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  • Mail-Moth
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2009
    • 1448

    #16
    Cha jin, rue Pasquier, is a great place in Paris for Japanese teas. A little messy, but beautiful stuff.
    La Maison des trois thés, rue Gracieuse, is unbeatable when it comes to chinese ones - especially pu-ehr. Nice place, excellent service, and an impressive choice.

    Mariage frères is a respectable house, but it is specialised in perfumed teas and can't hold the comparison with the aforementioned adresses when it comes to non-processed products.
    Le Palais des thés really doesn't have anything worth mentioning to offer.

    Both of the first two houses are quite expensive, but their prices are completely justified. Their teas are so good that they still taste great after three or four infusions. Not to say anything about pu-ehrs, which I generally keep using for three or four days.

    Pu-ehrs are the only chinese teas I still drink; I gave up on anything else the first time I drank a real sencha - because, to put it simply, it was not about taste anymore, as for pu-ehr the first time I smelled it. I always found extremely boring and unnatural the way people like to show their appreciation of something by naming the fragrances and tastes they perceive in it. As for myself I don't care if the tea I drink tastes like dried apricot or brioche, because it doesn't tell anything about the reason why I love it, which relates to something far more personal and deeply rooted: to put it simply, the teas I love the most smell and taste like moments, not like food.
    I can see a hat, I can see a cat,
    I can see a man with a baseball bat.

    Comment

    • cowsareforeating
      Senior Member
      • Jan 2011
      • 1032

      #17
      Sure -- but purists like naming things and leather codes no?

      I understand your love for sencha -- the umami flavor in certain ones make them so much more fulfilling than other teas.


      @Dane

      So darjeelings are rather full-flavored teas. Ill go as far to guess that your tea was steeped too long or at too high of a temperature. It is supposed to be a little astringent but definitely not harsh or anything of that sort. It has a certain regional fragrance that's relatively hard to pinpoint.

      Now milk and sugar aren't bad persay, simply because the enjoyment of a beverage or food is very personal. However, if you were trying to taste the tea and ONLY the tea (just like coffee) you would refrain from milk or sugar. But hell, sometimes in the morning when I want something milder or creamier but still black I do it too.

      Generally I prefer pure teas. That is tea leaf with no additional blending/scenting/flavoring

      Teas are split into a few general types (from least oxidation to most)

      White (unoxidized)
      Varies
      Green (barely oxidized, only due to processing)
      China/Japan
      Oolong (partial oxidation)
      China/Taiwan
      Black (full oxidation)
      Sri Lanka/India
      Pu-Erh (full oxidation, but different from black; only Chinese)
      China
      Of which I can go into detail later. The regions are just regions of importance where a LOT of great tea is produced. Eg: kenya not listed but has some kickass teas

      @Skye_X Anyways I'll second samovar and will have to check out that other place -- sounds more my style.




      To me, the keys to brewing good tea are

      1. Pure water (bottled or filtered depending on your preference)
      2. Temperature
      3. Concentraion (tea leaf: water ratio: steep time)
      4. Tea leaf quality

      Probably in that order... give or take.

      Comment

      • trentk
        Senior Member
        • Oct 2010
        • 709

        #18
        Originally posted by Skye X View Post
        My favorite tea house in Santa Cruz (where I grew up, and my parents still reside) is now gone, alas, but Chaikhana is still there, and remains my favorite place to buy tea. I sometimes obtain it from Rainbow (where I shop often anyway) and the above-mentioned tea houses as well, as they're much closer.
        Second the Chaikhana recommendation. I also grew up in Santa Cruz.

        edit: skye, just looked at your bio. "I am a god-free anarcha-feminist vegan straightedge analog cyberpunk". Yeah, you definitely grew up in santa cruz.

        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        If you live anywhere near SC, go to Chaikhana and discuss tea with David.

        If you can't make it to Chaikhana, The Leaf is awesome for tea related knowledge (although, some of their "philosophical flights", are.... "not rigorous enough" for my taste). O-Cha is excellent for Japanese Greens, Hou De and Essence of Tea for everything else.

        If you're in New York, go for a tasting at the Mandirin's Tea Room and check out Tim's blog. If you do go for a tasting, tell Tim Trent sent you. We used to discuss tea all the time, he would probably remember me.

        MarshalN's blog is classic, as is Stephane Erler's.


        Originally posted by Carcass View Post
        I forgot who had a lot of experience on these two, but please, share some more!
        Was it me? I was once just as much of a tea-addict as Marshal, Stephane, and Tim. My interest in tea waned, but its starting to ramp back up (thanks to an excellent 98' shu puerh I tried with David of Chaikhana a week or so ago.)

        For anyone who doesn't know much about real, traditional tea. Read these posts. You'll be intrigued. On trying Qing Dynasty (yes, that old) puerh: 1, 2, 3.
        Last edited by trentk; 12-27-2011, 04:30 AM.
        "He described this initial impetus as like discovering that they both were looking at the same intriguing specific tropical fish, with attempts to understand it leading to a huge ferocious formalism he characterizes as a shark that leapt out of the tank."

        Comment

        • Carcass
          Senior Member
          • May 2010
          • 178

          #19
          Originally posted by trentk View Post

          Was it me?
          Yes! I'm pretty sure it was. You're conversations with MM really got me researching puerh. I have quite found a steady source of it yet, but a nice sheng has probably become my favorite tea.

          Comment

          • MoFiya
            Senior Member
            • Sep 2007
            • 1438

            #20
            This thread made me question my use of water. Until now, I used mains water to brew my matcha - knowing that it is kind of hard. So I went to the super market and copped some still water that is low on calcium (<10mg/l) and hydrocarbonate (<20mg/l) and damn - that makes hell of a difference!
            I have dreams of orca whales and owls
            But I wake up in fear

            BBS for sale (Sz 48-52)

            Comment

            • widmerpool
              Senior Member
              • Nov 2010
              • 151

              #21
              I seem to acquire puer at a much faster rate than I can drink it. Coffee is just coffee to me, it only tastes good or bad. I drink two cups for breakfast, then oolong while I'm working, and puer in the evening.

              I'm just coming to the end of a great oolong I bought in Huangshan this summer. It's slightly sweet with a distinct licorice aftertaste. Unfortunately I don't know what it is called. I assumed the shop would write what it was on the packet but they just wrote 'oolong'.
              http://asteroidanxiety.bandcamp.com

              Comment

              • cowsareforeating
                Senior Member
                • Jan 2011
                • 1032

                #22
                Originally posted by MoFiya View Post
                This thread made me question my use of water. Until now, I used mains water to brew my matcha - knowing that it is kind of hard. So I went to the super market and copped some still water that is low on calcium (<10mg/l) and hydrocarbonate (<20mg/l) and damn - that makes hell of a difference!
                Recent purchases: water
                :P




                Trent, been waiting for someone to drop knowledge! :)
                Unfortunately I hear if you actually go to tea frams they hold out on the good stuff unless they know you so I hear getting your hands on nice tea can be quite the hassle.
                Eager to do that reading and will have to stop by santa cruz then!

                Comment

                • galia
                  Senior Member
                  • Jun 2009
                  • 1719

                  #23
                  Originally posted by Mail-Moth View Post
                  La Maison des trois thés, rue Gracieuse, is unbeatable when it comes to chinese ones - especially pu-ehr. Nice place, excellent service, and an impressive choice.
                  Yes to this. I live 3 mns from it and therefore I hardly ever go, but it is a magnificent place. And the offer is crazy.

                  Comment

                  • Skye X
                    Senior Member
                    • Oct 2010
                    • 180

                    #24
                    Originally posted by cowsareforeating View Post
                    @Skye_X Anyways I'll second samovar and will have to check out that other place -- sounds more my style.
                    Definitely do. If you'd like to meet for tea sometime, let me know!


                    Originally posted by trentk View Post
                    Second the Chaikhana recommendation. I also grew up in Santa Cruz.

                    edit: skye, just looked at your bio. "I am a god-free anarcha-feminist vegan straightedge analog cyberpunk". Yeah, you definitely grew up in santa cruz.
                    Where are you living now? It's not often that I run into other people from SC! And as far as the bio, I laughed at your assessment. It's not all particularly Santa Cruzian from what I remember. Everyone is Wiccan or "pagan" or into "chaos magick", there are no vegan restaurants, no one is sXe because everyone (seriously, everyone) smokes weed, and no one there had any idea what I was talking about when I mentioned cyberpunk. I loaned out a lot of books and CDs!

                    There was a pretty good punk scene, and the anarchist bookstore downtown, though.

                    PM me!

                    /derail

                    Comment

                    • Zenith
                      Senior Member
                      • Jun 2009
                      • 466

                      #25
                      Bai mu dan if I want something with some strength (also its relatively good value), silver needle if I have alot of time on my hands, and silver needle/Jasmine blend if I have company. Took alot of experimentation to finally find decent silver needle in London. Actually found it quite strange how many of the so called reputable places were serving pretty substandard tea at premium prices.

                      I have a batch of Gyokuro, but it's such a pain to actually brew properly I just don't bother. Tastes great though when done right.

                      Always brew in a separate vessel to which you are serving from. It annoys me greatly when tea places do not do this.

                      Comment

                      • cowsareforeating
                        Senior Member
                        • Jan 2011
                        • 1032

                        #26
                        ^ gyokuro is the most finicky little **OUr9813274o18374 to brew.

                        I'm assuming the silver needle you're drinking is chinese -- darjeeling region has a pretty good one too if you're looking for some oomph.

                        Comment

                        • theetruscan
                          Senior Member
                          • Jan 2008
                          • 2270

                          #27
                          Originally posted by Ahimsa View Post
                          Teavana" but I assume it's similar to David's...I haven't really tried much from them but they turn me off because of their size and gimmick. That, and I am also a strong proponent of organic tea.
                          Teavana is a fucking nightmare. They charged 4x as much as the good local tea shop, have around 1/5th the selection, and followed me around telling me how I needed to buy a $500 iron tea kettle. Go in with a plan and noise canceling head phones, or a molotov cocktail.

                          Gyokuro is definitely very finicky, but it's just so delicious when right. One of my favorites.

                          Others I've been enjoying lately:

                          Harmutty (basic, sweet black tea)
                          Russian Caravan (milder lapsang souchong )
                          Hobo: We all dress up. We all put on our armour before we walk out the door, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re trying to be someone else.

                          Comment

                          • thehouseofdis
                            Senior Member
                            • Jan 2010
                            • 696

                            #28
                            Coming from the NW where coffee is king, I've been slowly making the switch from Americanos and French Press to tea.

                            I primarily drink Sencha that a friend of mine in Sendai sends me but I'm also a fan of Hojicha and have been drinking that half the time recently. My friend sent me some and I also got a bag from In Pursuit of Tea in Soho (they seem to have a small but good selection of teas). I recently bought a Genmaicha, which is okay, but the one I have has too much rice in it for my taste.

                            I'm still looking for a good Lapsang Souchong, for those times when I want a strong black tea. I am in love with the scent of it.

                            In the summer I drink gallons of cold brewed green tea.

                            As far as tea rooms go, I've only been to Cha-an on 9th and have enjoyed it, but it seems a little overpriced.

                            Any other good tea shops in Manhattan? I'm also looking for a place with a good selection of Japanese tea pots and cups.
                            THE HOUSE OF DIS
                            embrace the twenty first movement

                            Comment

                            • cowsareforeating
                              Senior Member
                              • Jan 2011
                              • 1032

                              #29
                              ^no idea about manhattan but japanese crafted ceramics are the definition of artisanal. i hope you're willing to spend some CCP-level money lol

                              hoji is remarkably satisfying for how low grade of a tea it is.

                              sencha with an oomph in umami flavor is dope if you can get it

                              Comment

                              • mpcec
                                Junior Member
                                • Jun 2008
                                • 28

                                #30
                                For people looking to order online, I highly reccommend Chan Tea Shop and Norbu Tea. Both great businesses, fantastic service, high quality/ well sourced etc.

                                Comment

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