In Hong Kong, not only is the food culture diverse, but beverages are also colorful, blending unique flavors and traditional tastes from different places. Despite the multitude of drinks available, local beverages are just as impressive. Today, I want to talk about five local drinks, revealing the lesser-known facts behind them, so that we can better understand Hong Kong's local culture.

1. Black Cow

Black Cow is a signature drink in Hong Kong tea restaurants, consisting of a glass of Coke topped with a scoop of chocolate ice cream. Some eateries may substitute with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

In the 1970s and 80s, Americans invented the 'Black Cow' (also known as Root Beer Float), a beverage made with root beer and vanilla ice cream. Later, to make it accessible to children in every household, it was changed to use Coke topped with chocolate ice cream (Coke Float). After making its way to Hong Kong, it evolved into different types of 'Cows.'

These include 'White Cow,' made with Sprite and vanilla or coconut ice cream; 'Red Cow,' made with Ribena and strawberry ice cream; and 'Yellow Cow,' made with cream soda and mango or pineapple ice cream.

2 Yuan Yang

Yuan Yang is a mixture of milk tea and coffee, a blended beverage that originated in Hong Kong.

It has the aroma of coffee and the creaminess of milk tea, with a brownish-red rich fragrance, slightly bitter yet sweet, smooth like satin. The typical ratio of milk tea to coffee is 7:3, but it is not fixed. It can be served hot or cold, and freshly brewed Yuan Yang is generally not sweetened. The history of milk tea dates back to the 19th century, but the exact origin of Yuan Yang is unknown. Yuan Yang usually appears in pairs and is inseparable.

As its name suggests, the Hong Kong specialty drink 'Yuan Yang' cleverly combines coffee and milk tea, both of which are 'favorites of Hong Kong people.' Sometimes, it is used to describe the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures in Hong Kong. It is also recognized by the United Nations as an intangible cultural heritage.

3 Lemon Cola with Ginger

What should you do when you catch a cold? Would you take a painkiller and see a family doctor? At this time, Hong Kong people would recommend a secret recipe to you, which is said to expel all the cold from your body and say goodbye to bacteria!

Lemon Cola with Ginger is a folk remedy in Hong Kong, literally meaning lemon, cola, and ginger boiled together.

The exact origin is unknown, but it is generally believed to be related to the difficulty low-income citizens in Hong Kong faced in getting medical treatment in the past. In the days when Hong Kong's public healthcare system was not yet developed, low-income citizens generally could not afford medical fees, so they would use some popular folk methods to relieve discomfort, and warm water and ginger could alleviate chills and throat discomfort. Interestingly, soft drinks were usually regarded by parents as a symbol of unhealthiness, yet when their children were sick, parents would still use this remedy to help ease their children's illness.

4. Salted Lemon 7-Up

Pour a can of SevenUp/Spirit soda into a cup containing salted (pickled) lemons. This can also be considered a type of old-fashioned non-alcoholic cocktail~

Salted Lemon 7-Up involves directly slicing fresh lemons and putting them into 7-Up, similar to lemon cola. It appeared in tea restaurants around the late 20th century.

Similar to the Ginger Lemon Cola remedy mentioned above, Hong Kong people believe this can help relieve phlegm and soothe the throat.

5 Cream mixed with fresh milk

A mixed drink from Hong Kong, it used to be a specialty drink in tea restaurants, but now it is almost nowhere to be seen.

However, nowadays you can find similar lactic drinks on the market, which can be considered an extended version of this drink. The method is to pour cream soda and milk into a cup at the same time; there is no need to stir as they will naturally mix.

Cream soda and fresh milk may seem completely unrelated, but in fact, when they come together, they bring unexpected surprise and deliciousness! Everyone can try making it at home~ It's okay to pour them separately, but the taste will be a little different, and the appearance will also look a bit unusual, so it is still recommended to pour them together.

Do you feel that Hong Kong actually has many unique drinks? It's just that some drinks are rarely offered and no longer appear in public, which gradually makes people feel that local Hong Kong food culture is declining. If you are interested, you can check Wikipedia or food blogs to see how to make them, or try looking for this kind of specialty drink in tea restaurants.