What do they mean when they talk about milk flowers? It turns out that completely different things ... What connects snowdrops, a kind of Chinese tea, a spice like nutmeg, and mozzarella - a sort of Italian cheese? And what about milk flowers? Let's try to figure it out ...
Snowdrop - milk flower
The Latin name for snowdrops, Galanthus, is translated into Russian as "milk flowers." The photo below allows you to easily understand why such a name was attached to them - the white flowers of this plant in shape really resemble droplets of milk.
Snowdrops have been known to people since ancient times. Homer mentioned them, describing the wanderings of Odysseus. According to legend, it was the snowdrops (grass of Moth) that the famous hero was handed by the god Hermes so that he could resist the spells of the sorceress of Circe.
In total, "milk flowers" have eighteen species. In nature, they are found in central and southern Europe, as well as in Asia and the Caucasus. Nowadays, this plant is considered rare: all species are protected and listed in the Red Books of many countries.
The leaves of this plant are elongated, narrow, usually light or dark green in color. The flowers resemble small white bells with green spots in shape. Each flower has six petals: three on the outside and three on the inside.
Snowdrops grow not only in the wild. They look very impressive in the garden - between trees, on flower beds or lawns. In pots on loggias and window sills, you can also grow "milk flowers" (the photo below is far from the only option for such a balcony greenhouse).
If you create favorable conditions for the bulbs of this plant, the flowers of snowdrops will please the eye for a long time.
Milk Oolong - Fire Flower
Oolong tea , or oolong, is a special type of tea that, according to the degree of fermentation, occupies an intermediate position between black and green. The most popular among teas in this category is milk oolong.
The homeland of this variety 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 height. Tea is harvested twice a year: in spring and autumn.
Due to the name of milk oolong, as well as a pronounced creamy aftertaste, the brewed tea has the erroneous opinion that it is soaked in a special way in milk. However, in fact, this tea is not produced at all.
In fact, there are two ways to flavor milk oolong. The first, quite time-consuming and expensive, involves 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 sprinkled with rice husk on the plant. The second way is simpler and cheaper - tea leaves that have already been collected are aromatized by processing with milk extract, which ultimately also leads to the desired result.
How to make milk oolong
It is best to brew such tea in earthenware or porcelain dishes. It is recommended to rinse the container with boiling water beforehand - this is necessary to eliminate extraneous odors. Next, pour tea from this calculation: one teaspoon of tea leaves per person, and pour water that has cooled to ninety-five degrees. Before use, let the oolong infuse for one minute. You can brew milk oolong up to eight times in a row, and every time new notes will appear in his taste.
Muscat Milk Flowers
The photo below shows one of the most famous spices in the world - nutmeg.
Muscatnik is an evergreen tree that grows mainly in the lands of Asia and Polynesia, South America and Africa. The bright aroma and spicy-burning taste of this spice has long been used in the manufacture of confectionery and culinary.
As a spice, only three species of this plant are used, of which the most common is scented nutmeg. Its seeds are nothing but nutmeg. But the "nutmeg color", or matsis - a yellow-orange powder, whose taste is more delicate than that of the seeds of the nutmeg - is actually not made from flowers at all. This is a dried-up and crushed into powder powder seedling - a thin soft peel in the form of petals, which its seeds are covered with. The nickname "milk flowers", which is sometimes applied to them, is incorrect, but it is justified by the fact that the nutmeg color is very popular as an additive in many dairy dishes. So, in European and Asian cuisines, this spice is put in small quantities in various creamy soups, sauces and drinks based on milk. This spice is also often flavored with various cheeses and cottage cheese. Muscat color is the classic seasoning, which is part of the famous French Bechamel milk sauce .
And the “milk flower" is ... cheese!
And now a few words about ... mozzarella. What connects the famous Italian cheese and "milk flowers"?
The fact is that the name mozzarella actually combines several varieties of cheese. The classic version is Mozarella di Bufala, a premium product made directly in Italy from black buffalo milk. Another variety of this cheese is much more widespread in the world - Fior di Latte, which translates as "milk flower". Made from whole cow's milk, selected dairy enzymes and natural sourdough, this variety of mozzarella tastes fresher than the classic version. However, it is cheaper, more affordable and can be stored in brine (in vacuum packaging) for up to one month.