The Early Spring viral drink: Want a taste of Luke's osmanthus milk? Here's how to make it

You would be living under a rock if you haven't heard of The Early Spring, the Chinese drama that has taken social media by storm. With millions of views on Netflix worldwide, the workplace romance starring Jing Boran and Sun Qian has become an absolute obsession. While everything about the show is worth obsessing over - whether it's Boran's portrayal of Luke or Shang Zhi Tao or Flora's innocence, or even crying over their emotional scenes - the internet just cannot stop talking about it. But fashion is another story that we also should not forget.

Anyone who has been watching C-dramas, and even K-dramas, for a while now knows that food and the process of making delicacies have always been a key part of the show's screenplay, and have been used as a metaphor for showing love and care. And many dishes have become famous from the several shows that people are quick to Google. And one thing that has caught everyone's eye is the milk, which Luke prepares for Flora for breakfast.

In the scene, with his effortless charm, Luke can be seen slowly making the milk frothy, with complete focus, adding honey from a pot that looks like a honey bee womb, and then he adds, with a slow hand, a golden, flower-like ingredient before whisking it all together. So what is it? It's osmanthus milk.

After watching the show, the internet has gone crazy trying to figure out what osmanthus milk is, sharing videos from the show and viral clips.

What is osmanthus milk and how is it prepared?

A creamy, fragrant latte made with dried osmanthus flowers, milk, and honey. In the show, it becomes Luke's quiet love language for Flora, a small morning ritual that says more than words ever could, and his soft smile when she asks for another glass. (This specific scene is in episode 10).

The process to make this Osmanthus is super easy.

Ingredients: Dried osmanthus flowers, milk of your choice, osmanthus honey sauce, jam and sugar.

Method: Soak 1 tbsp dried osmanthus flowers in 1/4 cup hot water for 3-4 minutes. Strain and keep the golden water. In a small pan, warm 1 cup of milk. Add the strained osmanthus-infused water and a little bit of the soaked flowers directly into the milk. Then add sugar.

Add 1 tsp of osmanthus syrup or honey. Add the honey slowly; that's the key for that glossy look. In the end, whisk it and then top it up with a dried osmanthus flower.

In a simpler way, you can simply mix osmanthus syrup with milk and a little bit of dried osmanthus flowers.

For those unaware of what osmanthus is, it's a fragrant plant in China, known for its aroma and golden blossoms. It has been in Chinese culture for centuries now; it is another floral tea, apart from Jasmine, that has a long history in East Asian countries. It is used to make osmanthus tea, cakes, sugar, and even wine, adding a distinct floral aroma to dishes.