Slowing down on a busy day.
Time to take a break and get out the kettle.
Wait as water comes to the boil,
Measuring rolled leaves into the pot.
Pouring water over the dry tea,
Smell the aroma as steam rises.
Pouring a cup, sipping hot brew,
As birds sing in the yard.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Morning Tea
I just made a nice quart of tikuanyin oolong tea. I am not one to stand on ceremony when making tea. I put a quart of water into a two quart sauce pan, heated it on the stove, then used a tea ball full of four heaping teaspoons of loose leaf tea. I dipped the ball 40 times in the hot water, until the tea was a nice golden color, then set the ball aside and decanted the tea from the pan into a quart jar.
Making tea does not have to be a long, complicated process using all kinds of odd equipment. Perhaps this is why tea is so popular. Tea is a pleasant, relaxing beverage, and it is also a stimulant. Right now, I have more water heating on the stove for the second steeping of the leaves. I enjoy making tea in the morning when the house is quiet.
The second steeping is now done. I recall reading in a book on tea about the Japanese Tea Ceremony, and they talked about how tea was almost intoxicating. I notice that good tea has more of a kick to it then the cheap stuff, and that it tastes a lot better. Right now, I am just sitting at my computer, sipping tea and wondering what to do with the day.
I am off now to wander around the web for a while. It is good to have small things to brighten the day like a cup of tea. Perhaps I will look into what it takes to start a business with tea. It seems like something that would interest me.
Making tea does not have to be a long, complicated process using all kinds of odd equipment. Perhaps this is why tea is so popular. Tea is a pleasant, relaxing beverage, and it is also a stimulant. Right now, I have more water heating on the stove for the second steeping of the leaves. I enjoy making tea in the morning when the house is quiet.
The second steeping is now done. I recall reading in a book on tea about the Japanese Tea Ceremony, and they talked about how tea was almost intoxicating. I notice that good tea has more of a kick to it then the cheap stuff, and that it tastes a lot better. Right now, I am just sitting at my computer, sipping tea and wondering what to do with the day.
I am off now to wander around the web for a while. It is good to have small things to brighten the day like a cup of tea. Perhaps I will look into what it takes to start a business with tea. It seems like something that would interest me.
Morning Sun, Golden Tea
Glow of gold on the eastern horizon,
Frost on the windows, falling leaves.
Autumn, and the air is chill.
Inside, water heats on the stove,
Fragrant tea leaves wait in the bowl,
Steam rises, pouring water.
Soon, the golden liquid swirls
Into the porcelain cup.
Shadows of night fly away
As the golden sun rises
On morning tea.
Frost on the windows, falling leaves.
Autumn, and the air is chill.
Inside, water heats on the stove,
Fragrant tea leaves wait in the bowl,
Steam rises, pouring water.
Soon, the golden liquid swirls
Into the porcelain cup.
Shadows of night fly away
As the golden sun rises
On morning tea.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Phoenix Oolong Tea
I found an interesting Chinese tea export website just now. The company is called FML and they have several articles and links on their site about tea. The one article I just read is called Phoenix Oolong Tea and has a nice description of the harvest and processing of this tea.
The site has some other interesting information and is set up to sell tea on the wholesale level. I looked through their list of oolong teas and found several such as Buddha Palm that I have never heard of before. If you want to find more information on tea, check out their main page at their site on China Tea.
The site has some other interesting information and is set up to sell tea on the wholesale level. I looked through their list of oolong teas and found several such as Buddha Palm that I have never heard of before. If you want to find more information on tea, check out their main page at their site on China Tea.
Golden Dragon Tikuanyin
This is a loose leaf tea that comes in a metal can with some nice pictures of mountain scenery. There are 150 grams, or 5.3 ounces in this can of oolong tea. The tea is rolled, like gunpowder green, and is a dark green color. I bought this can of tea at the local China Market for probably less than five dollars.
This afternoon I tried an experiment with this tea. I read yesterday on a few websites that you can get several brewings out of a portion of oolong tea leaves. I got out the big tea ball and put four heaping teaspoons of this loose leaf tea in the ball, placed the ball in a small saucepan, and poured a quart of hot water from the microwave over the leaves. I steeped the first brewing for about 70 seconds, by which time it was a light golden color.
This first brewing of oolong tea was mild and had a distinct floral aroma and flavor. After finishing the first batch, I heated more water and brewed a second pot for about 120 seconds. This decoction was of a darker color and still had the same pleasant flavor. In all, I got four quarts of really nice tea from those four teaspoons of tea leaves. By the last batch the tea tasted a bit thin, but still had a good flavor and aroma.
I have several other kinds of loose leaf oolong and green teas, which I will try in the future. I may go next week and see if they have any different teas at the market. I bought this can a few years ago, but if anything it has improved with age. This loose leaf tea was much better than the tea bag varieties, so I will probably explore more kinds of this tea and write here about the experience.
This afternoon I tried an experiment with this tea. I read yesterday on a few websites that you can get several brewings out of a portion of oolong tea leaves. I got out the big tea ball and put four heaping teaspoons of this loose leaf tea in the ball, placed the ball in a small saucepan, and poured a quart of hot water from the microwave over the leaves. I steeped the first brewing for about 70 seconds, by which time it was a light golden color.
This first brewing of oolong tea was mild and had a distinct floral aroma and flavor. After finishing the first batch, I heated more water and brewed a second pot for about 120 seconds. This decoction was of a darker color and still had the same pleasant flavor. In all, I got four quarts of really nice tea from those four teaspoons of tea leaves. By the last batch the tea tasted a bit thin, but still had a good flavor and aroma.
I have several other kinds of loose leaf oolong and green teas, which I will try in the future. I may go next week and see if they have any different teas at the market. I bought this can a few years ago, but if anything it has improved with age. This loose leaf tea was much better than the tea bag varieties, so I will probably explore more kinds of this tea and write here about the experience.
Misty Mountain
The sun rises red, fog clinging to the hills.
Walking up the mountain trail, basket on back,
The tea picker whistles a happy tune in the cool air.
Awash in a sea of emerald shrubs, plucking buds,
Filling the baskets with fresh leaves.
Mid-morning, and the work is done.
Climbing back down the slope to the sheds
Where the crisp leaves will wilt and ferment,
Turning red to brown before roasting
On the charcoal heat, being rubbed fragrant,
And twisted into ropes for market.
The tea is ready now for hot water,
Porcelain cups, and the morning sun
On yet another day.
Walking up the mountain trail, basket on back,
The tea picker whistles a happy tune in the cool air.
Awash in a sea of emerald shrubs, plucking buds,
Filling the baskets with fresh leaves.
Mid-morning, and the work is done.
Climbing back down the slope to the sheds
Where the crisp leaves will wilt and ferment,
Turning red to brown before roasting
On the charcoal heat, being rubbed fragrant,
And twisted into ropes for market.
The tea is ready now for hot water,
Porcelain cups, and the morning sun
On yet another day.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wonderful Tea
Oolong tea is one of the most pleasant drinks in the tea family. Slightly oxidized in production, it is not as grassy in flavor as green tea, and not as bitter as black tea. When made properly it is golden in color and slightly bitter, with a sweet aftertaste.
While there are many ways to make tea, perhaps the easiest is to use modern technology. Many oolong teas come in ready to use tea bags, though purists might prefer the loose leaf varieties. When I want to make some tea I fill a mason jar with water and pop it in the microwave for four minutes. This gets the water nice and hot. Two tea bags makes a good quart of tea. Just pop the bags in the hot water and press them with a spoon to dissolve all the wonderful caffein and polyphenols from the tea. In a minute or two the tea is ready and you can throw out the bags.
Oolong tea needs no sugar, milk, or lemon to add to it's flavor. I generally put a couple ice cubes in the tea to cool it down so it can be drunk right away. Of course, there are many other ways to make oolong tea, but the one described above is quick and easy.
There are many health claims made for oolong tea. Perhaps the most prevalent is that it can aid in weight loss. There are many good oolong teas on the market, and some of them are grossly overpriced. The best place to purchase oolong tea is at the local Chinese market. You can usually find boxes of 100 tea bags for from three to six dollars. You might even find oolong tea at the supermarket, as it has become popular in the last few years.
That's all for now. I will be back in the future to write more about this wonderful beverage.
While there are many ways to make tea, perhaps the easiest is to use modern technology. Many oolong teas come in ready to use tea bags, though purists might prefer the loose leaf varieties. When I want to make some tea I fill a mason jar with water and pop it in the microwave for four minutes. This gets the water nice and hot. Two tea bags makes a good quart of tea. Just pop the bags in the hot water and press them with a spoon to dissolve all the wonderful caffein and polyphenols from the tea. In a minute or two the tea is ready and you can throw out the bags.
Oolong tea needs no sugar, milk, or lemon to add to it's flavor. I generally put a couple ice cubes in the tea to cool it down so it can be drunk right away. Of course, there are many other ways to make oolong tea, but the one described above is quick and easy.
There are many health claims made for oolong tea. Perhaps the most prevalent is that it can aid in weight loss. There are many good oolong teas on the market, and some of them are grossly overpriced. The best place to purchase oolong tea is at the local Chinese market. You can usually find boxes of 100 tea bags for from three to six dollars. You might even find oolong tea at the supermarket, as it has become popular in the last few years.
That's all for now. I will be back in the future to write more about this wonderful beverage.
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