Tea
Thursday, May 22, 2008
The phone rang and I answered it, bracing myself for yet another annoying sales call. But no, the voice on the other side politely informed me she was from Ten Fu's Tea and that the latest batch of summer green tea has arrived - would I like to come by the store to sample some?
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If you've been paying attention all this time, most of you will know my choice of poison is tea. And seeing how we're currently in the mothership where Chinese tea is concerned, I've been having a ball with all the different sorts available. It's been quite an education; I never knew there could be so many grades for just one variety. Prices differ greatly too, from a paltry RMB10 to RMB500 for 50g. And all this for dried leaves. I will never grumble about Hubs' Cohibas again.
On top of my usual staples of Pu Erh, Tie Guan Yin, Oolong, Jin Long etc and because of the warmer weather, I've been indulging in floral infusions and blossoming teas. Again, there are many grades and I've discovered where blossoming teas are concerned, buy the best available or what your budget allows you. It does make a difference in terms of how the tea leaves are fashioned and bloom in your pot. More importantly, the corelation between price and quality of taste. I tried a few of the cheaper ones and quite honestly, they tasted horrid, with lots of fine grainy bits floating about the surface. The colour of the tea was not attractive either and worse, the petals started to fall apart.
My floral flavours of the month are Golden Lotus and Osmanthus. Both flowers infuse to give a deep golden liquid but that's where the similarity ends. The Golden Lotus is a tad bitter while the Osmanthus is sweeter and smells of apricot. Both are lovely with sweets and cakes.
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So I tell the nice lady, yes, I will swing by some time next week and thanks for letting me know. I hang up the telephone and make a mental note to self: I must enquire if they also stock a special kind of Pu Erh tea that's been aged for eight years. I first came across it at a Yunnan restaurant and it's now become my beverage when we visit. This is not unlike wine that's been aged. It's deep, robust but not overpowering - an excellent complement to the rather heavy and spicy Yunnan cuisine.
Second mental note to self: Another visit to that Yunnan restaurant is due. I kind of miss their deep fried cactus...
The Dutchess of Cookalot whipped this up at 10:10 pm
It's just one more reason for me to make another trip back to Asia.
This the 1st I am hearing about blossoming teas. Thanks to U *wink*
They look like yarns to me *haa*
It would be lovely to watch the tea blooms between sips of tea.
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petit fleur: M, it's another reason to come back to this side of the pond isn't it? I've had this many times now but I still get a kick out of watching it unfold in water.
pawpaw: Yes, they DO look like balls of yarn, now that you mention it. LOL.
For me, drinking blossoming tea is more a mini event than some thing you do to quench your thirst.
And it's always something you can impress guests with too. :P
But I wouldn't mind some of those osman-something flowers, you made them sound heavenly.
