TEA! (because coffee is so western european)

[fncyths]

/ \

totally understand this. I had to part ways with my beloved affair with coffee and find a new fix. while spending some time in Mexico I had an Argentinian girlfriend turn me on to the ritual of yerba mate. I really loved the process of drinking it in the morning and in the afternoon. paired with a few games of backgammon or dominoes and steeped in conversation and couple cooing --- la vida romantica.

anyho might be something to try out.

[Ahimsa]

After I quit sugar I never found I enjoyed tea the way I used to. For some reason I adjusted very quickly to drinking my coffee without sugar but tea always tasted sad and hollow without sugar.

My partner is mainly a coffee drinker but loves Lapsang Souchong. I was a dedicated Earl Grey drinker but I haven't been enjoying it anymore (for almost a whole year now) so I decided to switch it up a little in the hopes that a different tea will re-pique my tastebuds. I picked up a Pu-erh Earl Grey which I do enjoy a lot although I'm certainly not drinking it in the quantities I used to drink my regular Earl Grey with one teaspoon of sugar .

I miss the ritual of tea drinking that I'd created for myself. I am hoping I will eventually adjust the way I did with coffee.

I've never really had sugar in my tea so I can't quite comment on what might be a good substitute for that taste. However, I used to really enjoy something of a dessert tea as a substitute for sweets.
I highly recommend Tay Tea's 'Better Than Sex', a blend of vanilla Rooibos, Belgian dark chocolate, and peppermint.

[Faust]

Here are the ceramics I brought from Japan, along with some amazing sencha and genmacha. They really do give another level of appreciation of tea drinking as process. You simply pay attention, are present in the moment and it's beautiful.

[Chinorlz]

Hoping to resurrect this thread as I recall quite a few serious tea drinkers on here (hope they're still here). Over the last several months I have gotten more serious about tea... Built up a bit of an aged pu-erh collection with bricks ranging from 1960 to 2005. I love the change in flavor profiles as it ages where the cleaner, sweet finish morphs into a more glycerine mouthfeel and more forest floor/woody components that come with aging. Right now, I'm working through a brick of 2005 that is so enjoyable to have almost through the entire day.

Picked up quite a bit when I was in Taiwan. Have to walk by all the overly fancy shops to find the good places where you get high quality, aged pu-erh (and other teas) at fair pricing, but I got my places now :)

Would love to hear about people's experiences (Trentk?) with your Yixing teapots and how/where you can source out authentic aged Yixing teaware?

I enjoy the entire formal gongfu tea presentation process even if it is just for myself and would like to work on getting appropriately aged ceramics. Any truly reliable online source (even if shipped from China/Taiwan etc.) for aged pu-erh in brick/cake form would be much appreciated.

Would love to learn more about the different producers/tea masters and pu-erh styles (I keep reading about qi levels from different masters, regions etc.... fascinates me) if anyone on here knows about it!

[augustinn]

Seeing this thread reminded me of my trip years ago to Boh Tea Plantation in the Malaysian Highlands. The tea fields were so beautiful. Actually sitting among the plants and drinking their black tea was a memorable experience.
Like hanging out at a vineyard but getting a different kind of buzz/clarity

[Shifts]

This reminds me about my quest to acquire a nice tea set from the Czech pottery artist Petr Novák. As soon as something new is produced, it sells right away. Right now I only have a rather bland and simple gaiwan for the green teas I am drinking.

Petr Nováks blog where he often showcases ongoing projects: http://potsandtea.blogspot.com/

[thinbuddha]

has anyone tried a "teatox" diet? what food are you allowed to eat? i'm trying to do an alternative cleanse and was curious if anyone had any advice.

[Chinorlz]

This reminds me about my quest to acquire a nice tea set from the Czech pottery artist Petr Novák. As soon as something new is produced, it sells right away. Right now I only have a rather bland and simple gaiwan for the green teas I am drinking.

Petr Nováks blog where he often showcases ongoing projects: http://potsandtea.blogspot.com/

Revisiting this....

Petr Novak's name keeps popping up in serious tea drinker circles and I've been looking into his works. Really lovely and elegant takes on classics with all those nice textures and just enough rawness there. Pricing is super reasonable as well. He also has a friend that hand makes wooden tea scoops which is really awesome.

Trying to source authentic pu-erhs while in America is tricky... as with many things coming out of Asia, fakes or teas that are not 100% what they say they claim to me and are cut with cheaper leaves are rampant so provenance is everything.

While I wait for a more reliable and affordable source for Factor 1 yixing teapots, I picked up a modern made yixing tea set and a porcelain gaiwan for personal tea brewing. Had been working on finding a reliable source for authentic and good quality Lao Banzhang leaves and just got a 100g brick of this stuff.

... next need to find some aged menghai 7542 samples to see what the hype is all about.

[KUROKO]

De Quincey in Confessions of an English Opium Eater, holding forth on the history of the tea-spoon (speaking in the context of laudanum servings):



"adjusted chiefly to the calibre of female mouths" is quite some phrasing.

For I have known them all already, known them all:—
Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;
I know the voices dying with a dying fall
Beneath the music from a farther room.
So how should I presume?

[KUROKO]

fulfilling that unknown urge to pore over teapots in cinema: https://ozu-teapot.tumblr.com/tagged/Teapots

[KUROKO]

Aside from licorice which as far as I can see I stand alone in naming as a favorite and in direct opposition to the sweet my other favorite is the smoke of Lapsang so I'm appreciatively noting all the friendly Lapsang recommendations aforementioned as I've yet to find my beloved...that said in the event I'm not alone and anyone here appreciates licorice too, do recommend your favorites...Yogi licorice tea bags are the only brand I've loathed and have nothing nice to say about their bland lack of flavor.

[Bodique]

I've forgot about this thread so I'll make this post to make it more visible

For about 5 years I drink puer almost everyday. I use my Yixing clay teapot Xie Shi form with some Soviet porcelain milk saucer with bamboo and gold ornament on it, and English made teapot with metal tea strainer in it, and Japanese porcelain tea cups + termos. I'll make some photos later to add here.

I drink puer from Bulang (mostly) or some other regions. I don't drink raw puer cause after it I feel in rush.
Also I like Dian Hong and Xiao Zhong (which is Chinese name for Lapsang Souchong I've mentioned earlier) and some Dragon Well and Te Guang Ing.

I like tea cause it good for health, the ceremony itself are like meditation so I feel better after it, and it has ancient culture and a lot of reciepes of tea and terroirs so if you get bored of your teayou can always pick something new. It can stored for years and taste changes so if you have several cakes you can see how it changes (if stored right).