each other start making polite conversation about politics or just about new movies playing in the "Talkies".
Such is the atmosphere surrounding simple tea stall holders in India. So do people who frequent it come from particular walks of society-No os the answer..the customer can be just about anyone including The Indian Prime Minister or a famous Bollywood Star!
Everybody loves the Chai-wallah. Jai Hind.
