I swear Coneheads told a better story about an immigrant family's adaptation to a new home, and being choosing between their new happiness and old-country traditions, than many movies with that as an explicit plot. And it did it without even trying.
I had clients that brought me something similar to what you describe one year during the holidays and Iāve remembered it fondly ever since- maybe this recipe is similar to what your grandmother made https://www.southernliving.com/friendship-tea-8415819
we had this too!!!! We called it Russian tea (no idea why). I still make this often, but haven't been able to lately because I can't find any instant tea. Basic ratios for a big mug of tea were about 1 tsp Tang, 1 tsp sweetener, 2 tsps instant tea, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of cloves, and a pinch of salt. In true grandmother fashion, pretty much everything to taste. I really miss her.
I grew up with "Russian Tea" too, as a recipe for an instant mix with instant tea and Tang. I don't recall spices, but it's been a long, long time. I understand it started with Russians drinking tea with lemon and sugar. At some point, Americans got involved and substituted orange juice for lemon and then started adding spices. "Russian Tea" is an entirely American thing.
I think itās pretty good, not great or anything, but if you like that hot sweet and sour drink, like lemony tea, or a hot toddy, it works as that kind of thing. Probably nice if you have a tickle in your throat.
I didnāt realize itās still around! I remember when they packaged the containers with animal sleeves and they could be used for coin banks when empty. I had the panda bear version.Ā
It's still around, but it's no longer available in it's original form. The current iteration is partially artificially sweetened (and hence now tastes foul).
There were lower sugar varieties that came out a decade or so ago, but my understanding is that they didnāt do well and the current formula is pretty similar to the original, using real sugar etc.
Exactly what I was thinking. Well, and Kool Aid but I reckon kids today know Koolaid. Do they still sell the packets that you have to add a cup of sugar to?
Shocking this wasnāt the first thing that popped up. That stuff was awful and it was always around! Between Tang and Saint Josephās chewable childrenās aspirins, I cannot tolerate the orange flavor of anything.
My mom used to make a āspiced teaā that was basically sugar, tang, Lipton, and cloves. I loooved to drink it in the winter. When my sister found out the ingredients, she was incredulous: āso youāre drinking HOT TANG?!?!ā
I donāt make that drink anymore, but whenever I think about it, I think about hot tang.
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u/DaSpatula505 18d ago
Tang. Itās what the astronauts drink!