A cup of hot beverage can work wonders to sagging energy levels. And, if it’s winter, sipping a piping hot cup of coffee is what typical ‘Southies’ crave for. But, slowly yet surely breaking into this coffee dominated territory is the timid yet gritty lemon tea.
Lemon tea is slowly spreading its aroma wooing the taste buds like nothing before. Though it’s an addition at cafetarias, earlier it was picked by only those who could afford it — served mostly at posh hotels in Bangalore.
In Mysore, this tea made way into the office of Police Commissioner, followed by Mysore City Corporation (MCC). Gradually, tea shops in the city have begun to offer this flavour of tea owing to the demand from the customers, thanks to the increasing number of people who are choosing Mysore over other cities to live. Swayed over by the taste, locals who initially give a try, have started loving it. Prakash Kumar, a native of Rajasthan who runs a mobile shop on Seethavilas Road, caters to majority of his customers with the tea and does a good job of brewing it right. No wonder, his customers love to come back over and again!
Not many know that coffee has to be boiled and tea has to be brewed. The recipe is quite simple. Heat water, add tea powder and allow the tea grains to gradually let go of their flavour and then add sugar. A dash of lime juice and mint leaves later, lemon tea is ready to be served, Prakash told City Herald. A cup of lemon tea is priced at Rs four and there is a surge in demand with every passing day. When compared to ordinary tea, it reaps profit for tea vendors who do not spend much on the same — directly or indirectly. For instance, vendors need not store or boil the milk and suffer loss when it gets spoilt.
It’s a hit especially among youths who have also been the pillars of dymanic changes in the city. For Prakash too, the chunk of his customers are youths working in different firms in the vicinity. Unmindful of the cart that forms the shop of Prakash, customers throng only for the cup of lime tea. All it takes is a few minutes to prepare the tea.
To offer quick service, which scores in any trade, Prakash prepares ‘decoction’ in advance. As and when he receives orders, he pours the same into required number of cups, mixing it with lime juice and mint. After this, it is the turn of the customer to treat his taste buds to hot, tangy, sweet and a tad bitter experience of savouring lime tea.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks