We all LOVE Penang! And that’s not an overstatement. Ask anybody on the street their best local holiday destination and most of the time, you’re going to hear them say “PENANG”. “How come?” some might ask. Plain and simple, Penang has everything – food, malls, beautiful beaches, hills, parks, historical sites, technology, transportation, local chicks, local hunks, expatriates chicks, expatriates hunks, cool uncles/aunties, etc. Don’t believe…? Let’s try out some “touristy” spot in Malaysia. Ipoh – all you get is steamed chicken and coffee throughout your stay. Try eating chicken and drinking coffee for 4 days in a row. Melaka – no doubt they have interesting nyonya cuisines but it’s missing the beach (ppl have told me Melaka has a beach but in my 27 yrs, I have not once visited the beach although geographically there should be a beach – so… if it exist, it’s probably way deep in some corner, if not.. they probably reclaim so much of their land that the sea just disappeared). Kelantan/Teregganu – you’ll be popping Immodium pills to constipate yourself throughout the trip in fear of not finding a toilet and having to poop in the jungle. Johor – let’s not even go here, the moment you reach Johor, you’re either mugged, kidnapped, extorted or your car gets jacked. Ok.. all of that was just mean… they are all wonderful places anyhow… but Penang is still the best.
But what I was going to write here is, apart from Penang being well known for all of the food, beaches and hunks (like the owner of the blog), one thing that people don’t realize is that Penang is also a place where unique / famous DRINKS are created.
1. TEH PENG
We are all too familiar with this drink. If an award was to be given for the “Drink Most Ordered In Malaysia”, it would have to be TEH PENG.
But why would I claim that TEH PENG hails from Penang?
ONE CONCRETE REASON: TEH PENG is Hokkien and you would always order TEH PENG in its original language (apart from Mamaks). You won’t order TEH PENG as “SHUIT NAI CHA” (Cantonese) or “PING NAI CHA” (Mandarin). We would always order it as TEH PENG.
But then, some people might argue that Johor people also speak Hokkien too. But the problem with the people in Johor is that they are so pre-occupied with their personal, family, friends and lovers safety everyday 24-7 that they are incapable to creating anything. This is definitely in accordance with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need.
2. ALMOND DRINK
Ok, this is something that not many people are familiar with but I was drinking Almond since I was in primary school… petty much 15+ years ago. Totally forgot about this drink until in one of our visit back to Penang, I chanced upon another person ordering it and remembered how I used to love it.
Almond drink is probably available in abundance in Penang (you can literally order it from any chap-chap stall) and you pretty much don’t find it available elsewhere in around Malaysia.
So hence, Almond Drink originates from Penang.
Almond drink is served from powdered almonds and can be drank cold or hot. I personally think it taste a lot better hot so that the taste of almond does not become diluted (the Almond Drink is superly sensitive to ice as having ice in it really makes it taste bland). Drinking it hot is very much like having a hot cup of chocolate down your esophagus… very comforting.
But of course if you’re not a fan of almonds, then this would not be your favorite drink.
Also to note, many shops would not understand if you tell the order taker “Almond Drink”, you’ll have to order it in it’s original Hokkien dialect which is “Hen Jin” (if I got that right). If not, just google up pictures to show when ordering.3. NUTMEG JUICE
Nutmeg is definitely a Penang creation. 20 over years ago when my friends from other part of Malaysia was still using Minyak Angin Cap Kapak, Penangnites have already advanced further into using a less offensive smelling and a lot more comforting ointment known simply as Nutmeg Oil. Nutmeg Oil was originally used (just like Minyak Angin Cap Kapak) to soothe stomach discomfort, headaches and muscle aches. But unlike the Minyak Angin Cap Kapak, Nutmeg Oil emitted a sweet smelling odour when applied and could have been used as a deodorant; unlike the Minyak Angin Cap Kapak where when applied, the image of an old uncle/aunty comes into mind and no matter how young you might have been, chicks/hunks would be 100 feet away from you. Don’t believe…? Try going to club with Minyak Angin Cap Kapak. The bouncers would probably tell you, “Uncle, Club De Vegas is down the road. This is Zouk”.
Anyways, Nutmeg Oil has evolved and today, Penangnites enjoy a drink no other state is able to provide – THE NUTMEG JUICE. Made from the freshest extracts of a nutmeg, the juice is as sweet smelling as the ointment is and puts you in a whole different class when it’s drunk.
To further enhance the taste of the brownish colored drink, some chap-chap stalls have added asam boi into the drink. I however still love it in it’s original taste – nutmeg only.
