Here is a catalog of blog posts for different teas I have tasted:
China Green (in substance):
Third Picked Wild Korean Green Tea
Japan Green:
Chiran Kanayamidon
Pu-erh:
Yunan Bo-Nay
Oolong/Pouchong:
Pouchong 2nd place competition grade
Pouchong Special
Our Good Life Winter Picking High Mountain Oolong
White:
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tea House Review
Click on a Tea House below to go to any relevant blog entries:
Virginia:
Carytown Tea, Richmond VA
Olde World Tea Company, Smithfield VA
Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Charlottesville VA
New Jersey:
Holsome, Princeton NJ
New York:
Franchia, New York NY
The Village Tea Room, New Paltz, New York
Virginia:
Carytown Tea, Richmond VA
Olde World Tea Company, Smithfield VA
Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Charlottesville VA
New Jersey:
Holsome, Princeton NJ
New York:
Franchia, New York NY
The Village Tea Room, New Paltz, New York
Photo of the Day
I am starting a new post theme: a photograph of the day. There will not be a photograph every day, but if there is not a photograph, there will be a more substantive post. I hope to have all photographs tracked back to this post.
TeaPhoto 02-04-09
TeaPhoto 02-03-09
TeaPhoto 02-04-09
TeaPhoto 02-03-09
Holsome Tea, Princeton NJ
Holsome tea is an awesome tea shop. It carries many varieties of tea. The highlights for me are competition grade Long Jing, Oolong and Pouchong as well as excellent Pi Lo Chun. If you are looking to try something new, just learning about tea or want one of the above mentioned styles of tea, this is probably one of the better places to come--it is the best place I have been too, but I still have many places to go to. The tea shop also has Traditional Chinese Medicine and other herbs in a very calming space with an interesting sculpture hanging by some yixing pots (sorry, no pictures of this, but you can find some on their Web site).
Back to the tea:
The owner, Dr. Shu has direct connections to many of the tea growing regions that he acquires his tea from. This is most evident for his high grade Pi Lo Chun; the Pi Lo Chun is only picked on the first day of day picking. The only way Dr. Shu can ensure that it is so, and not just picked in the first few days is because his relative oversees the picking and shipping of the tea. For the high grades of High Mountain Oolong and Pouchong, Dr. Shu picks his favorite region for the tea and orders directly from the growers. (I do not know the story for the Long Jings, but I assume it is similar and that he also ensures that they come from the Dragon Well, or Lake) In upcoming posts I will look at a Competition grade Pouchong and a High Mountain style Oolong--though not competition grade.
If you are ever traveling through or near Princeton, NJ, I highly recommend stopping in.
Back to the tea:
The owner, Dr. Shu has direct connections to many of the tea growing regions that he acquires his tea from. This is most evident for his high grade Pi Lo Chun; the Pi Lo Chun is only picked on the first day of day picking. The only way Dr. Shu can ensure that it is so, and not just picked in the first few days is because his relative oversees the picking and shipping of the tea. For the high grades of High Mountain Oolong and Pouchong, Dr. Shu picks his favorite region for the tea and orders directly from the growers. (I do not know the story for the Long Jings, but I assume it is similar and that he also ensures that they come from the Dragon Well, or Lake) In upcoming posts I will look at a Competition grade Pouchong and a High Mountain style Oolong--though not competition grade.
If you are ever traveling through or near Princeton, NJ, I highly recommend stopping in.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Yunan Bo-Nay
Today I am finishing Yunan Bo-Nay (acquired from Holsome Teas in Princeton, NJ). The tea is from Yunan Province (as the name may suggest) and the tea is also a pu-erh, or aged tea (Bo-Nay is one of many synonyms for pu-erh). The dry leaf has a spicy aroma along with the earthy smell of many pu's.
The liquor of the tea seen here is after the first 2 minutes of steeping, I kept the leaves in the pot and by the end the tea I poured out was black and almost syrupy. The first cup was very pleasant, it was light and warmed my stomach and my body with a mild sweet and earthy taste. I am now on the last cup and the tea has grown astringent and it creates a numbing sensation in my mouth after I drink it.
The liquor of the tea seen here is after the first 2 minutes of steeping, I kept the leaves in the pot and by the end the tea I poured out was black and almost syrupy. The first cup was very pleasant, it was light and warmed my stomach and my body with a mild sweet and earthy taste. I am now on the last cup and the tea has grown astringent and it creates a numbing sensation in my mouth after I drink it.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Chiran Kanayamidon
Today I am drinking Chiran Kanayamidon (which I procured from Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar). Chiran refers to the place where the tea is from--Chiran is now part of Kagoshima Prefecture, which is in the South of Japan. The area is also home to the kamikaze museum. The meaning of Kanayamidon is still being researched at this time. Like so many of my recently purchased teas, I have been drinking this almost exclusively and I am on my last steaping.
The tea leaf is dark green and has the characteristic look of many Japanases teas--namely the fine cut nature of the leaf. The liquor of the tea is an emerald green and the taste of this tea is slightly vegetal with much less astringency than most other Japanese Teas.
Above are the spent leaves, again one can see how the leaves are cut to pieces.
The tea leaf is dark green and has the characteristic look of many Japanases teas--namely the fine cut nature of the leaf. The liquor of the tea is an emerald green and the taste of this tea is slightly vegetal with much less astringency than most other Japanese Teas.
Above are the spent leaves, again one can see how the leaves are cut to pieces.
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