tching — Ngatho is the Kikuyu word for gratitude – the honey that sweetens every phrase, every conversation, and every request for a special favor. My Grandfather always says, “When you climb a tree, always remember that there are people below waiting for you to come down.” He said this when I was...
tching — Kaizen is the Japanese word for continuous improvement. Continuous improvement is key to the success of a business, as well as to the success of the people in the business. This past week, I had the opportunity to shadow one of the other store managers on their turf. The goal...
half-dipper.blogspot — I don't drink a lot of Bailin Gongfu, but Fujian's premier hongcha is "up there" in my estimations, along with Dianhong and Qihong. Many thanks to the chaps at TeaVivre for sending me the sample that forms the basis of today's article. Any excuse to drink good hongcha is welcome. As...
teamasters.blogspot — Cultivar: Qingxin (luanze) Oolong Handpicked on April 5, 2012 Origin: Ali Shan (Chang Shu Hu) Elevation: 1600 meters Process: Lightly oxidized, rolled Oolong. Brewed in 'ivory' porcelain. 1. View. Vivid green leaves and golden stems. The leaves are rolled very tightly and almost small. Once brewed open, the leaves are long and thick. The stems show signs...
half-dipper.blogspot — This will probably be the last of the cakes from Yunnan Sourcing that I write about for some time - at least until the spring 2012 cakes appear. It feels as if I have been drinking tons of tea from Scott, of late, and that is surely testament to his...
tching — It’s the little things that can really make a truly memorable tea experience. This month I wanted to explore the presentation of tea in more detail. Loose-leaf tea with a tea timer When I first arrived in Brisbane, I did the inevitable thing that every tea lover does, which was to...
tching — Lui da cha shan, or Six Famous Mountain Tea Co., of Yunnan, which manufactures premium pu’er teas in Menghai, Xishuangbanna prefecture, recently commemorated their tenth anniversary and I was honored to be invited. The company, whose name refers to the six mountains of Ban Zhang, Yi Bang, Nan Nuo, Bang...
tching — On a recent trip to California, I decided to stop in Santa Cruz and enjoy the sea air for the afternoon. After some time wandering about on the cliff paths and taking photos of the wildflowers, I headed into town to check out a new tea shop I had heard...
half-dipper.blogspot — This might be the first time that I've come across a cake where I prefer its autumnal incarnation to its springtime version. Have I gone barking mad, or is there method in my madness? The popular wisdom is that springtime cakes are more potent, contain more contents within the leaf, and...
teamasters.blogspot — Dans quelques heures je vais prendre l'avion avec mes 25 kg+ de bagages! (Du thé, 2 Cha Xi et mon appareil photo). Je me réjouis d'aller à ce salon. Cela sera la première fois que j'aurai même un petit stand pour mon blog. Il est situé au pavillon B. Et...
half-dipper.blogspot — So, we meet at last, Other Teas from Tea Urchin. Today's article collates a set of teas kindly provided by Eugene, the Strahlian force behind the shop, whom I suspect may have more than a little Chinese material in his own ancestry. If you've not yet check out his shop,...
half-dipper.blogspot — blue light, red light on the stone chapel wall stained glass revelation
tching — I have been obsessed with matcha for quite some time. I think it is one of the most fabulous things on the planet. Lately though, I have refined my obsession to that of perfecting my matcha latte. I just bought some new matcha from Teavana to experiment with. I don’t normally...
teamasters.blogspot — The long wait is over! This year's most delicate and precious Oolongs have arrived! I'm busy preparing my trip to the Teaworld rendez-vous in Brussels next week. So, until I can describe them in greater detail, here is a quick take on these new leaves in my selection: - Top Ali...
tching — In my post last month, I promised to teach you how to make “tea bombs,” which are a lot like seed bombs that grow into herbal tea plants instead of non-edible flowers. After much deliberation, I decided to use catnip, chamomile, Echinacea, and hollyhock seeds for several reasons. All of...
tching — During April in North Guangdong province at an altitude of 4,500 feet, 100-year-old Oolong trees are harvested for their young shoots, which are then oxidized to 45%, fired under medium heat, and meticulously crafted all along the way. These single-branch cultivars from Chaoan County’s infamous Phoenix Mountain grow straight up...
tching — Tea, more than a mere beverage, has been a way of life – particularly in the Chinese culture – for thousands of years. It is also the second most-consumed drink in the world, after the insurmountable behemoth that is plain water. There is no doubt that this phenomenon is aided by...
half-dipper.blogspot — departure lounge traveller rests his head on four single malts
tching — The Dan Cong tea market may now be experiencing an economic bubble like the Puerh tea bubble that burst in 2007 and damaged the Puerh tea industry. Two years ago, you could buy a very nice Dan Cong variety for $20 dollars/kilogram. In today’s market, you may expect to pay...
