The Tea Thread

[mjjbecker]

Not an entirely unproductive day. Find of the day was a four year old aged white tea.

 

Not the best of pictures but done on my cell phone while on the move and with one hand full.

 

[i am]

Is the cake the white tea? Never seen a white tea in a cake, or heard of it being aged! Nice.

 

Where is this?

 

I've only been to a tea shop in Shanghai (Song Fang), and it was more of the expensive, boutique variety...

 

I'm excited that we're getting back into cold weather, so I can start using my tea pots for the oolongs and puers.

[mjjbecker]

Yes, that's the white tea. From what I can remember its the first time I've tried white tea. In the past its been pretty much all the other main types.

 

Go to the different big cities in China and it seems you can find what the locals term 'Tea Cities'. In my experience they are quite similar in layout. The people selling in these places often come from the provinces that grow the tea and might even be supplied directly by their own family concerns. The sellers in these places have a depth of knowledge you won't find in most shops.

 

Its worth looking around other Asian countries with big Chinese populations. There are some top-notch experts in these communities also.

[Ish]

Has anyone tried the Mi Lan Dan Cong oolong variety?

 

I ordered some yesterday, excited to try it

[i am]

I like every Dan Cong I've tried. Not sure if I've tried that particular kind, though.

 

Let us know how it is!

[Harmonious Emptiness]

How about brewing tips? Parts of your ritual? What do you do for best flavour?

 

I would add:

 

 

- Considering the time to pour it, in the brewing time, and pouring slower or faster based on that (when you have a small pot and spout this is more evident).

 

- brewing time based on imagined expansion of leaves to fill the pot (with wulong)

 

- dousing the pot with hot water 2 or 3 times to heat the water and measure the time

 

- if doing something else while drinking tea, stop and maintain presence for 20 seconds while its brewing

Edited October 24, 2013 by Harmonious Emptiness

[i am]

I'm pretty loose...

 

If previously boiled water is sitting in the kettle, I put fresh (filtered) water in before boiling it for new tea.

 

If I'm using a teapot, each infusion is slightly longer than the last.

 

I mostly drink my tea in a pint glass or coffee mug. Tea thrown in the bottom, boiling (or almost boiling, if it's green tea) water poured on top. Usually the tea sinks by the time it's cooled down enough for me to drink. Refill with water when it gets down to about 1/4. Keep doing this until the leaves start tasting "spent", or you only taste water. With green that's usually 3-4 times. Oolong a few more times.

 

With puer, I'm in the habit of pouring out the first infusion (down the drain), and drinking the rest of the infusions.

[Flolfolil]

whats a good caffeine free herbal tea that gives one a "refreshed" feeling?

 

i like some sleepy type teas but i'm looking for something that is neither upper nor downer

[thelerner]

In the past I've like Celestial Seasoning's Zinger teas, particularly Lemon Zinger, its herbals based on Hibiscus flower. They're good, I especially like to mix them with plain tea bags to make iced teas. Lately I'm going for herbals that are thick with dried fruit like potpourri. Adagio Tea store by me has a couple of flavors. Right now I'm using there Blood Orange. Teavana sells similar teas, but much more expensively. Since its sold by weight, these potpourri style teas cost much more per cup then the usual sinesis. They work nicely in combination with them.

[Aetherous]

whats a good caffeine free herbal tea that gives one a "refreshed" feeling?

 

i like some sleepy type teas but i'm looking for something that is neither upper nor downer

 

White sage comes to mind immediately. Looking it up, one issue is that it contains some thujone...but I've had it and didn't notice any problems.

Edited October 26, 2013 by turtle shell

[Harmonious Emptiness]

White sage comes to mind immediately. Looking it up, one issue is that it contains some thujone...but I've had it and didn't notice any problems.

White sage is toxic to drink.. not good. Much better options, sorry to trump or whatever.

 

Siberian ginseng is good, but doesn't have much flavour, so mix it with lemongrass or something

[silent thunder]

I've been into Spring Dragon of late...

good vibrations...

 

http://gonegreenstore.com/product/dragon-herbs-spring-dragon-longevity-tea?gclid=CPX7u5_0pr0CFVBffgod5LMAcQ

[multiarms]

I'm a tea fan and drink some almost every day. I usually make it gongfu style in the morning with my wife, before going to work. It's a nice little ritual and way to spend time together in the morning. 90% of our teas we order online. You can get a few ounces of different teas for about $100 and enjoy tea for a few months depending on how much you drink. My favorite sites for good quality chinese teas (mostly grown and imported form Taiwan) are Three Treasures Tea, Tea Trekker, and Red Blossom Tea Co (which has a nice tasting room in San Francisco Chinatown as well).

 

Recent favorites:

2013 spring Fou Shou Shan fresh oolong - really good, almost all gone

Roasted tie guanyin

jasmine scented white tea

Bi lo chun green (a cheap but reliable daily drinker)

[Gerard]

I got a present from a friend...

Aged pu-erh bricks, at least 70 years old (possibly older)...

My question is, what's the right way to store this so it doesn't get damaged? I got it wrapped in paper, put it in a wooden box that used to contain some other tea from China, but I'm not sure this is the right way. Any suggestions?

 

Well, that tea is just ready to drink, very old for sure. I wouldn't want to wait any longer.

 

However if you want to keep ageing your puerh cakes, here's some good 'pro' advice:

 

Perspectives on storing and aging pu'er teas

 

Good luck.

[joeblast]

Very interesting, thanks Gerard. That reminds me, I am out of pu erh

[GrandmasterP]

Yorkshire Tea here

http://www.yorkshiretea.co.uk/

 

Two sugars just a drop of milk.

Lovely.

Edited April 2, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[joeblast]

I thought I recalled reading somewhere about milk and such hampering some of the healing benefits of tea, but I dont recall specifically. and I'll pass on the sugar too imho, straight up, the way to go

[joeblast]

its a cow conspiracy

[GrandmasterP]

We call it 'builder's tea' made that way I describe.

Do agree that green tea etc is best enjoyed without any additions though.

[Unlearner]

I thought I recalled reading somewhere about milk and such hampering some of the healing benefits of tea, but I dont recall specifically. and I'll pass on the sugar too imho, straight up, the way to go

 

Agreed, I'm not for putting other stuff into my tea, it kinda ruins the whole "tea" aspect.

 

Also, having lived in the south for the last few years, I'd like to go on record to say that "sweet tea" is not tea, it's sugar water with some tea flavoring.

[Brian]

 

Agreed, I'm not for putting other stuff into my tea, it kinda ruins the whole "tea" aspect.

 

Also, having lived in the south for the last few years, I'd like to go on record to say that "sweet tea" is not tea, it's sugar water with some tea flavoring.

Just gotta make it stronger!

 

 

 

Seriously, though, I agree with you and consider sweet tea to be a beverage unto itself.

[Gerard]

Very interesting, thanks Gerard. That reminds me, I am out of pu erh

 

Most welcome, Joe. Plenty of puerh around You can buy very decent stuff online despite that premium puerh is sold in the local market primarily. Don't go near aged puerh via online sources as you'll be ripped off. Can I recommend you some vendors?

[joeblast]

Sure, why not...I usually go to the green tea house in west hartford ct, but dont always take the time to drive there

[Taomeow]

I may be a coffee fundamentalist but tea leaves room for improvisation (and tea leaves, for puns.)

 

In Nepal they drink it sweet, with yak butter.

In Chukotka, with butter but also salt.

In India, sweet, with milk and chai masala (a mix of hot spices).

In Russia, with strawberry or cherry or raspberry preserves, or lemon and honey or lemon and sugar, or neat but with a hard, non-instant lump of sugar on the side.

In Japan, powdered and whipped with a bamboo wisk, thick like foamy mud.

In Ireland... well, not sure, but have my ideas.

 

I've tried it every which way (barring yak butter which local supermarkets don't carry), and have a few favorites and a few no-ways. Green, I usually drink neat. Black -- it depends. Very partial to the Indian sweet-milky-fiery version of Ceylon black in winter. Don't know how to make the Japanese version so no one gags. (Reading a book by a lineage master of The Way of Tea right now to find out.)

 

The real Russian way (ideally around an antique Tula samovar, which I have but can't use indoors for lack of a chimney) is to drink tea as an excuse for the night munchies and thoughtful, in-depth political or existential discussions with friends, late at night, in the kitchen for maximal free-form informality and spontaneity of the occasion. I think this is still my favorite way.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Taomeow

[joeblast]

wonder how it'd go with chicken, then

 

is it the proteins, or what?