Tea, coffee, and sugar are the things
introduced by my parents. It has been many years that I always see my father
drinks tea in the evening and my mother drinks coffee in the midday. When I was
a child, mom used to make two cup of tea. One for dad, another for me. At that
time, mom also introduced her taste of tea, including intensity of the flavor
and measurement of sugar. After that introduction had transformed into
habituation, another introduction happened. Introduction to coffee happened
when I have been ready for more caffeine. In the same way with tea, mom’s taste
of coffee stuck on my tongue.
Mom always adds four teaspoons of sugar to a
cup of tea. Mom will say it’s less sweet, if she tastes a cup of tea with three
teaspoons of sugar. It might be not her own taste. Her parents probably also
habituated that. Until she moved to her new house, she still brought her standard
of sweet. Even until now, she always serves very sweet tea to a guest. It could
be acceptable in Yogyakarta. Her neighbors and her friends perhaps have the
same standard of sweet. Contrary to them, our neighbors in Jakarta have various
tastes. Few neighbors can accept very sweet tea, the others cannot.
Contrary to mom, dad has changed his taste of
tea. Mom told me a story that granny used to serve light and less sugar tea
(even sometimes without sugar) and dad liked it. Then, he has new family and he
didn’t mind to start drinking the opposite taste of tea.
Even when mom is not at home, dad asks me to
make dark and sugary tea. I could not understand why he could change his taste.
He was born in Tasikmalaya and he grew up in Ciamis. He had tasted light and
less sugar tea for many years. How could he change his taste?
Another surprise came when I read granny’s
full name on dad’s file. Granny’s name is Raden Roro Sri Kiswati. Granny is
Javanese too. Dad also told me that grandpa is also Javanese. Grandpa married granny,
moved to Tasikmalaya, and moved again to Ciamis. I guess Javanese woman who
lived in Solo was always surrounded by sugary food and drink. It means granny
changed her taste since she moved.
That is my family. How about me? Do I have a
change of taste? Let’s take a step back. Although mom’s taste stuck on my
tongue when I was a child, many places outside my home offered instant tea in
the bottle. Every time I ate in a restaurant with my family, I ordered Teh
Botol Sostro. It became my favorite drink for several years. Not only in
restaurant but also in my friend’s house I drank The Botol Sosro. When I was in
Junior High School, there are many group home works. My friend’s parent
probably didn’t have time to serve ten cup of tea and serving instant tea could
be easier. I saw The Botol Sosro everywhere. I drank it when I went back from
school because I used to be exhausted on my way to home. It was also
habituation. I also have a change of taste.
The change is not over. I went to Sumedang to
get higher education. I cannot buy The Botol Sosro every day, it’s expensive. I
go back to loose leaf tea with three spoons of sugar. I do the same measurement
of sugar to my cup of coffee until I met my best friend who doesn’t like sugary
coffee. My taste changes again.
I drink a cup of tea and a cup of coffee
every day. I have my own taste now. Tomorrow, it may be different.
