Well, let me tell you about this here oolong hai thing. My grandbaby was talkin’ ’bout it the other day, says it’s some fancy drink from across the ocean, way over in Japan. Sounds strange, but I reckon it ain’t half bad.

So, this oolong hai, it’s like a tea, but not the kind you sip on your porch on a Sunday afternoon. It’s got somethin’ called “shochu” in it. That word…shochu… what the heck is that? Sounds like a sneeze! Grandbaby says it is some kind of, uh, strong water they drink over there. You know, like our moonshine, but I guess it’s a bit different, it’s for sure.

This here oolong tea, they say it’s real good. Important folks like to drink it. Must be somethin’ special. And then they go and mix it with that shochu stuff. I tell ya, young folks these days, always comin’ up with newfangled ideas.

Now, how do you make this oolong hai? Well, from what I hear, it ain’t rocket science. You just need a few things. It is very easy to make at home. You need that oolong tea, cold like a well digger’s backside. Then you pour in some of that shochu, however much you can handle, I reckon. And then, you gotta have ice. Lots of ice. Makes it all cool and refreshing, like a dip in the creek on a hot summer day.

• Cold Oolong Tea
• Shochu
• Ice, lots of it

They say it’s real popular in them Japanese bars, karaoke or whatever they call ’em. Folks over there like to sing and drink, just like us, I suppose. But instead of beer or whiskey, they got this oolong hai. I reckon it gets the job done.

This oolong hai, it’s supposed to taste kinda, well, like the ground. You know the smell after a good rain? Earthy. That’s what they say, that earthy taste. Must be from them tea leaves. I always did like the smell of fresh dirt. Maybe I’d like this oolong hai after all.

My grandbaby, always bringin’ home new things. First it was that sushi, now it’s this oolong hai cocktail. World’s gettin’ smaller, I tell ya. One day we’ll all be eatin’ raw fish and drinkin’ this here oolong hai. Just you wait and see.

I heard them city folks talkin’ ’bout “cocktail time.” Sounds fancy. But this oolong hai, it’s just tea and that shochu stuff, all mixed up with ice. Simple as pie. Maybe even simpler.

They call it “uuron-hai” over in Japan. Sounds like a cat purrin’. “Uuron-hai, uuron-hai.” Funny how different languages are. But I guess a drink’s a drink, no matter what you call it.

That shochu stuff, they say it’s distilled. Means they boil it down and make it strong. Like when we used to make our own, back in the day. But I ain’t sayin’ nothin’ more about that! It is strong!

So, you got this strong shochu and this fancy oolong tea. Two different things, but when you put ’em together, somethin’ special happens. Like when you mix flour and water and get bread. Different, but good.

Now, I ain’t tried this oolong hai myself yet. But my grandbaby’s been goin’ on and on about it. Says I gotta try it sometime. Maybe I will, just to see what all the fuss is about. Just one sip maybe, I am too old to drink too much.

If you’re lookin’ for somethin’ new to drink, somethin’ a little different, maybe give this oolong hai a try. It ain’t your usual sweet tea, that’s for sure. It is not that sweet. But it might just surprise ya. You can try it if you like to drink tea, it is a kind of tea.

Just remember to drink it cold. And don’t go overboard with that shochu stuff. Unless you want to end up singin’ karaoke all night long, that is! I don’t want to sing, never!

This Japanese oolong hai, it’s a curious thing. A little bit of the old world, mixed with the new. Just like life, I reckon. Always changin’, always somethin’ new to discover. And don’t forget the ice, it is important.