20th Stop: Bhutan

Yes, Virginia, there is a Butter Tea. And it is from Bhutan, and people drink it for its high fat content (because, hello, it's like super freezing there with all those snowy mountains and fat calories can be good, as well all know) and they drink it for its moisturizing qualities (a little butter lip balm never hurt anyone) because the weather will freeze and dry you up.  Butter Tea can renew one's hiking spirit, they say. 

 

As for me...well...the main butter required for this tea was yak butter.  This is a yak:

There are no yaks in the southwest of which I know.  Obviously, plenty reside in the Bhutan area:

 

Thankfully, the recipe I found for this tea said it is okay to use cow butter. Now, that, I've always got on supply. The tea required for this concoction is an easy to find black tea.

 

 

So far, so good. Easy ingredients, easy directions.

First, you boil water, then simmer a couple of tea bags for five minutes. Then you melt the butter. Next, you add the butter, some salt and some milk to the tea, and blend it all together. Doesn't take long.

The hardest part is trying this tea.  The creamy tea is rather deceptive, because it looks disarming in its frothy loveliness, doesn't it? (Too bad the scent isn't as nice.)

My conclusion? The taste is definitely an acquired one. Perhaps I live in the wrong climate to appreciate Butter Tea. However, I did get an idea after sipping this stuff: black tea, butter, and salt could make a gourmet popcorn seasoning. Yes, you heard it hear first folks. My idea!

I got the recipe and learned a little more about Bhutan here.