Tea

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  Images for tea on Daylife

• Photo from Reuters Pictures

  6 Feb 2010 | 3:44 pm

  A group that claimed to be in support of tea, the drink, talks with convention goers before being asked to leave the hotel property by security during the National Tea Party Convention at Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee February 6, 2010. They declined to give their names.

• Photo from Reuters Pictures

  6 Feb 2010 | 3:42 pm

  A group that claimed to be in support of tea, the drink, talks with convention goers before being asked to leave the hotel property by security during the National Tea Party Convention at Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee February 6, 2010. They declined to give their names.

• Photo from AP Photo

  6 Feb 2010 | 7:14 am

  Jim Tomasik, of Cordova, Tenn. , who described himself as a member of the Tennessee Tea Party Coalition, talks with reporters about the group's differences with the organizers of the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010.

• Photo from AP Photo

  5 Feb 2010 | 7:02 am

  Mark Skoda, a talk radio host who founded a Memphis "tea party" group and helped organize the National Tea Party Convention speaks during a news conference in Nashville, Friday, Feb. 5, 2010. Skoda announced the creation of the Ensuring Liberty Corp. , and an affiliated political action committee...

• Photo from AP Photo

  5 Feb 2010 | 5:47 am

  FILE - In this Feb. 5, 2010 photo retired U.S. Air Force Col. O. P. Ditch wears a shirt supporting former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin as he waits in a hallway outside the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville. Palin is scheduled to give the keynotee address Saturday night,...

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  MarshalN's Xanga

• To blend...

  31 Jan 2010 | 9:18 pm

   or not to blend?  That is the question.Lots of people have discussed this before, and a long, long time ago, I think I said something about it too, although it's been so long that it might as well not exist.  The thing here is mostly concerning puerh -- whether or not these single mountain teas are really such a good idea.We all know that traditionally, teas were blended.  I have seen evidence from the nineteenth century that clearly state how cakes produced in Yunnan were blended with different leaves, and it seems to be for commercial reasons too -- nice leaves on the…

• Appellation control

  19 Jan 2010 | 9:42 pm

  One of the most confusing things about buying tea is that there is virtually no naming scheme and standards.  I can go buy some green tea from a wholesaler and resell that as "jade green spring", which sounds awfully like biluochun "green snail spring", and perhaps lead you to think that it might have something to do with biluochun, even though my tea could be some cheap Sichuan green of no notable character.  Tieguanyin from Fujian and tieguanyin from Taiwan are entirely different beasts -- the ones in Fujian are generally named for the varietal of tea plant from which the tea…

• Spoilage

  8 Jan 2010 | 5:59 pm

  I opened a bottle of spoiled wine yesterday.  It was not a great loss, as it was only a cheap Cotes du Rhone that I had kept for a few years.  It went through various types of poor storage, including a year and half in a U-Haul storage facility.  The cork probably dried out at some point, and nature took its course and turned it into vinegar.This reminds me of the risks inherent in storing tea as well.  Humidity, for the most part, is not a risk factor in much of the US, but depending on the environment in which you store the tea, it can affect the tea negatively, perhaps…

• Buying tea from Taobao (2)

  7 Jan 2010 | 4:24 am

  So last entry we stopped at actually looking at listings.  Let's now turn to those.Over the years pictures on Taobao has really improved.  I remember when I was in China in 06, very often the Taobao listings would have no pictures at all, or a really bad, grainy, and small picture that might as well not be there.  Since then, most listings have gained multiple pictures, and now as long as you believe what's in the listing, you can find some pretty decent looking photos to rely upon.  When you scroll down from the "search" menu to look at the listings, it'll look like…

• Buying tea from Taobao (1)

  5 Jan 2010 | 5:46 am

  So it seems like those crafty Chinese finally found a way to make some money by acting as middleman between that emporium of all things Chinese, Taobao, and the Western buyer who wants stuff on there.  For those of you who don't know, Taobao.com is basically China's eBay, only worse.  Since it does not charge listing or final value fees, anybody can list pretty much anything on there, and much of the business on Taobao is conducted off-site.  What it is, then, is basically a huge online catalog, and if you like something there, you contact the buyer and arrange a deal, often…

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  The Mandarin's Tea

• Visual Judging of Dong Ding Oolong Tea.

  26 Jan 2010 | 6:34 pm

  I remember a third generation tea farmer from Nantou once taught me what to look for in High Mountain oolong."Anything lower than 700M is not considered as High Mountain," He begins. "The harsher and more extreme the growing environment, the tastier the tea is..... and it's all about the sheen, the oil on the surfaces of each pallets." He concluded.All good quality tea should have shine and

• Taiwanese Er Mei Shan Old Bush Eastern Beauty

  18 Jan 2010 | 8:45 am

  It was a great holiday season for me. Wonderful Family time, food, gifts, tea gatherings and great company filled up the festive month. Chinese New Year is around the corner, so before that, I wish to taste most of the newly collected. Over this weekend, I got to taste an amazing brandy, some good aged smoke and a special tea from Michael Wong. Vendor:The Tea Gallery. NYCOrigin:Er Mei Mountain

• Jiang Rong's Mou Lu Ni, Spring Lotus with Frog and Snails

  14 Jan 2010 | 5:00 pm

  Being a Yixing enthusiast for over 15 years now, I still remember the moment that the spell was casted.The display shelves were full of yixings, big and small. Back in those days when Jiang Rong and Gu Jing Zhou's pots were still available for a price not as hefty as today. I am not a big fan of 'Flower pot' style, but once in a while those refined details on such a piece do captivate my

• The Mandarin's Meeting IV

  5 Jan 2010 | 12:42 pm

  Tea gathering, to me, is for sharing of mind and sincerity. Learning from each other is the most fulfilling moment.Very different than traditional tea fights, the tea presented is merely a fresh air to feed the mind. It's become a talking point to allure out ones humble and unpretentious self. I had the greatest pleasure over the last year to have tea with 4 admiring mandarins in the red room. My

• Organic Red Jade #18 from Taiwan

  31 Dec 2009 | 10:52 am

  Before the year ends, I wish to do a brief tea tasting. People who follow the Mandarin's blog know that tea review from vendors are rare, except a couple of trusted ones. So, why a change? Perhaps it's to encourage more younger people to learn and understand this life changing experience. A generous sample for holidays from Carnie and Sina from Red Circle Tea, two young tea enthusiasts who

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  a Felicific life

• Up in the air

  19 Jan 2010 | 2:09 pm

  I've been engaged in legal negotiations for the last month or so. I'm trying to take on a lease for a property which I hope could become a tea house. It has been quite good practice for me to have gone through this, I've been able to see my mind has reacted towards obstacles thrown in the way and have had to practice a fair share of patience with the 80+ year old landlady who can conveniently forget agreeing to some points, while rigidly sticking the enforcement of others.And so we're kind of in stalemate at the moment while she makes up her mind on a couple of pretty important points. It…

• busy busy busy

  24 Oct 2009 | 7:48 am

  I hadn't realised it had been so long since I last posted. I hadn't come across anything that I'd wanted to relate to the world & have been generally so busy that I didn't have the inspiration to post.Hopefully that will change a little soon - I have my bags packed and am heading off to Taiwan for a couple of weeks. This time though it's business related - Kathy & I hope to open a tea house in Cornwall in the next couple of months. We've been on a couple of trips to scout for potential premises, done a lot of work sorting out the financial and other responsibilities & it looks like it's going…

• Nannuo tea picking song

  6 Jul 2009 | 1:11 pm

  I thought I'd post this - apologies for the poor sound quality and short length, but you get the idea.A Traditional Ai-Ni (the minority living in Nannuo) tea picking song...

• Chen Qi Nan

  27 May 2009 | 4:31 am

  I thought I'd post some pictures of a visit I had to Chen Qi Nan's studio last week. This man makes some really beautiful teaware. In past years he was an engineer, then gave it up to devote his time to making pottery and throughout he drank tea and practiced Qi Gong. These different aspects of his life come through perfectly in his work - his pieces have the practical construction of an engineer, the functionality that a tea drinker would wish for and the art and spirit of someone who has a feeling for more subtle things.Many pieces he makes using pieces of wood he finds in the mountains and…

• Naka

  2 May 2009 | 5:11 am

  I thought I'd post some photos of some of the trees I made tea from this year.First up... Naka, a relatively unfamous mountain about 1 hour drive from Menghai, known for its abundance of old trees with characteristically small leaves & home to the La Hu minority. These trees are apparently ~400 years old. Smooth clean taste, with some bite and nice chaqi.

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  CHA DAO

• Yi Mok and the Ch’abu 茶賦

  4 Feb 2010 | 4:59 pm

  by STEVEN D. OWYOUNGWhen Yi Mok wrote the Ch’abu 茶賦 (Korean Ode to Tea) in the late fourteen hundreds, the Ode joined the long and illustrious history of tea. For centuries, Korean court annalists wrote of tea in the kingdom’s earliest records, and scholars and poets filled their literary compilations with belles lettres devoted to the herb. But until the Ode, there was no formal Korean treatment of tea. Yi Mok was the first to write in detail about tea on behalf of the literati, and for his contribution to the distinctive peninsular culture of tea, he is known as the Father of Tea…

• Korean Tea Texts, Classical and Modern [iii]: An Outline and Select Highlights of the Dongdasong《東茶頌》

  2 Feb 2010 | 4:58 pm

  by WARREN PELTIER[[EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third in a series of entries by Warren Peltier on Korean tea texts. For the first and second entries, click here and here. This third entry is an examination of the Dongdasong of Seon monk Cho Ui 艸衣禪師.]]Previously, we looked at a broad overview of Korean tea books both classical and modern. When we examine the contents of Cho Ui’s book Dongdasong (Praise for Eastern Tea) 《東茶頌》, we can learn many things about Cho Ui himself. It’s apparent that he was very well versed in Chinese tea classics. He must have spent a tremendous…

• Korean Tea Texts, Classical and Modern [ii]: The Cha Bu of Hanjae Yi Mok

  27 Jan 2010 | 9:00 pm

  by WARREN PELTIER[[EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second in a series of entries by Warren Peltier on Korean tea texts. For the first and third entries, click here and here.]]In this entry I offer a summation of the basic ideas expressed by Hanjae in Cha Bu, accompanied by my own notes and commentary. First, Hanjae observes that the common people drink to be happy. The common people engage themselves in material things, or idle entertainment or delectable tastes. They are happy to the end of days and never tiresome of it. What kind of character is this? Like Li Bai 李白 embracing the moon (while…

• Korean Tea Texts, Classical and Modern [i]: An Overview

  6 Jan 2010 | 5:27 pm

  by WARREN PELTIER[[EDITOR'S NOTE: In a recent review of THE TRUE HISTORY OF TEA, DougH laments that book's almost total omission of information on Korean tea culture. This is surely an important lacuna in any truly comprehensive account of tea history and culture; and indeed it is about to be remedied, in part, by the publication (by Seoul Selection) of THREE KOREAN TEA CLASSICS, a translation project headed by Brother Anthony of Taize, whose elegant THE KOREAN WAY OF TEA is a treasure; a principal contributor to this forthcoming work is Steven D. Owyoung, an eminent regular contributor to…

• READER'S CORNER: DougH on The True History of Tea by Victor H. Mair and Erling Hoh

  1 Jan 2010 | 9:46 am

  Victor H. Mair and Erling Hoh. THE TRUE HISTORY OF TEA. London: Thames & Hudson 2009. 280 pages. ISBN 978-0-500-25146-1. There are those who believe we in the USA are seeing -- or are about to see -- or will someday see -- a significant increase in the popularity of tea. I have some doubts about this. But one argument in favor of such optimism could be based on the recent innundation of English-language books on tea. Ten or twelve years ago, there were almost no such books; there were (and still are) the classics -- James Norwood Pratt’s The New Tea Lover’s Treasury (1999) and the…

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  MattCha's Blog

• 2009 Boseong Green Tea Sample

  5 Feb 2010 | 6:45 pm

  One hasn't consumed that much green tea as of late. This is normal, keeping with the harmony of the seasons. The cool thermal qi and subtle sweet flavour of green tea harmonizes best with the rising energy of spring. However, with temperatures in January the warmest on record, spring has officially arrived here on Vancouver Island. A sure sign is the spattering of cherry blossoms that line the street just a few blocks away. So how appropriate that one try this green tea sample sent generously by Chris.The staples are pulled out of the sealed bag and the dry leaf is scooped into the plain…

• A Rusty, Oxidized Tea Jar By Kim Kyoung Soo

  4 Feb 2010 | 9:54 pm

  This small tea caddy by Kim Kyong Soo is typical of his style. It has a brown, oxidized, rustic look and feel that permeates the mind. Picking up the small tea jar, removing the lid, and mindfully scooping tea from the inside with a modest bamboo scoop is like embracing the rust in our mind.Everyone's mind has rust- it is only natural.Placing the lid back on and placing this jar down, is like acknowledging that what is, not dwelling on it, but putting it aside even if just for the duration of a tea session.The engraved calligraphy is beautiful and picks up the darkness in the dim tea room.

• In a Few Weeks From Now a Much Anticipated Event Will Take Place on Canada's West Coast...

  3 Feb 2010 | 6:00 pm

  No its not the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, its Victoria's 4th Annual Tea Festival! In celebration of this event one is going to be featuring a few posts on some of the local tea heavy weights in Victoria throughout the coming weeks. Peace

• 2009 'Yo Reum Hyong Ki' Boseong Yellow Tea Sample

  29 Jan 2010 | 2:06 pm

  This sample was kindly sent by Chris along with a few other surprises. This tea is from Boseong. Of note, is that it doesn't have the seal of Korean Organic Certification. Boseong has recently captured headlines worldwide for certifying many of its gardens, but not all gardens in Boseong are certified organic, in fact most are not. Of course, this has no bearing on the quality of the tea.Very dark brownish leaves with a red tinge are revealed when dumped onto a coaster for inspection. Just upon inspection of the dry leaf one can ascertain the taste of this Korean yellow. The smell is light…

• Two 'Types' of Korean Yellow (Semi-Oxidized) Tea

  26 Jan 2010 | 9:59 pm

  Merely from years of experience, there seems to be two types (or maybe classes) of yellow tea produced in Korea. The first kind of yellow is the "Spicy, Fruity, Juicy Type" and the second is the "Roasted, Chocolate Type" mmmm... they both sound yummy! The "Spicy, Fruity, Juicy Type" have very dark dry leaves, a yellow soup, a very juicy light mouthfeel, and taste sweet, spicy, and fruity.The "Roasted, Chocolate Type" have dry leaves that look dusky or dusty and have a purple tinge to them, a brown-yellow or reddish brown yellow soup, a silky, slightly stimulating mouthfeel, and taste…

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  Puerh Tea Community

• Identify these teas??

  7 Feb 2010 | 9:48 pm

  I was recently given 2 Puerh teas by a friend of a friend of a friend. He is kind of a tea expert but doesn't speak any EnglishDoes anybody out there know these teas?and the second oneThanks

• Distinguishing between fake and real 2009 Menghai 7572 901

  4 Feb 2010 | 1:02 am

  Recently I had the experience of acquiring 42 pieces of fake 2009 Menghai Dayi 7572 901 ripe tea. The counterfeiters are getting better year after year, and have become so proficient that I believe some market participants will disagree that the photos below show a fake Dayi product.FAKE1. There is no dapiao 大票.The big piece of paper telling you the manufacturer, name of the tea, often year, and other vital information of the tea in question that usually comes with a jian of tea. This time it is missing. :shock: FAKE2. The hologram label on the tongTake a look at the outer label. The…

• Thoughts on "Warming the Vessel"

  11 Jan 2010 | 7:57 am

  So I've been thinking about the logic of gongfu brewing. Most of it makes sense, but I don't quite understand the "pre-heat" step.One of the things people always say when they are explaining is that you need to warm the vessel and cups so that you brew at the right temp. But...I never really do that to "warm" the vessel/cup because the rinse cycles already warm the vessel prior to the actual brew, and I don't warm the cup because usually it's too hot to drink right away anyway. So I've been thinking about this and wondering why it's necessary. The only reasonable conclusion I've come up with…

• New to Pu-erh Tea

  7 Jan 2010 | 8:54 am

  A friend got me into Pu-erh tea and I like to blog what I'm learning about. You might like to come visit www.pu-erhteas.com.  I would appreciate you comments and thoughts on the site.

• What does your tea setup look like?

  22 Dec 2009 | 12:01 pm

  Just curious. Post a pic of your tea scene. This is our @work setup. After rotting out 3 bamboo trays, Punmanand I got a ceramic tray. Spitting frog mascot is absent for cleaning.

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  Tea Obsession

• Ginger Jars

  4 Feb 2010 | 8:39 pm

  Need to find lids for these 2 jars.

• Just braggin...

  3 Feb 2010 | 6:21 pm

  Batavia Gaiwan from late Qing Dynasty, large 180 ml. I use it as drinking cup. (not for sale)Song dynasty celadon cups, rustic, 20 ml. Very very nice, best for tea out of all tea cups I have. (not for sale)Brown glaze cups, they are not Batavian cups. Older, thiner, and better made than the fish design Batavian cups. Makes second best tea out of all my cups, 25 ml. (not for sale)YES, I have a thing for brown cups! :PI am sentimental toward the brown cups, ecstatically pleasing to the eyes for me are celadons and blue and white porcelain, occasionally Fun Cai.Antique cups for sale

• Journey of water seeking

  26 Jan 2010 | 9:15 pm

  Rain season is here in LA, after a week of heavy rain, the sky above is brighter, clearer, and calls for reaching above. Hiked and high above the basin of San Gabriel valley, I reached for the sky, hiked and low below the mountain valley, I reached for the pure water. It's a day to seek high and low, so much as in life itself.Water is the mother of tea, utensils are father of tea. I have collected a few tea wares to improve water and tea flavor, improving water quality on the other hand is an endless goal. To start, I have a 5 steps reverse osmosis purifying system, bamboo charcoal to further…

• New old stuff arrived

  20 Jan 2010 | 11:12 pm

  Got a big box yesterday! In this cold weather accompanied with pouring rain, what'd be better than having a fire going, collect heavenly rain water and brew myself a cup after cup of nice tea!I have been rewarding myself with several good trees this year, in side of this box, I once again got a nice little gift for myself, 08 Cha Wang Dan Cong. A set of Batavian gaiwan with 4 cups for myself, and 40 Batavian cups of the gold fish design, will have them posted on www.teahabitat.com soon. They are best for pu-erh tea or for drinking large cup of tea, hand made during Guang Xu Nian (late…

• Tea review - Jan 2010

  8 Jan 2010 | 7:41 pm

  I have fallen behind on tea review for a couple of months. Well, I have been busy with time and other interest, plus the holidays made me a bit lazy. So, as my first attempt of this new year, I am slowing posting my thoughts on new teas in stock for now. Yang Mei Ye: got its name from the shape of the leaf when fresh. Here is a picture of the tea after 20+ infusions. Good looking leaves, thin large leaves, very soft and flexible, mixture of open leaves and still rolled up younger leaves, a sign of aroma with Yun both present in this tea. Taste is sweet with a hint of plum wine flavor, with…

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  The Half-Dipper

• Christmas Abroad

  1 Feb 2010 | 3:05 am

  You know that you've been away a long time when you realise that your fingers have forgotten how to type. Merry Christmas! Visiting our Chinese half of the family is always a lovely experience, but I have to admit that it is good to be home. "What should they know of Englandwho only England know?" To me, Kipling's words used to mean "travel the world, broaden your mind".   Now, I feel that the

• Game Over, Man - Game Over

  12 Dec 2009 | 5:09 am

  It seems that my DPhil examiners were careless in my viva, because they've passed me! Thanks to all those who sent comments and e-mails of support / comfort over the last week. See you all in the New Year!   Dr. Hobbes circa 4 p.m. yesterday

• The End of Term

  7 Dec 2009 | 8:11 am

  Phew. That was a heavy term. Here in Blighty, we'd say "Gorblimey". I feel exactly like this: "Hobbes at the end of term" I hope that your autumn has been a little easier on the nerves. Term is very short here - just eight weeks.  The university is a catalyst; the reaction is performed quickly, and at high temperature.  It is a high-energy, exothermic process, and, while it's pleasant to

• Water Pools

  30 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am

  water pools among the rocks - then pools and pools again - John Wills

• House Blend

  28 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am

  Here's something that you might like to try at home. Many years ago, I remember reading (I think at the ever-excellent site of MarshalN) that the "Best Teahouse" in Hong Kong used to keep a tray for their left-over pu'er, into which all the loose leaves would fall from their braeking of bingcha, repackaging tea, etc.  Since then, I've been doing the same, and keeping my own left-overs in a big,

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  Adagio Teas: What's New

• Valentine's Day Tea

  Ilya Kreymerman

  2 Feb 2010 | 4:00 pm

  Surprise your Valentine with a bouquet of tea flowers, thrilling to observe and delightful to drink. [Via Adagio Teas]

• Extended warranty option on teaware

  Ilya Kreymerman

  10 Jan 2010 | 4:00 pm

  We have added the option of purchasing extended warranties on many of our teaware products. For a low price, your product will be covered for an additional year against all of life's little mishaps. [Via Adagio Teas]

• Pitch us your idea for a share of $50,000

  Ilya Kreymerman

  7 Jan 2010 | 4:00 pm

  We invite your participation in a campaign we call The Money Tree, offering to fund promising ideas and initiatives that would bringing Adagio Teas to a wider audience. [Via Adagio Teas]

• Return rates percentages are now displayed

  Ilya Kreymerman

  6 Jan 2010 | 4:00 pm

  Need more help in deciding what tea or teaware to purchase? Reading reviews can be helpful, but we are now offering another insight to help you make your purchase. If you scroll and view along the right hand side of your screen when viewing a particular item, you can check out the actual rate return for that product due to damage or dislike. Hopefully this information will help you decide what you wish to purchase from our site! [Via Adagio Teas]

• Roots Campaign - January 2010

  Ilya Kreymerman

  4 Jan 2010 | 4:00 pm

  We start January off with a new tea farmer featured in our Roots Campaign. Last month, with your help we raised $513 through purchases of Ceylon Sonata to be donated to tea farmer, Archiemuthu Satheskumar. This month we go back to China to Yan Fu Yun, who grows Dragonwell tea in Hangzhou, China. Ten percent of your sales of Dragonwell tea will go directly to him; please visit our Roots Campaign page and read about his day to day life as a tea farmer. [Via Adagio Teas]

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  News from Upton Tea

• New Product: Valentine's Day Sampler Set

  13 Feb 2010 | 4:00 pm

  Chocolate, candied hearts, roses, tea - this Sampler Set has everything you need to put together an unforgettable Valentine's Day.A tin (approx 35g) of each of the following teas and tisanes: Earl Grey Chocolate (TE13), Rooibos Candied Almond (BA25), Organic Rose Green Tea (TP46) and Green Rooibos Poire Creme (BA04).Also available bundled with a bone china teapot in our Valentine's Day Gift Set.

• New Product: Valentine's Day Gift Set

  13 Feb 2010 | 4:00 pm

  Chocolate, candied hearts, roses, tea and a beautiful bone china teapot - this gift set has everything you need for a Valentine's Day to remember.Created specially for Valentine's Day, this gift set includes a Chatsford 4-cup (24 oz.) Bone China teapot with blue accent stripe and Valentine's Day sampler set. The sampler set contains a variety of four teas and tisanes and may also be purchased separately under item SV01.

• New Product: Season's Pick Nilgiri OP

  2 Feb 2010 | 4:00 pm

  An excellent tea for those who like a milder Nilgiri. Best without milk, unless the steeping time is extended to 5 minutes or longer. The cup is smooth and rounded with a clean finish. Also makes great iced tea.

• New Product: Oolong Choice Grade

  1 Feb 2010 | 4:00 pm

  While not as elegant in appearance as our Formosa Oolong Choicest, this classic grade has a rich, smooth flavor, dark cup, and represents a great value for this style of tea. The cup has a moderate level of pungency, fruity notes, and a sweet, lingering finish. Recommended for Oolong enthusiasts on a budget.

• New Product: Castleton Estate FTGFOP1 Musc. Second Flush (DJ-136)

  31 Jan 2010 | 4:00 pm

  Whether they are sold as a private offering or at the Calcutta auctions, Castleton teas routinely fetch top dollar. This choice selection has the character that has made Castleton a benchmark. The chestnut colored cup is smooth and flavorful with a complex aroma and muscatel notes.

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  TeaChef

• Blueberry Gingerbread

  Ilya Kreymerman

  Blueberry Gingerbread Submitted by: I like using Earl Grey Tea and 2 cups of fresh blueberries for this recipe. I usually serve it warm with fresh whipped cream. Prep Time: It doesn't take long to mix and about 40 - 45 minutes to bake. Serving Size: 9 x 13 pan Ingredients Dry Ingredients: 1 cup of sugar 1 tsp. cloves 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. salt 1 heaping tsp. baking soda 2 + 1/2 cups of flour Wet Ingredients: 1/2 cup molasses 2 eggs 1/2 cup cooking oil (canola is fine) 1 cup Hot Tea 1 - 2 cups of blueberries Directions Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Add Hot Tea last.

• daria

  Ilya Kreymerman

  daria Submitted by: kiFRDj Gra7noI59Unral92Bb7wf Prep Time: kiFRDj Gra7noI59Unral92Bb7wf Serving Size: yoXBViXMasvEQpQLR Ingredients kiFRDj Gra7noI59Unral92Bb7wf Directions kiFRDj Gra7noI59Unral92Bb7wf [Via TeaChef]

• alexg744

  Ilya Kreymerman

  alexg744 Submitted by: Very nice site! Prep Time: Very nice site! Serving Size: wuryuirp Ingredients Very nice site! Directions Very nice site! [Via TeaChef]

• Grilled Pu Derh Fish Fillets

  Ilya Kreymerman

  Grilled Pu Derh Fish Fillets Submitted by: nice smokey grill flavor makes a tasty dish along with a side of vegetable fried rice & grilled zucchini an/or sweet corn! Yum! Prep Time: 30 mins Serving Size: 4-6 Ingredients 1-2 lbs of fillets cod flounder halibut whatever you prefer chopped tomato chopped scallions fresh herbs are wonderful add a dash of seasonings garlic salt pepper ms dash tad of cilantro thyme Directions brew 1 cup of very strong pu erh dante tea drain let cool a few minutes add a dash of seasonings garlic salt pepper ms dash tad of cilantro thyme sometimes I add some dry tea…

• huang shuwei

  Ilya Kreymerman

  huang shuwei Submitted by: Our company Chao An Propitious Clouds Tea Co., Ltd, is expert in producing, processing and selling tea, tea instrument and other tea- concerned productions. Our tea garden is base in the famous tea-produced center-guangdong fenghuang town. The tea garden located in low 600m high mountain where is the national excellent green-food producing center without any pollution. Prep Time: Now, we are in the beginning of the new century, We push our production out into the world by the internet. Our production will keep good quality, stable style, clear class, safe and clean…

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  Samovarlife

• Huffington Post Recommends the Samovar Romance Tea Set for Your Sweet Valentine

  SamovarLife

  3 Feb 2010 | 5:56 pm

  Unisex Valentine’s Gifts for Every Sense. By Margaret Ryan The Huffington Post February 2, 2010 “Valentine’s Day may have roots in a Hallmark campaign, but what harm is there in setting aside a day that motivates you to make a point of celebrating the one you love? Man or woman — here is a list of five genderless gifts which will appeal to the object of your affection… (Taste) Samovar Tea Lounge Romance Tea Set: Packaged in a scarlet gift box, this unique tea set by San Francisco Company Samovar features three 40z. boxes of teas known for their seductive…

• Specialty Coffee Magazine Makes Tea a Cover Story- With Samovar’s Jesse Jacobs!

  admin

  3 Feb 2010 | 4:15 pm

  Samovar Tea Lounge Specialty Coffee Retailer by Dan Bolton November 2009 “New generation teahouses share a vision of tea for the broad audience, say Samovar Tea Lounge founder Jesse Jacobs (featured on this month’s cover)…. ‘What all these teahouses have in common is an experience that is based on the foundations of tea: relaxation, social intimacy, and health — and delivered via food and teas with integrity.’”

• SF Weekly’s Katy St. Clair Finds a Moment of Peace at Samovar Castro

  SamovarLife

  25 Jan 2010 | 2:57 pm

  Tea Party Politics at Samovar Tea Lounge By Katy St. Clair Published on December 24, 20 Sometimes it’s nice to see how the other half lives. And by the other half, I mean those folks who go out and enjoy themselves without imbibing liquor. You know, weirdos. I suppose many of them go to the movies or Starbucks or something. But a segment of the sober population seems to be partaking in this whole “tea lounge” phenomenon. A tea lounge is like a bar but without the fun, as near as I can tell. No one drinks too many lapsang souchongs and goes home with the busboy, there is no…

• Samovar in the NY Times: Teahouses’ Unique Blends Are Not Just in the Cup

  SamovarLife

  5 Jan 2010 | 11:10 am

  The New York Times Dining and Wine Section features Samovar among the colorful and diverse San Francisco Bay Area teahouses. Teahouses’ Unique Blends Are Not Just in the Cup By GREGORY DICUM Published: January 1, 2010 “…Samovar, in the Castro, makes tea drinking a stylish affair. Teas from around the world are served as they are in their home countries: Japanese maki bowls of rice and seaweed with ryokucha brown rice tea ($17), English tea service with scones and Devonshire cream ($19), Chinese tea with dumplings ($19) and masala chai with curry ($17). Russian tea is poured from…

• Taiwan Teachings: Fresh Cup Features a Tea Article by Samovar’s Jodet!

  SamovarLife

  4 Jan 2010 | 11:23 am

  Taiwan Teachings: A curious tea lover heads across the world—and some slick mountain roads—to learn about leaf cultivation Story & photos by Jodet Ghougassian On the first day of our tea journey in Taiwan, my friend Lorraine and I found ourselves on a seemingly endless drive along unpaved roads that snaked dangerously through a hulking mountain range. I found myself having the same thought I did when we staggered onto our flight out of San Francisco at 2 a.m. the day before: “What are we doing?” But as we came across those mountains and into the majestic region known as Puli, all…

• 
  Tea Masters

• Maison de thé près de chez moi (2)

  Stephane

  8 Feb 2010 | 7:37 pm

  Nous sommes retournés à cette maison de thé ce weekend. Cette fois-ci, j'ai ramené mes accessoires. Je n'ai gardé que la bouilloire et l'eau sont fournis par l'établissement. J'ai choisi un zhong afin d'avoir un accessoire polyvalent pour préparer les 3 Oolongs que j'ai amenés (Shan Lin Shi du printemps 2009, Ali Shan Hung Shui Oolong et top Oriental Beauty de Hsin Chu).A l'arrière-plan, sur la gauche, on peut distinguer un pin très semblable à celui sur mon Cha Bu noir!La porcelaine blanche ivoire de mon set provient d'une production moderne et industrielle. La technique est…

• "Splendidly beautiful" and "gorgeous" Cha Bu

  Stephane

  5 Feb 2010 | 4:50 am

  These are your -my readers'- words, commenting this Cha Bu in my previous article. I couldn't agree more! The repeating pattern of this Chinese painting looks great even with no accessories on it. Because of this, each Cha Bu is a little different, depending on where the fabric was cut. Some emphasize the bamboo, other the pine tree:I made this Cha Bu a little smaller than the previous one. It measures 52 x 33 cm approximately. The smaller surface makes it a little less distracting for the eyes. And it also makes it more affordable!This reversible Cha Bu has 2 options for the second side.

• Spring 2008 'classic' Dong Ding Oolong

  Stephane

  4 Feb 2010 | 6:30 am

  Cultivar: Luanze OolongPlace: Feng Huang, Dong Ding, Central TaiwanHarvested by hand on April 21, 2008Roasted in May 2008.I purchased this Oolong in spring 2008. The roasting was pretty strong at the time. So, I decided to let it rest. Now, 20 months later, the tea feels smoother it feels right to add it to my list. (Also, the spring 2009 'classic' just sold out. It was roasted more lightly).The color of the brew is golden, pointing to orange, and very clear.The smells are dark chocolate, malt, brown sugar and ripe fruits. The taste is sweet, drying and full body. It stays on the tongue and…

• Dégustation d'un Jin Cha des années 1930

  Stephane

  1 Feb 2010 | 7:56 am

  Il s'agit d'un puerh en forme de champignon, issu du Mojiang (Yunnan) et destiné aux moines du Tibet. Pressé manuellement, on voit encore bien sur le pied la marque du tissu enroulé ; cela fait comme une spirale. Le plus étonnant, quand on prend ce puerh en main est l'impression de légerté. Il est complètement sec. Mon généreux hôte en décortique quelques grammes. Il préchauffe trois fois une petite théière ancienne en zisha d'aspect rustique et crue. Elle n'est pas élégante pour un sou, mais elle est vraie, dotée d'une personnalité forte. L'eau chaude la réveille et ses…

• Old sheng? puerh

  Stephane

  28 Jan 2010 | 4:02 am

  A kind reader sent me a sample of a 'mid 1960s sheng loose puerh'. Such an old puerh is supposed to taste divine. After a rinse and 2 brews, it didn't feel clean and smooth in the mouth and along the throat. I decided to stop brewing it and switch to my early 1970s raw loose puerh. The dry leaves and the smell are very similar. The big difference between these 2 teas are the wet leaves. After 2 brews, I fished out some from the teapot for comparison. See Above. Can you guess which is really sheng?The mouthfeel of my early 1970s is completely comfortable and, 3 hours after drinking it, I can…

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  TeaChat

• Board statistics

  9 Feb 2010 | 9:46 am

  Board started:Jun 10th, '05, 06:40Days since started:1705Board version:phpbb 3.0.5All times are :UTC - 4 hoursNumber of posts:133913Posts per day:78.52Number of topics:8995Topics per day:5.27Number of users:7631Users per day:4.47Our newest member :rosesandtea02Most users ever online was 89 on Oct 12th, '09, 21:10

• Oolong Tea | Re: What Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

  9 Feb 2010 | 9:43 am

  I got my first shipment from Yunnan Sourcing yesterday, including my first "real" yixing. So, I have been practicing with proper gongfu. I seasoned the pot a bit according to Stephane's post on his blog, and I broke out the Fancy TGY. I am still giggling to myself over this whole thing... I filled the pot up about 3/4 with leaf... did a flash rinse, and then started my infusions. The first 2 were really good, and by the 3rd, the leaves were totally up out of the pot. I could tell they were not unfurling properly, so I removed ohhhh about half of the leaf.. and did another…

• TeaDay: Daily Cup, TeaPoll & Discussion Topic | Re: Tuesday TeaDay 2/9/10 TeaDay cups?

  9 Feb 2010 | 9:42 am

  It depends: sometimes I use only one cup for the whole day, sometimes one different each time.Kanro gyokuro this evening.

• Teaware & Accessories | Re: Today's MatchaWan :D (new name, but tea's the same)

  9 Feb 2010 | 9:38 am

  It's a great matcha day - feeling very grateful for B's post!Today - Ikuyo-no-mukashi in Cory Lum's Dragon Eye, with kibako! Cheers!

• New! TeaRetailer | Re: Caffeine in tea

  9 Feb 2010 | 9:02 am

  Charles wrote:I can certainly add a few citations. I was trying to keep the formality and science speak to a minimum. As for caffeine in herbals, Yerba Mate is the only herbal that can claim this. Some vendors claim that Maté contains matiene a special variant on caffeine called mateine. Put simply, while it makes for a good Maté marketing tool, there is no scientific basis for this claim. That said, people often report a different feeling from the caffeine in Maté vs. the caffeine in tea or coffee. These differences result from the two other caffeine like compounds in Maté. Caffeine is a…

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  T Ching

• Taking tea to another dimension

  Wemischner Robert

  9 Feb 2010 | 1:01 am

  I think of myself as a purist when it comes to the teas I like to drink.  I seek teas that are straightforward, tasting of their terroir, and not flavored with anything nature-equivalent, synthetic, or artificial, true to their type.  I want to inhale and taste the tea and appreciate the art of the grower and the processor.  But there are times when the palate is in need of new excitement.  It is then that I turn to seasonal produce for inspiration, relying as much as possible on locally grown fruits available at my neighborhood farmers markets.  In the spirit of experimentation, at this…

• Love in a cup

  Ordoubadi Nini

  9 Feb 2010 | 12:58 am

  Recently I was asked by one of my clients to host a tea tasting at her spa for Valentine’s Day. I started to think about what I wanted to share with my guests that day.  Preferably something totally new by way of both my talk and the experience – something related to love. I contemplated all the connections between tea and love and those that I had experienced in the country that I was born and raised in – Iran. So naturally I thought of Persian Saffron Love Tea. This is an aromatic and visually beautiful tea that is traditionally served in Iran by the bride-to-be to the…

• breakfast beverage for champions

  Michelle Rabin

  8 Feb 2010 | 1:01 am

  With the U.S. economy still struggling, what do you do when you’re on financially shaky ground and stressed out?  With the cost of health care being what it is, we just can’t afford to get sick.  So it is important to focus on staying healthy.  An interesting article in QRS Magazine speaks of tea as an old, “new” breakfast drink that can deliver the health benefits we all seek: “That health halo extends to tea, which is also having its day in the breakfast sun. “It could be the next coffee,” says Joe Pawlak, vice president of Chicago-based Technomic. A…

• Not just “peasant tea”

  Hoover Alexandra

  5 Feb 2010 | 1:01 am

  Although originally considered the “peasant tea” of Japan, kukicha, or stem-and-twig tea, is growing in popularity in the Western world.  In Uji, Japan, tea farmers made this tea from parts of the tea plant that were left over after the expensive buds and leaves were sold.  The farmers drank these stems and twigs after sun-drying them, storing them for a few years, and cutting them to specified lengths. Considering its ingredients, it is not surprising that kukicha has a slightly woodsy taste - the twigs and stems offering an experience like no other tea.  Do not be afraid - kukicha is…

• The perennial question: Which tea is healthiest?

  Walden Diane

  4 Feb 2010 | 1:01 am

  Hardly a day goes by that we aren’t asked, “Which is the healthiest tea - green, white, or black?”  So, what is your answer?  Ours is that all teas are loaded with antioxidants and have much less caffeine than coffee, but studies are conflicting on which level of oxidation makes for the “most” health benefits.  Cop out?  Consumers seem somewhat content with that answer, and it is a truthful one we believe, one that keeps us from more intensive questions, which we feel inadequate and uncomfortable answering. One thing is becoming clear: Consumers are eagerly listening to…

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  Tea Guy Speaks

• Tea Timers, Palm & iPhone Apps

  William I. Lengeman III

  8 Feb 2010 | 8:29 am

  Got time? Knowing how long to steep the leaves is a critical part of brewing a great cup of tea. With that in mind, here's a selection of virtual and actual tea timers. Or if you'd like to learn how to brew tea without a timer, check out what Imen at Tea Obsession has to say on the matter.Palm & iPhone AppsTea LeavesTea PalTeavana Perfect Tea Touch iPhone AppWheel of TeaVirtual Tea TimersAromaticCuppaSteep.itTea Round AppTea Time!Tea-TimerTea Timer"Real" Tea TimersPenguin TeaboyPerfect Tea TimerTaylor Tea Thermometer & TimerRedUmbrella TeaCanada’s Loose Leaf Tea Co.

• Yorkshire Tea Commercial

  William I. Lengeman III

  7 Feb 2010 | 10:03 am

  Buy Loose Leaf Tea in Canada RedUmbrella Tea, Canada’s Loose Leaf Tea Co.

• Interactive Tea Tasting With Tavalon

  William I. Lengeman III

  6 Feb 2010 | 9:08 am

  It may or may not be a first, but it's certainly an unusual notion. The gang over at Tavalon Tea are currently sponsoring an interactive tea tasting. What's it all about? Here's an excerpt from their press release:Those who purchase a sampler of teas are eligible to participate in an “interactive tea tasting” session with the Tea Sommelier via phone conference. During the session, Tavalon’s Tea Sommelier will enrich tea lovers’ understanding of what they are drinking and help them gaining knowledge of general tea drinking. The 30 minute "flight of teas" tasting is limited to the first…

• Animated Yorkshire Tea Commercial

  William I. Lengeman III

  4 Feb 2010 | 9:01 am

  Canadian Tea GiftsRedUmbrella Tea, Canada’s Loose Leaf Tea Co.

• Tea Book Buying Guide

  William I. Lengeman III

  2 Feb 2010 | 10:23 am

  Welcome to our Tea Book Buying Guide. It's not a comprehensive guide to tea books, mind you. Just a look at some of the more interesting titles I've reviewed or otherwise encountered over the course of the past few years. The Empire of Tea:The Remarkable History of the Plant That Took Over the Worldby Alan MacFarlane & Iris MacFarlaneYou know you've read too many books on tea history when you find yourself getting weary of that quaint little myth about tea's origin. You know the one - the Chinese emperor who just happened to be boiling water...outside. A few tea leaves just happen to blow off…

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  Tea Escapade - Tea Blog

• Thistledown’s Newest Tea Cozy – The HOB

  teaescapade

  6 Feb 2010 | 4:43 pm

  While not a stranger to the concept of tea cozies, I never actually owned one.  That is until recently when I became the proud owner of two HOBs from  Thistledown.  Of course, I understood the concept of the tea cozy coined the HOB by Thistledown, but must admit I was curious about whether they actually worked. So when, my brother-in-law and his girlfriend Dee came over for dinner I was excited to try them out for the first time.  Armed with two steaming pots of tea – lavender oolong and strawberry oolong, I prepared to settle the debate once and for all. After poring cups of tea,…

• 2009 Tea Escapade’s – Tea Custom Contest Winner

  teaescapade

  5 Feb 2010 | 2:53 pm

  During the month of December, Tea Escapade ran the 2009 Tea Custom Contest.  After reviewing many contest entries, it was exciting to select a winner.  Contestants were required to share their tea custom in 350 words or less. The custom may range from simple (using the same special teacup or mug) to complex, however it must include the following criteria: 1. Tea is shared with at least one other person; 2. The custom occurs regularly i.e. every Christmas, once a month, on birthdays, etc. 3. The custom is special to those who participate. Tim Morra submitted the annual tea custom shared with…

• Green Tea Soothing Mint

  teaescapade

  28 Jan 2010 | 7:22 pm

  Most people have a favorite program or two they watch every week.  Two of my favorites include Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. Dressed in comfy clothes and armed with a cup of Green Tea Soothing Mint tea, it was with eager anticipation that I flicked on the television. Imagine my disappointment tonight at the realization that both shows were repeats.  After watching repeats from mid-December to mid-January, it was great to finally, finally watch new episodes.  Instead of laughing and/or crying with my favorite characters, I’m surfing the net and working on a new pet…

• National Hot Tea Month, Celestial Seasonings, & Facebook

  teaescapade

  22 Jan 2010 | 2:45 pm

  You are probably wondering… why it is almost the end of January and Tea Escapade is just now sharing information about National Hot Tea Month.  Through inadvertence, I missed the press release in my email box and hope to rectify this mishap for such a great cause. Tea Escapade is always excited to share information about the tea industries efforts to improve the community, the environment, and the lives of people around the world.  Be on the look out for more… Now that you know that January is National Hot Tea Month let me share with you how Celestial Seasonings put a new spin…

• Huang Jin Bolero – Oolong Tea

  teaescapade

  12 Jan 2010 | 5:35 pm

  There is nothing better than enjoying a cup of hot tea on a cold winter day. Okay… so there is nothing better than enjoying a hot cup of tea on any day, especially when it is cold. Tea is even better when you get a chance to share it with someone.  Today, that someone was Ann Weimer Baumgardner, author of Pretend You’re Normal (but only when absolutely necessary). Ann and I drank a pot of Huang Jin Bolero (the subject of this tea review), while munching on a plate of tasty Lemon Straws. Between drinking, eating, and laughing Ann shared many insights with meabout her life and…

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  tea « WordPress.com Tag Feed

• "A cafe that writes it's own poems"

  lkthayer

  9 Feb 2010 | 12:07 pm

  “Coffee Tea Or Me” Mitch Hicks – U. K. © 2010

• Dandelion Tea... Warning Should Never Be Taken With Lithium

  bernadettemcbride

  9 Feb 2010 | 11:21 am

  Dandelion Tea – Warning!  Should never be taken in association with Lithium, a medication commonly taken to cure Manic Depression… er, OK! That aside!  Dandelion Tea is fast-becoming the herbal tea of the moment, Green Tea has been enthused over for oooh the past decade but it is so 1990’s… move over there’s a new leaf on the block. OK, so I remember when my sisters & I were little and used to play in the garden – someone told us not to touch the Dandelions or they’d make you wee?!  Daisies were the “darlings” of our young…

• Turkey sandwich and asparagus soup at Open Face

  eatingplaces

  9 Feb 2010 | 11:09 am

  My mom knows how to find great restaurants.  It might be her superior web searching skills, or maybe a bit of luck, but regardless, I give her all of the credit for bringing me to Open Face, a sandwich shop in Rochester, NY.  We went out to Rochester for the weekend to visit with my sister and, craving warm soup and a creative sandwich (I could never live in Western New York, I have this image of snow and below-freezing temperatures every day…), we ventured over to Open Face. When I stepped into the cafe, I felt like this was a cool coffee shop I’d spent time in with friends or…

• T2 - the best tea, but the worst newsletter program (email)

  dominiquehind

  9 Feb 2010 | 11:07 am

  I’m not a coffee drinker, so I love drinking a great cup of tea – herbal or other. My fa

• Tea Time!

  zehraazhar

  9 Feb 2010 | 10:18 am

  http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/PhotosAlbums/PhotoView.aspx?qsi=36782457

• 
  Tea Nerd

• Mystery Aged Oolong B from MarshalN

  8 Feb 2010 | 10:01 am

  This tea comes from MarshalN, along with its sister "A", which I'll write about soon. It's an aged oolong of some sort, but I don't know anything more. I'm sure it has been discussed but in my prolonged absence from the online tea world, I missed out. The dry leaf smells like rich, finished chocolate; I don't smell any of the raw cacao bitterness (lack of recent firing, I guess?) that is in most chocolate-y teas. There's also a whiff of that classic aged-oolong character— it always reminds me of blueberries, though nobody else seems to agree with me! The lid aroma expresses more of the…

• Mindfulness

  5 Feb 2010 | 12:48 am

  This article is about something I take very seriously, though not often enough. I generally try to live by Oscar Wilde's maxim that "Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about," but there are a certain few things in this world that I cannot help but revere. Mindfulness is one of them. The others are so corny they would probably make you puke. (Alright, so maybe I can't be completely serious.) I am no philosopher, so I'll try to keep my ignorant musings about mindfulness to a minimum, but I can at least relate how I try to cultivate mindfulness while making tea. It starts…

• Aged Oolong from Imperial Tea Court

  11 Jan 2010 | 2:42 pm

  Class: Oolong Origin: Fujian, China Year: ? Vendor: Imperial Tea Court (Product page) Price: $6.00 (28g) / $21.25 (113g) This is not a bad tea. (What, expecting something more profound after a month and a half?) The truth is, my taste buds are a wee bit rusty after such a long break from routine tea consumption, so I won't be waxing poetic 'bout none-a-those etherial hints of ambrosia this time. ITC's aged oolong is an enjoyable tea though; not as rich and chewy as some others of its kind, but for the (relatively!) modest price I can't complain. It also seems to give an above-average cha qi…

• Thoughts on minimalism

  26 Nov 2009 | 4:56 pm

  My preferred "style" is definitely minimalist-leaning without being completely spartan (Proper capitalization and punctuation? On a blog? Gadzooks!), as you may have noticed through my teaware choices and the various templates Tea Nerd has sported in the past. Even putting aside aesthetics, there is something elegant and satisfying about having a clean, simple, capable set of tools. Oh right. Well, uhh, about that... (Happy Thanksgiving!)

• Stale tea

  26 Oct 2009 | 10:15 pm

  I brewed up the last of a sample of 90's Golden Pearls Dancong. A bit stale, but still tasty. I have to say, I'm not sure tea would be quite as good if I knew it would never go stale. Hope you weren't expecting a lot of text!

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  Teas Etc - Tea Blog

• December, the Holidays and Looking to the Year Ahead

  Beth

  17 Jan 2010 | 2:05 pm

  Once again we have survived the holidays. Grateful to have been busy the month of December was a blur. I must admit that I look forward to a time when it is, personally, less hectic. Having already mastered the ability to avoid the holiday frenzy, because of the years I have spent too busy to partake, I should actually know how to really enjoy this special time of year. As we bring the fiscal tasks of 2009 to a completion we are pleased at the end results and feel even closer to our 2010 goals! As an eternal optimist I have avoided the "bad" economy mindset, which is what works for me. That…

• Fall Into Oolong Teas

  Beth

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  Cupping the underrated, overlooked or possibly misunderstood, fall harvests has been particularly tasty this year. While I am always partial to oolongs I have to say that I have found this season's selections to be really good. Frequently asked "what's your favorite tea?" elicits a response that is somewhat generic “I can't choose just one." The truth is that so many factors play a part in what type of tea I am in the mood for; energy level, time of day, what I am doing, what I have or have not eaten, if I am cheerful, cranky, super busy and what lies ahead. Whatever the case may…

• Tea Happenings

  Beth

  27 Oct 2009 | 7:45 pm

  There has been so much happening at Teas Etc in the past few months, sometimes I forget to stop and smell the tea. Its important, at least for me, to remember to pause, breathe and get back in touch with the journey. That's what this is about, enjoying the journey. Although its easy to digress back into a "racing to the destination" mindset I prefer to avoid it. If I "arrive" there is no where else to go, right? So as my travels have slowed down, somewhat. Annual inspections are complete. New team members have been hired. Customer proposals are in the works and I am looking forward to the…

• World Tea East

  Beth

  28 Sep 2009 | 2:36 pm

  World Tea East was held in Boston this week located with Natural Products Expo East. World Tea Expo held tea classes on Wednesday and Thursday to quench the thirst of East Coast tea professionals. Sessions were held on a variety of topics like Nigel Melican’s talk on Tea & Sustainability, Lisa Richardson, of Lisa Knows Tea, presented another delicious Tea & Chocolate Pairing class and Elizabeth Knight infused attendees with her extensive experience with a Tea Purchasing class.I was pleased to have been included as an educator presenting Holding a Successful Tasting and the session on the…

• Anxi Iron Buddha Tea Ceremony

  Beth

  16 Aug 2009 | 6:30 pm

  Day 3 at the fair has tea ceremonies throughout the day. We start our day with front row seats to the Anxi Iron Buddha Ceremony, a Ti Kuan Yin tea is brewed in a traditional ceremony. It's a beautiful, artful ceremony. I have some pictures below and will have someone post video on the Teas Etc Facebook page asap. Until next time, Beth

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  Tea or coffee? It is a tea blog.

• Simply not tea

  hiddenidentity8

  8 Feb 2010 | 2:34 pm

  Haven’t updated and written for so long since the day I worked oversea for a year or two. Now back home and writing what I have tried lately. This is the package I got from Save On last night.  Man! It is only CAD $1!!! It sells ridiculously at Walmart/Superstore with $3.xx per box for Nestea. I wasn’t thinking of buying and trying but man, it is $1, I guess I couldn’t resist anymore.…) I did try out for the Nestea. I personally not 100% love it, plus it has calories. This is a kinda package that you just need to add the bag of power into your water, so it makes your…

• Lavender tea

  hiddenidentity8

  8 Mar 2009 | 4:03 am

  Finally had a time to write some tea that I have tried out I was so happy when I saw this tea package at a store today… the price was $28 (HKD) but I actuallygot another 50% off…so happy!! but the most important is it has all the tea flavours that I always wanted to try and especially in small packs.. So today, I tried Lavender tea.. so happy! I am a person that have never been to a Lavender field (but always dreaming to go) and only saw the flower Lavender once last summer in a garden and I only used Lavender oil and never try any Lavender products then… This tea package…

• Finding a perfect one ~ 7

  hiddenidentity8

  22 Dec 2008 | 2:36 am

  Well the series of Finding a perfect one now has gone to #7 now. I guess I have been searching for a perfect one for a long time that I still haven’t bought one, but at last, I found it a week ago. The mugs below actually I have seen it this summer, but I wasn’t sure is it what I really want, but  I can now yes, because I can share it with a special person. This is called the Lovers Mug, they are made in Korea. I love them a lot, especially the writings on the mug, make me laugh a lot.  So one for me and one for that special person who is willing to share the savored with me. I…

• Finding a perfect one ~ 6

  hiddenidentity8

  22 Dec 2008 | 2:13 am

  HO HO HO! It seems that I haven’t updated my blog for a long time. I hope that there are still people checking this out as I would like to share what I have found lately, especially in this season, in this time of the year, Christmas. As you may know that gift exchange is something that you can ignore or avoid during Christmas, so in the last couple of days I was hunting for some Christmas gift that I don’t know who will I give to, boy or girl, young or old, active or quiet people…..so I have to find something that may be suitable for anyone. I am not an expert of…

• Barley Tea/Mugicha Tea

  hiddenidentity8

  13 Oct 2008 | 4:34 am

  A colleague of mine just bought some barley tea for the whole office from Japan. Before putting the barley tea bag into the hot water, I can smell from the bag already Smell so good!!!! Just looking it up for Barley tea, it actually really good for the body from the perspective of Chinese medicine It is good for your stomach, especially for those don’t have good stomach, (i.e. suffer from stomache) Good for people who constipate, because barley tea can help for digesting the carbonhydrate food, this tea is good for your digestive system This tea also only good for mothers who just…

• 
  Gongfu Girl

• Happy Lewis Carroll’s Birthday!

  Cinnabar

  27 Jan 2010 | 11:35 am

  Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) – writer, mathematician, photographer, Anglican deacon, and perpetrator of glorious logic-puzzles and nonsense – was born on this day in 1832. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the best known of his works, and a book no doubt responsible for fostering a great many fixations on tea, was first published in 1865. I can’t find any verification of this, but I would like to imagine that Carroll preferred a nice Keemun in his cup. “Take some more tea”, the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly. “I’ve had nothing yet”,…

• Tea Review: TeaSource: Puerh Special Grade

  Cinnabar

  21 Jan 2010 | 12:05 pm

  I anticipated that Puerh Special Grade, a loose leaf pu’er from TeaSource, would brew into a nice liquor after I smelled the intense sweet aroma of the dry leaf. I was not disappointed. In general, but especially in the initial steep, it was very malty, almost like graham crackers or Ovaltine. It opened up more through the third infusion, exhibiting a briny, seaweed-like character along with the sweet maltiness, but it was not at all salty. The character was something like a bonfire on the beach, with charcoal and burning caramel. One of the notable aspects of this tea was its…

• Nostalgia

  Cinnabar

  7 Jan 2010 | 12:36 pm

  A few weeks ago I ventured into a grocery that I had passed by hundreds of times in the past without my curiosity the least bit piqued, having previously assumed that it would not have anything of interest on its shelves. But for whatever reason, on this day I decided I needed to investigate, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that among its wide array of foodstuffs it held a large section of Russian items, from loaves of hearty rye bread to tins of black caviar from the Caspian Sea to Russian wines — and even better, Georgian wines, which are the wines that Russians who care…

• Tea Review: Mighty Leaf: Holiday Blend

  Cinnabar

  23 Dec 2009 | 1:27 pm

  There’s a certain set of scents that I (and probably a whole lot of other people) associate with Christmas. Mighty Leaf’s Holiday Blend tastes like Christmas smells: like the decoration aisle of a craft store in winter, like candles, fireplaces, and red and green and gold glittery stuff. The dominant flavors that contribute to this overall holiday-ness are clove and cinnamon, which led my clove-obsessed cat to pester me the whole time the teapot containing the tea was on the table. (I didn’t give him any of the tea.) Mighty Leaf’s description: “Our holiday blend…

• Benefits of Drinking Green Tea, a Victorian Perspective

  Cinnabar

  22 Dec 2009 | 1:45 pm

  Surrounded by all of the current hype touting green tea as the cure-all tonic for just about every ailment – physical or spiritual – it’s a little difficult to imagine a very different perspective, in a very different era, where green tea could be distrusted and even thought to cause harm to tea drinkers. Sheridan Le Fanu’s story “Green Tea,” published in 1872, tells a haunting tale about the dangers of certain substances and the trickery that comes in the night from the spirit world. Author of Carmilla, one of the most engaging, heavily subtext-laden…

• 
  Hou De Tea Blog

• A short documentary of Xi-Zi Hao 2009

  Guang

  9 Feb 2010 | 8:24 am

• Just returned from Taiwan

  Guang

  8 Feb 2010 | 2:30 am

  Guess why I am sitting in front of the computer at 4:20AM… jet lag @___@ Just returned from a two-week trip in Taiwan, visiting family, tea/teaware sources and plantations. I had my focus on Mu-Zha area (Bao Zhong, Bi Lou Chun and Tie Guan Yin), Pu-erh (spent a whole day with Mr. Chen of Xi-Zi Hao) and Yixings. So be prepared, really prepared, to see a flood of great new (I mean, some very old) things on Hou De soon! Video clip: Visiting Mr. Chen of Xi-Zi Hao Guang

• Snowman – Houston Style

  Guang

  5 Dec 2009 | 9:12 am

  Considering it as an early Christmas present, Houston had an earliest recorded snowfall yesterday! And I think it was the biggest one I’ve ever had in Houston in a decade. Several cute snowmen popping up in our neighboor this morning. Share those Houston-style snowmen with you: Yuan, Blondie and Wolfie also could not wait to enjoy the rare snowy treat!

• Hou De Tea Blog – Updated!

  Guang

  21 Nov 2009 | 9:33 am

  Hou De Tea Blog has been acted “out of whack” recently. New posts disappeared without a warning, and spammed comments pouring in like Bailout money for Wall street! Finally updated the WordPress system to its latest version, which promises many bugs fixed and a better security. We will see. Hope you like the new design of our blog. I will post new topics very soon. Guang

• Chai-Tea-Latte-BaoZhong?

  Guang

  4 Sep 2009 | 7:21 am

  It’s unofficial. It’s just rumor on the street. But the boiling talk among tea producers in San Xia (from where we got our Bi Luo Chun) is: Starbucks wants to buy many tons of teas or acquire lands! The dilemma of the farmers is: supplying “many tons” of teas to beverage companies has not been the “business model” of most San Xia farmers – some of them do so during summer season to supplement incomes, but not in that grand scale. OK, you don’t have teas? Then Starbucks wants to buy your farm. I doubt if any of these ideas will work out. At least…

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  Tuo Cha Tea

• Light Roast Da Hong Pao

  Tuo Cha Tea

  1 Feb 2010 | 12:12 pm

  Most tea lovers in my area become addicted in the same way. They were introduced to tea other than tea bags in tea-houses or by friends. Most of us started with simpler and cheaper teas and only gradually learned how to enjoy expensive high quality specialties.But in search of great tea the tea lover should never underestimate the cheap ones. Happens, not often, but nonetheless, that even among

• Gamma - "Bulang Shang Yun"

  Tuo Cha Tea

  22 Jan 2010 | 10:18 am

  After quite a some time I'm finishing the five samples Hobbes sent out to us in the Yunnan Sourcing tasting event. This is Bulang tea made of semi-aged 2006 autumn maocha harvested in Man Nong village near Ban Zhang. The leaves should be harvested from wild arbor trees.The beeng looks nice, with medium-light compressions – it separates easily into leaves. The leaves are definitely darkest of all

• Korean Tea Jelly

  Tuo Cha Tea

  8 Jan 2010 | 2:02 pm

  One of my favorite blogs is Mattcha’s Blog. I love his photos of Korean pottery – cups, pots and other teaware. Also, his description of Korean teas makes me drool like a Frankensteins monster. Unfortunately, genuine Korean tea is very hard to get, with probably none online sites where one can get few grams of these delicate tea specialties.So I was very happy, when I discovered, that not far

• Oolong speculations

  Tuo Cha Tea

  8 Nov 2009 | 11:41 am

  A very disturbing article about speculation with prices of Taiwan oolong teas can be found at TC Formosa Tea. I hope this will not become a regular activity next years and we will be able to acquire a good quality lishan tea in next years.

• Beta - "You Le Zhi Chun"

  Tuo Cha Tea

  25 Sep 2009 | 4:07 am

  This is the second sample of tasting of pu-erh teas made by Yunnan Sourcing. First was one of the most expensive teas made from high altitude Yi Wu mao cha, this tea is made from spring 2009 mao cha harvested in Long Pa village of You Le Mountain. The beeng is on a looser side with nice whole leaves. The fresh scent is less powerful, than the smell of the Yi Wu sample.I liked this tea less then

• 
  The Virtual Teahouse

• The Hidden Life of Garbage

  tania

  8 Feb 2010 | 8:24 pm

  Every now and then, I am lucky enough to comes across a friendly little video that uses a sledge hammer to wake me up.  It’s so easy for me to slip into the dream of “The American Dream” and pretend I don’t bob and weave on the currents of capitalism.  Then, a video like The Story of Stuff comes along and whammo!  At least for a few minutes, I stop sleep walking. The link below is to one such video called “The Hidden Life of Garbage” .  It’s posted on the absolutely fantastic...(read more)

• On Being O Negative

  DancesWL

  6 Feb 2010 | 9:36 pm

  I am the universal donor Everyone can receive …my love. i AM love As are we all; A single love Radiating from a Single Source . In response to the prompt "single" from Figments of Imagination at One Single Impression ....(read more)

• No longer suspecting

  Beth Patterson

  6 Feb 2010 | 9:23 pm

    One of my teachers, Jonathan,   says: There are three things that we need to know, deeper than our own breath: 1. We are Love: nothing more, nothing less.           Calcified, reified, rarified, embodied love. 2. There is enough of everything in the universe.         No need to snatch, grab, greed, lust, crave, despair about anything, especially love. 3. And finally:  laughter opens the heart.      ...(read more)

• A serious discussion about GMO Foods

  tania

  3 Feb 2010 | 9:53 pm

    Okay, so if there is one post that I really want to be read it is this one.   My “father-in-law equivalent” is a scientists’ scientist.  An Atheist whom I normally feel it is safer to talk to about food and gardening and politics then religion.  He’s a man I love and adore and respect for the way he’s lived his life.  I know he and I are very different though and when I’m sober, I simply will not engage in a debate.  Well, one night last week, over a fabulous dinner...(read more)

• A very, very, very sad story (or Adventures of Reluctant Pie Baker Part II)

  tania

  1 Feb 2010 | 9:18 pm

  After 42 years of living on this Earth, I decided it was high-time I bake a “real” pie. Oh…several months ago, I had came to the same decision and then chickened-out and made a “galette” instead.  A Galette is sort like a big turn-over.  It’s no-where near the same as a pie – it doesn’t even use a pan.  Sufficient to say, making my galette was not a fun experience.  If you want the full picture of just how bad it was, check-out the post:  “Adventures of a Reluctant Pie Baker”. ...(read more)

• 
  Blog entries

• How to make a teacup?

  9 Feb 2010 | 12:15 am

  If you ask Melanie Sharpham how to make a teacup she will tell you that: you must: love to get your hands messy; love that clay is unpredictable; love that you can transform dirt into something tangible, and; love to get soRead More...

• Women teapots

  7 Feb 2010 | 3:02 am

  In her early 20’s Tonya Nöckler-Golding was seriously injured in an automobile accident.  Throughout the years of pain during recovery she found peace when painting ceramics.  Tonya went on to practice law yet still kept paining closest to her heart.  Now she can be found full time in her home studio Read More...

• Conflicting Hearts in a Teapot

  5 Feb 2010 | 12:49 am

  Ceramic artist Richard Notkin has been featured once before.  However, with Valentine’s Day nearing, his Heart Teapot series warrants recognition.  Notkin thinks: “The seeds of all conflict are to be found in each human heart.” As many artists, Notkin thinks the teapot is one of the most complex becaRead More...

• Tokoname Teapots

  2 Feb 2010 | 11:32 pm

  The pottery made in Tokoname City in Japan is known as Tokoname-yaki.  During the 12th and 13th centuries an estimated 3,000 kilns were built.  Today this pottery region, located on the Chita Peninsula, still has 1,200 ancient kilns in operationRead More...

• Scooper tea set

  1 Feb 2010 | 1:17 am

  This tea ware can be found at the Zhu Ye Qing Tea Museum and Garden in Emei City in the Sichuan Province of China.  The pot is actually quite nice; the other parts of the set are what make it somewhat peculiar.  Actually the base is a spoon holder: the spoon used to scoop tea leaves into the pot.  The ornate scooper, curvaceous teapot handle and etcRead More...

• 
  Lainie Sips

• Tea Art: Russian Tea

  Lainie P

  9 Feb 2010 | 8:42 am

  Russian Tea Art Print Wiles, Irving R. Buy at AllPosters.com

• Rishi’s Keemun Golden Buds (review)

  Lainie P

  5 Feb 2010 | 10:11 am

  Name: Keemun Golden Buds Brand: Rishi Tea (Check out my podcast interview with Susana Mojica of Rishi Tea. Please note that we had technical difficulties in the first six minutes of the show, so you may want to skip ahead in the recording.) Type: Black tea, Chinese Form: Loose leaf Cost: $9.75 for one ounce, quantity discounts available Review: Rishi’s Keemun Golden Buds is a good example of the many flavors that can be present in tea. This remarkably tippy Keemun has flavors ranging from caramel to pine to rose, each emerging at different times as it cools. Most of the Keemun that I…

• David Rio’s Caramel Chamomile (review)

  Lainie P

  31 Jan 2010 | 10:52 pm

  Name: Caramel Chamomile Brand: David Rio Type: Tisane (chamomile-based) Form: Paper tea bag Cost: $6.95 for 20 teabags Review: I spotted this at a local gourmet market, and, despite my suspicion of tea-bag chamomile, thought I would give it a try. The dry leaf has a rich, sweet nose of, as one might expect, caramel and chamomile. The blend also has some organic licorice root and rosehips added: I can detect a very faint backnote of licorice in the dry leaf, but no rosehips. David Rio’s Caramel Chamomile infuses to a buttery yellow color, and maintains its sweet nose (though all traces…

• My OpenSky Store: Sneak Peek

  Lainie P

  30 Jan 2010 | 12:13 am

  Greetings! Last week I announced my involvement in The Open Sky Project. I am now thrilled to announce a “sneak peek” into my new store on OpenSky. OpenSky is a new shopping experience, offering shoppers the opportunity to buy goods that have been hand-selected by passionate, knowledgeable “Shopkeepers”. My store only has a few items in it right now, and the format and layout is still being tweaked, but this sneak peak will give you a good idea of what shopping on OpenSky is like. I will be adding items on a regular basis, so check back often to see the great teas and…

• Teas Etc’s Golden Dragon Aged Oolong (review)

  Lainie P

  27 Jan 2010 | 12:01 pm

  Name: Golden Dragon Aged Oolong Brand: Teas Etc Type: Oolong Form: Loose leaf Cost: $12.95 for a 1 ounce tin, quantity discounts available Review: This is one strange looking tea. The leaves are dark brown and twisted, and there are plenty of large twigs and stems in the blend.  The nose is even stranger (in a good way): A melange of tobacco and dried fruit, sharp and intense at the beginning, though it gets more friendly as you continue to sniff. (About the dried fruit: Teas Etc claims that this tea tastes of golden raisins. This may be so, but raises are my arch-nemesis of the food world,…

• 
  Teatrekker's Weblog

• Wu Yi Shan yan cha

  teatrekker

  1 Feb 2010 | 4:34 pm

  We are thrilled to be able to offer tea enthusiasts a distinguished grouping of 2009 Wu Yi Shan oolongs. It is not often that such a fine selection of these teas can be purchased from one well-sourced place in the West. Those in the know will recognize these teas: they are the four most famous Wu Yi Shan teas ( which are known as Si Da Ming Cong ) and one lesser known but delicious selection as well. As is the custom in the Wu Yi Shan, the teas are named after their singular tea bush varietals: Da Hong Pao ( Royal Red Robe ) Bai Ji Guan ( White Cockscomb ) Tie Luo Han ( Iron Arhat ) Shui Jin…

• Chinese ‘12 Flowers of the Months’ Tea Cups – February/ Peach Blossoms

  teatrekker

  1 Feb 2010 | 8:09 am

  This is the painting on the front of the 2nd cup in my set of 12  Chinese Flowers of the Months tea cups.  The lovely painting depicts a gnarly yet elegant peach tree festooned with flower buds and open blossoms.  The calligraphy on the back  reads something like: ‘the fragrance of small peach blossoms in spring’ For detailed information on the history of Chinese 12 Flowers of the Months tea cups, please read my post from January 1st, 2010.

• The Politics of Bottled Green Tea

  teatrekker

  22 Jan 2010 | 6:27 am

  I recently discovered this hand-out titled The Politics of Bottled Green Tea . It was written by Korene Schmitz from the Sociology Department at St Cloud State University. I was thrilled to find this piece, and would like to make Tea Trekker readers and tea enthusiasts aware of what this author has to say. Much has been discussed in the food world about the pros and cons of bottled, RDT ( ready-to-drink ) tea. Generally, most who understand the composition of foods, and more importantly, those who understand what tea is and isn’t, know that there is very little ‘tea’…

• Korea Tea and Tea Ceramics Trip

  teatrekker

  1 Jan 2010 | 2:20 pm

  For those interested in learning about Korean tea and tea ceramics (and experiencing the non-commercial side of both in South Korea) take note that ceramic expert Arthur Park is leading a trip to South Korea in May.  I have been in contact with Arthur about this trip for quite some time now, and Bob and I are both signed up to go. (In the spirit of full disclosure, we are both paying full-price for our places on the trip). From the minute I heard about this trip I knew it sounded terrific, and for us it presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about an ancient country with a…

• Chinese ‘12 Flowers of the Months’ Tea Cups – January/Plum Blossoms

  teatrekker

  1 Jan 2010 | 1:05 pm

  The first time I saw a set of 12 Flowers of the Months Qing dynasty ( 1644-1912) tea cups was when I visited the Flagstaff House Museum of Teawares in Hong Kong. I was in porcelain heaven in Hong Kong, but these little cups captured my fancy and I made notes from a sign posted in the display case as to what each of the flowers depicted in this set are: 1. plum blossom ( January ) 2. apricot blossom ( February ) 3. peach blossom ( March ) 4. tree peony ( April ) 5. pomegranate ( May ) 6. lotus ( June ) 7. rose ( July ) 8. osmanthus ( August ) 9. chrysanthemum ( September ) 10.

• 
  Tea Party Guide

• Rent A Tea Party success!!!!

  18 Jan 2010 | 8:51 pm

  We had a tea party themed birthday party for my 5 year old daughter. I had no clue as to how to go about doing this, I found a web site for Rent A Tea

• Your Kitchen Tea Ideas Helped Make A Convert Of Me!

  13 Jan 2010 | 8:12 am

  Comment:I just love your site! I am still not brave enough to host a bridal shower using your kitchen tea ideas, but wanted to let you know that your

• High Tea in the afternoon?

  13 Jan 2010 | 7:40 am

  Question: Every year my church invites widows in our surrounding area to a luncheon and afternoon of fellowship and encouragement. Last year we had 64

• Tea Party Fundraising Ideas ~ Activities

  14 Dec 2009 | 11:41 am

  Question: I was wondering if you could give me some ideas for having a fundraising tea. Outside of the regular things like different teas, finger

• Mother/Daughter Tea

  2 Dec 2009 | 11:52 pm

  Question:I am chairing for the PTA a Mother/Daughter tea party and I am looking for some ideas such as the practice of guests decorating their own

• 
  Tea Finely Brewed

• Menghai Aged Raw Pu-Erh from Bana Tea Company

  Eric

  8 Feb 2010 | 8:42 pm

  Menghai Aged Pu-erh Tea from Bana Tea Company When I first started drinking wine, one of the things that I most enjoyed was the feeling afterwards, once the wine had coursed through the throat and into the stomach. That warmth. It was amazing to me to feel how the body responded to the drink. I had a similar experience this morning with tea. The tea is an aged pu-erh tea from Bana Tea Company, a Menghai factory raw (sheng) pu-erh that has been aging since 1996. What struck me about this tea was how refreshed the mouth felt after drinking it. Just like you can feel the wine burning in your…

• Valentine’s Day Giveaway for Australian Tea Lovers

  Eric

  5 Feb 2010 | 3:48 pm

  Yesterday I met Verity, the blogger behind Joie de Tea. Between us, I’m pretty sure we’re the entire community of Melburnian tea bloggers. We chatted about tea, parenthood (her and her husband had their little son, Pippin, just three months ago), and the travails of Australian Customs over some lovely tea at the Oriental Tea House. For those of you based in Australia, head on over to Verity’s blog and sign yourself up to go in the running for some free tea which she has blended herself. Be quick though — the competition ends tomorrow. Shop for Tea Online: Browse and…

• Big Savings on Tea at Amazon.com

  Eric

  2 Feb 2010 | 5:10 pm

  Just a quick plug for those of you who need to replenish your tea stock: Amazon.com have up to 45% off their grocery products at the moment, which includes their big range of tea. While I’m here, I’d also like to say a quick thank-you to Bana Tea Company and Teavana, both of whom have continued their advertising on Tea Finely Brewed. It’s a great bonus for me to have the support of sponsors! If you’re interested in advertising on Tea Finely Brewed, please get in touch. Oh, and one last thing: If you’re thinking of buying a tea gift for that special someone in…

• Kabusecha Green Tea from O-Cha

  Eric

  1 Feb 2010 | 4:05 pm

  Kabusecha green tea from O-Cha.com. Today’s tea is a kabusecha — a Japanese green tea that is 45% shade-grown for three weeks prior to harvest. That puts it halfway between sencha, which isn’t given any shade at all, and gyokuro, which is 100% shade-grown for the three weeks before harvest. The dry leaf has a nutty, sweet nose. It looks similar to the shincha I had from O-Cha last year — it has that same lush appearance, with the rich green colour. While O-Cha say kabusecha is easier to brew, some care is still necessary. I found out the hard way that a minute and a half for…

• Travel Buddy Infuser Tea Mug Review

  Eric

  26 Jan 2010 | 4:52 pm

  This year for Sinterklaas (the Dutch, superior version of Santa Clause), the great Sint gifted me with a Travel Buddy Tea Travel Mug. Seems like the Sint must have read my post about travel tea mugs. Thanks Sint! Finally I can enjoy a nice cup of tea on the train in the mornings. This particular Travel Buddy was bought in Malaysia, but since getting it I have noticed it in a shop here in Melbourne, as well as on Pure Puer. For any of you considering buying one, here are my thoughts. The thing that I find interesting about the Travel Buddy is that the infuser sits at the bottom of the mug,…

• 
  The Exotic Teapot

• How to make a teacup?

  9 Feb 2010 | 12:15 am

  If you ask Melanie Sharpham how to make a teacup she will tell you that: you must: love to get your hands messy; love that clay is unpredictable; love that you can transform dirt into something tangible, and; love to get soRead More...

• Women teapots

  7 Feb 2010 | 3:02 am

  In her early 20’s Tonya Nöckler-Golding was seriously injured in an automobile accident.  Throughout the years of pain during recovery she found peace when painting ceramics.  Tonya went on to practice law yet still kept paining closest to her heart.  Now she can be found full time in her home studio Read More...

• Conflicting Hearts in a Teapot

  5 Feb 2010 | 12:49 am

  Ceramic artist Richard Notkin has been featured once before.  However, with Valentine’s Day nearing, his Heart Teapot series warrants recognition.  Notkin thinks: “The seeds of all conflict are to be found in each human heart.” As many artists, Notkin thinks the teapot is one of the most complex becaRead More...

• Tokoname Teapots

  2 Feb 2010 | 11:32 pm

  The pottery made in Tokoname City in Japan is known as Tokoname-yaki.  During the 12th and 13th centuries an estimated 3,000 kilns were built.  Today this pottery region, located on the Chita Peninsula, still has 1,200 ancient kilns in operationRead More...

• Scooper tea set

  1 Feb 2010 | 1:17 am

  This tea ware can be found at the Zhu Ye Qing Tea Museum and Garden in Emei City in the Sichuan Province of China.  The pot is actually quite nice; the other parts of the set are what make it somewhat peculiar.  Actually the base is a spoon holder: the spoon used to scoop tea leaves into the pot.  The ornate scooper, curvaceous teapot handle and etcRead More...

• 
  Bon Teavant

• how to use different kinds of tea ware

  Bon Teavant

  1 Feb 2010 | 6:18 pm

  Some people want to explore the world of connoisseur tea, but are not comfortable with the idea of brewing teas that do not come in tea bags.  Let's demystify the options here and save the planet, friends (for more, see my entry on "Tea's Carbon Footprint").  First, the only thing you really need in order to brew loose leaf tea is a device to strain the tea or rather separate the infused tea liquid from its leaves. There are several methods to choose from:1. Porcelain cup with filter: For many people new to loose leaf tea, this is the most comfortable and familiar method of brewing…

• ancient wild leaf taiwanese tea

  Bon Teavant

  14 Jan 2010 | 1:41 pm

   Taiwanese teas, particularly oolongs, have a reputation for their fragrance, softness, and unique characteristics.  We came upon a couple of rare Taiwanese oolongs that come from ancient, wild-growing tea trees that were undiscovered until just recently. Bon Teavant's first "Tasting Room" product is a comparative tasting of two such teas that come from the same trees but were processed differently--one as a "white" tea and one as an oolong.  Below you will find a brief (1-minute) interview with David Campbell, owner of Tillerman Tea in Napa, who provided BT with these teas.

• sharing artisanal tea in 2010

  Bon Teavant

  3 Jan 2010 | 12:20 pm

  Happy New Year, Tea Peeps.  2010 brings the continued resolution to learn as much as possible about fine teas, and then to share what is learned with as many people as we can through our blog.We will also be taking a next step in this direction by sharing our best "finds" through Bon Teavant Market, our newest tea "adventure". Here you can find some of the highest quality artisanal teas from a cross-section of outstanding tea merchants in the United States, who source their own teas and keep the highest standard. You will not find tea bag tea or CTC teas here.  Only the finest from…

• tea and kindness

  Bon Teavant

  1 Dec 2009 | 3:22 pm

  "A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses." ~ Chinese Proverb When I come to one of my favorite local tea rooms, Teance, I am sometimes lucky enough to be greeted at the door by Yadollah Moghaddam.  He takes my hands and says "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you. Seeing you here makes me feel so good!"  His kindness is inspiring. Through his bearing, I feel valuable all of a sudden, as if my presence has meaning. He has reminded me of what is good in me with just a few kind words, a gesture, a smile, and a humble graciousness that says "You matter to me."…

• autumn tea harvest

  Bon Teavant

  11 Nov 2009 | 8:50 pm

  You might be aware that there is an autumn/winter tea harvest in Taiwan, and some of the finest teas from this season are about to arrive.  While spring teas are light and sexy, winter teas have a rich, sometimes more complex and fuller flavor profile.  For me, a winter Lishan is something I look forward to all through the spring and summer months.  No spring tea can replace itThis season we will no doubt see fewer Alishans because of the destruction to the tea farms in that region during the recent mudslides.  We can hope that some will get their teas out and that some…

• 
  Camellia Sinensis

• New Teapots: Sold Out!

  Virginia

  5 Feb 2010 | 8:49 pm

  If you hesitated, you missed out: we've sold out of the three new Imperial-grade yi xing teapots we blogged about on Wednesday. Teapot lovers, stay tuned: we'll have more new pots arriving in the spring. And to the lucky new owners of the Yang Tong, Yi Li Zhu, and Shu Bian teapots, congratulations! You're fortunate enough to have terrific teaware that will enhance your enjoyment of fine Chinese

• A Year of Blogging

  Virginia

  5 Feb 2010 | 12:14 pm

  Hard to believe, but the Camellia Sinensis Blog has celebrated its first birthday! About this time last year we at Imperial Tea Court decided it was time to make a more direct connection with our tea-loving friends around the world, so we launched this blog plus a Twitter account and Facebook group, the Virtual Teahouse. A year later it's exciting to see that we've had over 25,000 pageviews to

• Three New Imperial Grade Yi Xing Teapots

  Virginia

  3 Feb 2010 | 12:52 am

  Last summer when he was in Yi Xing, Roy commissioned three new teapots for our Imperial collection, the highest grade of teapot we offer. This week they arrived! We're excited to share these new teapots - all based on famous teapots from the past - here on the blog. The Imperial Yang Tong Yi Xing Teapot is modeled after a Qing Dynasty original. Meticulously handcrafted, it features hand-wrought

• Our Latest Newsletter: Chinese New Year, Year of the Tiger Edition!

  Virginia

  2 Feb 2010 | 10:09 pm

  We just sent our latest newsletter, and it's all about the upcoming Chun Jie (Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year). It's time to celebrate 4707, the year of the tiger! Here in North America, Chinese New Year arrives the evening of February 13; in Europe and Asia, February 14 is the lucky day.  To help you celebrate, our newsletter features lots of Spring Festival-themed tea and teaware. Check it

• 31 Jan 2010 | 11:42 pm

  Virginia

  31 Jan 2010 | 11:42 pm

  We were pleased to welcome Dianna Harbin's San Francisco Tea Meetup Group to the Ferry Building teahouse this afternoon. The group held a Bay Area Tea Tour for tea professionals today and came to the teahouse for lunch and a talk by Roy on getting started in the tea business. We host many groups at both our Ferry Building and Berkeley locations, and can arrange custom programs including special

• 
  World of Tea

• Tea Science [via: The Malaysian Star]

  Tony

  1 Feb 2010 | 8:03 am

  The Malaysian Star posted quite a lengthy article on their fortnightly column “Nutri-Science” by Dr. Tee Siong — its a great summation of all of the tea health stories we’ve been hearing of late. I invite you to give it a read: http://thestar.com.my/health/story.asp?file=/2010/1/31/health/5568096&sec=health Bookmark to:

• A Long Time Coming…

  Tony

  25 Jan 2010 | 9:26 pm

  Its been a long time coming, but I am finally starting my own tea company. Things are in the late stages, teas have been sourced, packaging is finalized. I’m just working on the web site at this time, so if there is anything that annoys you about tea shop sites, please let me know asap! I’m a web developer by trade, so I’m developing the site myself. It should be up soon. Thats all I can say, soon. This idea started in 2006 with a trip to China. My partner, Erin Murphy and I are excited to get things up and running! The website is: http://www.chicagoteagarden.com you can…

• Sri Lanka to donate $25000 (1000kg) of tea to Haiti earthquake victims.

  Tony

  24 Jan 2010 | 8:40 am

  Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has pledged $25000 in tea as well as $25000 in show of support for Haiti. While many countries cannot afford to send millions in support, its great to see them doing what they can. Read the press release at the Sri Lanka Government Web Site: http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20100124_02 Bookmark to:

• Tea scams brewing in city’s largest marketplace [via: China Daily]

  Tony

  19 Jan 2010 | 8:41 pm

  Well isn’t this disheartening, a study by the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference found that many tea vendors in China are making their money selling “substandard” tea. Give this one a read: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/metro/2010-01/19/content_9341940.htm Bookmark to:

• State of the tea industry 2010…

  Tony

  19 Jan 2010 | 7:29 am

  There have been many changes in our industry of late, and as it grows — we must be sure to be mindful of our actions as consumers in this growing industry — demanding only the best, honest, fair goods. A store can only sell things if we buy them. The power is in our hands, especially as this industry takes off. Let me start by introducing three societal “movements” from where many of my ideas and opinions are sourced: 1. Slow Food 2. Free Knowledge 3. The end of mass-marketing The slow food movement was started 20 years ago and is gaining ground in America fast. The…