"Milk flowers" - what does this mean? What connects snowdrops, tea, nutmeg and cheese?

What do they mean when they speak of milk colors? It turns out that completely different things ... What is the connection between the snowdrops, a kind of Chinese tea, a spice like muscat, and mozzarella - a sort of Italian cheese? And where are the milk flowers? Let's try to figure it out ...

Snowdrop - milk flower

The Latin name of snowdrops, Galanthus, translated into Russian means "milky flowers". The photo below makes it easy to understand why they are attached to this name - the white flowers of this plant in form really resemble droplets of milk.

People are known snowdrops since ancient times. About them mentioned Homer, describing the wanderings of Odysseus. According to the legend, the snowdrops (the grass of Moley) were given to the famous hero by the god Hermes so that he could resist the sorceress sorcery of Circe.

In total, "milk flowers" number eighteen species. In nature, they occur in central and southern Europe, as well as in Asia and the Caucasus. Nowadays this plant is recognized as rare: all species are protected and listed in the Red Data Books of many countries.

The leaves of this plant are elongated, narrow, usually light or dark green in color. Flowers in shape resemble small bells of white color with green spots. Each flower has six petals: three on the outside and three inside.

Snowdrops grow not only in the wild. Very effectively, they look in the garden - between trees, on flower beds or lawns. In pots on loggias and window sills, you can also grow "milky flowers" (the photo below is by no means the only option of such a balcony greenhouse).

If you create favorable conditions for the bulbs of this plant, the flowers of the snowdrops will delight the view for a long time.

Milk Oolong - a fiery flower

Oolong, or oolong - a special kind of tea, in fermentation degree occupying an intermediate position between black and green. The most popular among the teas of this category is milk oolong.

Homeland of this kind of tea is Taiwan. It is made on the basis of a variety of tea, called the Golden Flower (Jin-Xuan). It grows in the mountains at almost a kilometer altitude. The collection of tea occurs twice a year: in spring and in autumn.

Due to the name of the milk oolong, as well as the pronounced creamy taste of brewed tea, it is a common misconception that it is soaked in milk in a special way. However, in fact, this tea is not produced at all.

In fact, there are two ways to flavor milk oolong tea. The first, quite time-consuming and expensive, implies the processing of tea bushes with a solution of cane sugar. After that, the roots of each bush are watered with milk, diluted in water, and then sprinkle the plant with rice husk. The second way is easier and cheaper - the tea leaves already collected are flavored, processed with a milk extract, which in the end also leads to the desired result.

How to brew a milky oolong

It is best to brew such tea in clay or porcelain dishes. Preliminary capacity is recommended to be filled with boiling water - this is necessary to eliminate foreign smells. Next, you should fill tea from this calculation: one teaspoon of tea leaves for one person, and pour water, cooled to ninety-five degrees. Before use, the oolong should be infused for one minute. Brew milk oolong can be up to eight times in a row, and each time in its taste will be new notes.

"Milk Flowers" Muscat

The photo below shows one of the most famous spices in the world - Muscat.

Muscatel is an evergreen tree, which grows mainly on the lands of Asia and Polynesia, South America and Africa. The bright aroma and spicy-burning taste of this spice since ancient times is used in the production of confectionery and cooking.

As a spice, only three kinds of this plant are used, of which the most common is muscatel fragrant. Its seeds are nothing but "nutmeg". But the "muscat color", or matsis - yellow-orange powder, the taste of which is more tender than that of the muscatel seeds, is actually not made from flowers. It is a dried and powdered seedling - a thin soft peel in the form of petals, which are covered with its seeds. The nickname "milk flowers", which is sometimes applied to them, is incorrect, but it is justified by the fact that the muscat color is very popular as an additive in many dairy dishes. So, in European and Asian cuisines this spice is placed in small amounts in various creamy soups, sauces and milk-based drinks. This spice is also often catered for by various cheeses and cottage cheese. It is muscat color is a classic seasoning, which is part of the famous French dairy sauce "Béchamel".

And "milk flower" is ... cheese!

And now a few words about ... mozzarella. What links the famous Italian cheese and "milk flowers"?

The fact is that the name "mozzarella" actually combines several varieties of cheese. The classical version - Mozarella di Bufala - a product of the highest quality, produced directly in Italy from the milk of black buffalo. Much more common in the world is another sort of this cheese - Fior di Latte, which translates exactly as a "milk flower". Made from whole cow milk, selected dairy enzymes and natural leaven, this version of mozzarella is more fresh on taste than the classical version. However, it is cheaper, more affordable and can be stored in brine (vacuum packed) for up to one month.