Traditional Beijing Tea Soup

Traditional Beijing Tea Soup

　　Tea soup is a common sweet snack in the Beijing-Tianjin area. The bowl filled with prepared tea soup can be flipped upside down without spilling, hence the name "upside-down bowl tea soup." The so-called "Eight-Treasure Tea Soup" is made by adding eight different kinds of fruits or nuts. The tea soup is prepared by pouring boiling water from a large copper kettle — commonly known as a tea soup kettle — which serves as a symbol of the tea soup trade. The kettle stands 60 cm tall and has a diameter of 50 cm, with a long, slender spout. The interior of the kettle holds water around the sides, while the center is hollow like a furnace chamber, used for burning coal to heat the water. A copper whistle can be installed on top of the kettle, which makes a sound when the water boils. The brightly polished large copper kettle combined with the magical sound of the whistle creates a rustic charm that is very appealing and stimulates the appetite.

　　Beijing tea soup, made using a kettle with a dragon-spout, is also called Dragon Tea. It is sweet, aromatic, and has a apricot-yellow hue, with a delicate taste worth savoring. The Qing Dynasty’s "Jiayou" era poem “Duomen Zhuzhi Ci” (Bamboo Branch Lyrics of the Capital) mentions: “A bowl of sweet porridge in the early morning, then tea soup and then flour tea.” Old Beijingers favored tea soup from Juyuanzhai outside Qianmen and Cha Tang Li at Tianqiao.

　　In December 1997, the tea soup made by Beijing Tianqiao Cha Tang Li Food Shop was awarded the title of First National Famous Chinese Snack by the China Cuisine Association. In the past, street vendors in Beijing would prepare various flavors of tea soup on the spot using large copper kettles. These were sweet, delicious, suitable for all ages, perfect as a light snack or even breakfast. The “Cha Tang Li” near the old Tianqiao area was particularly well-known.

　　— Historical Anecdotes About Tea Soup —

　　As for which dynasty actually invented tea soup, it’s hard to say for sure. However, over the years, no matter the era, during festivals and holidays, tea soup always made an appearance at temple fairs, drawing wide-eyed wonder from both adults and children. Look at the vendor’s table — there's a gleaming large copper kettle, with its spout, handle, rim, and base all adorned with carved yellow brass patterns. On both sides of the kettle body are two goldfish swimming amid tiny plants... When the stove fire is roaring, you can see the water inside the kettle boiling vigorously with steam rising. More interestingly, watch the tea master — he stands with feet apart and arms spread, holding a bowl in one hand and maneuvering the kettle in the other. The bowl is about a foot or two away from the kettle’s spout, yet the boiling water shoots out precisely, landing squarely in the bowl without spilling a drop. The action is accurate and graceful. In truth, making it well requires great skill. First, it must be done in one smooth motion — no dribbling or hesitation — otherwise the tea soup will be undercooked, and the vendor will lose money. Also, although the water spurts out forcefully, it must never splash onto the hands; otherwise, burns and broken bowls could mean losses instead of profits. Therefore, experienced tea soup masters have honed special skills. Though the whole motion takes just a few seconds, mastering it can take years of practice.

　　Beijing Tianqiao Cha Tang Li has a long history and is a traditional Beijing-style snack. The tea soup is sweet, aromatic, with an apricot-yellow color and a delicate flavor. The Qing Dynasty’s "Jiayou" era poem “Duomen Zhuzhi Ci” states: “A bowl of sweet porridge in the early morning, then tea soup and then flour tea.” Old Beijingers favored tea soup from Juyuanzhai outside Qianmen and Cha Tang Li at Tianqiao.

　　Located at Beijing Tianqiao, Li Ji Tea Soup offers a soft, smooth texture and rich aroma. They serve over ten varieties of tea soup. In December 1997, the tea soup made by Beijing Tianqiao Cha Tang Li Food Shop was awarded the title of First National Famous Chinese Snack by the China Cuisine Association. The tea soup is made by washing millet flour, soaking it in cold water for two hours, draining, grinding it into powder, and then sifting it through a fine sieve to create millet flour. The tea soup kettle is filled with cold water and brought to a boil. A bowl is taken, mixed with boiling water and some cold water, then combined with one-tenth part millet flour to form a paste. This paste is then poured with boiling water to cook it. Brown sugar, white sugar, and osmanthus sugar are sprinkled on top before eating. Nowadays, Cha Tang Li combines traditional techniques with modern science to develop new flavors such as fresh water chestnut tea, bubble milk tea, milkshakes, and sundaes. In particular, the fresh water chestnut tea has health benefits including detoxification, diuresis, and hangover relief.