PULLING THE RUG UNDER TEH TARIK

This is Accapan. He is a waiter at a popular mamak place in Amcorp Mall. You can get teh tarik at this place and Accapan will be very happy to bring it to you. Accapan, however, will not be very happy to hear this piece of news. Many other Malaysians will not be happy too. Many are shocked to know that teh tarik is a killer drink. After recovering from the momentary shock (with the help of another glass of frothy teh tarik, of course) we learnt that it is the condensed milk in the teh tarik that eventually kills. You get diabetes and other related diseases. If you don't die of other causes, like being struck by lightning or fatally injured by loose construction equipment, you might get a stroke and die. Dying first and getting a stroke later is highly unlikely, no matter how much teh tarik you consume.

I have always known that teh tarik is dangerous. First, you do not know what tea they use. Most teh tarik makers use tea dust. Forget about teh tarik with Earl Grey, Fortnum & Mason, Twinings or even Lipton. Tea dust, though not dangerously dusty, uses colouring. Some colourings are permitted, some are not. Short of poking your nose into the kitchen and poring over the label of the big can of tea dust, you will never know what colouring is used in your particular teh tarik. Then, all teh tarik use milk. No self respecting mamak stall owner will permit teh o tarik. You can always try your luck and ask for one the next time you are at a stall. In the meantime, lets discuss the milk in teh tarik. Good teh tarik will have two kinds of milk. Evaporated milk is used to give the teh tarik the lemak taste. Cream would be better but it would put teh tarik in the upper price bracket. The soya based creamer might be an alternative but no self-respecting teh tarek puller worth his koleh would use this powder. Then to sweeten the tea and eventually knock your teeth out, condensed milk is used. This is the culprit. I have used condensed milk in my coffee for the last 50 odd years. No diabetes yet, touch wood (touching my head) but my mouth is rather odd. I have lost many teeth.
Next time I go to see Accapan, I shall not ask for nescafe tarik or teh tarik. I will instead ask for carrot juice. Accapan will invariably ask me whether I want it with condensed milk.
Sigh , sigh. Drink also die, dont drink also die. Might as well die happy.