like a flower

We've been hit by another big storm in Toronto. Started raining hard late last night, turning into snow overnight. Looks like it'll be going all day - wet, heavy, dense snow that's almost impossible to shovel. Fun. Getting into work will be interesting ...

I drink a lot of tea. Most of the time I don't think much about it - just part of my daily routine. But this one was special. My mother brought back this osmanthus oolong tea from Shanghai. She went out with a friend for lunch, and it's common in Shanghai now to purchase quality tea from an outside vendor in restaurants. No more of that cheap (imitation) pu'er or whatever they can find. No, you buy a pack of fine tea and the restaurant brews it for your accordingly, giving you the rest of it to take home. These flower teas are wonderful. Delicate, fragrant, and slightly sweet on the palate. What's critical for these teas is brewing temperature. It can't be too hot - water that's just off boiling will scorch the teas, as unscientific as that concept is, and completely destroy the delicate flavours and aromas. It's too aggressive. I learned this lesson the last time I was in Shanghai. My uncle and aunt took us out to dinner at this restaurant that specialized in roast pigeons. We ordered this kind of tea, and our server brought out a glass beaker of water, and what looked like a temperature-controlled cooking top. She set it at 85°C, and allowed only a short steeping time. My uncle made this offhand comment about how the tea wasn't hot enough (nothing's ever too hot for the Chinese), and she explained that boiling the tea would render it lifeless. I like that a lot. Doing things the right way; aiming for perfection at everything you do.

DF

taking a time-out

You have to take your time to brew a good cup of tea. The most amazing 涌溪火青 - sadly I only have a few grams of it left. A little ritual to calm you down, refocus the mind. And dammit, this is like slow torture ... still a bit to go before I can submit that application. No one said it would be easy, but then they neglected to say it would be this tough too. 

Let the tea relax, warm up the clay teapot ... quickly pour out the first potful, steep quickly, then drain the water into a covered teacup. And for the first cup at least, forget all your problems, and take a time-out

DF

flecks of green

Tea is like wine in so many gustatorial ways, but above all, it cannot simply satisfy a physiological need (namely, thirst); tea has to evoke something beyond simply smell and taste. As distinct as Chablis is from the Sonoma Coast, ryokucha is unique not just because of processing method, but because of place of origin. Truly fine ryokucha is a textural experience, creating a sensation reminiscent of rolling clouds and grainy hot spring sludge. It possesses formidable tannins, all the while remaining vibrant and fresh. All this, from a single passing of (just under boiling temperature) water.

Like all other things Japanese, the packaging is exquisite, but as the Shanghainese say, you can't eat packaging. Substance, in tea, in wine, in everything; that is the true source of beauty.

DF

the last of that sweet fragrance

This is the last of it. They are precious to me, these flowers we found in a beautiful town of 周庄, in a tiny shop nestled in a canal-facing building. A single bud with your green tea, which unravels the most amazing fragrance. I've got no idea what they're called, how they're grown, how they're processed . . . amazing how you go to a little watertown an hour away from Shanghai and it's like you're in another country. Little mysteries, in every alley.

DF

Tian Mu Lake white tea

天目湖白茶

Tea is a constant in our family. We've always been conscious about drinking a lot of water, and good tea makes it a pleasure. It also helps that we don't pay for a lot of the tea that we drink, and we always receive interesting things to taste alongside the TieGuanYin, LongJing, and Pu'Er, standbys in our cupboard. What can I say, my family knows people.

This is one of those interesting things. Or rather, something new to taste. A white tea, from a place called Tian Mu Lake. I researched a bit about it - there aren't a lot of resources about this particular variety. It's a new tea, whatever that means. Is it a new style, or a new planting? All new tea farms? The land has always been there - and as far as I'm concerned, white tea is simply a marketing catchphrase. The explanation that it's the most tender shoots is utter nonsense, as proper green tea is already produced from the baby shoots. That's why green tea produced around QingMing holiday in early April is the most highly prized - it's when the first buds appear. Anyways, if you're interested in reading about this tea, Hank Horkoff has a terrific piece about it on The Network Sense. Really well-written, well-researched . . . well done sir.

We bought that glass teapot in Shanghai, when I was last home in 2010. We've used it maybe twice? It's actually a terrible vessel to brew tea in. Doesn't hold heat well, the spout doesn't really pour right, and the fit of the glass top is suspect. But you do get to see the tea leaves do their dance, moving up and down in the hot water. If only the tea were as interesting. Brews lightly flavoured water, a suggestion that you're drinking tea.

Eagerly waiting for our next shipment, and hoping for a better surprise. Say no to white tea, because we all should know better.

DF

well-packaged 铁观音 tea

It's simply really. All tea, with the exception of the grand Pu'er, needs to be consumed fresh. Critical as well, to be stored in a reductive environment. And not in silly single-serve packaging, because it's wasteful and pointless and doesn't make any sense in actually preserving the tea. This is the last of this year's TieGuanYin tea that was sent to us . . . that is, tea from the 2011 harvest. Packaged the proper way, in a brick. Preserving aroma, freshness, whilst minimizing waste.

I haven't had a drop of it yet. But already feeling good about this producer.

DF

ryokucha

I've been writing a lot about tea lately. Just inspired I suppose, but tea for me has always been a way of life.

My aunt brought over some Japanese green tea, ryokucha. The brewing process is very different . . . she even brought me a teapot for it. You see, you need a shockingly fine filter inside to run the water through . . . it's essentially an instant extraction of the tea. The leaves are fragments really, showing the most brilliant green colour. Even the tea it yields stays green, without ever browning from oxidation. My aunt taught me this phrase in Japanese that I've already forgotten. It refers to this textural feeling the best tea gives you, as if there's a cloud in your mouth.

Ryokucha has the most amazing effect on the palate. Rich, structured, and so fragrant - these teas have the most amazing combination of freshness and power. So tannic, yet retaining a delicacy that's so singular. And that texture . . . thick almost, cloudy certainly, unparalleled intensity. Tea ceremony and all that bullshit aside, ryokucha is special. And above all, it must be consumed fresh, so I'm already looking forward to when I'm going to get my next batch.

DF

Da Hong Pao tea

大红袍 is a national treasure for the Chinese. If it's true, the story is spectacular . . . 4 tea bushes, dating back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Annual yield of less than a kilogram, with the government locking away a portion. Nixon receiving 50g in 1972 at the conclusion of his great visit to China, and the beginning of Sino-American bilateral relations. Its cult status as the greatest Oolong tea produced, with a stratospheric price to match.

The question is, what exactly am I drinking here? We've never bought tea - my family knows people. Tea-producing people in Fujian province that ship all kinds of stuff over for us. And included in this latest package was a tiny bag labelled 大红袍. I'd like to think that what I'm drinking is the real thing, but we're not that well connected. Definitely from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian, arguably the finest tea terroir in the world. In any case, the leaves show correct colour, and unravel beautifully, fermented whole. Complex, great depth, and develops a fabulous sweetness on the palate. Citrus peel and all that fragrance. Great texture and length.

I think I still have enough for maybe 2 more good brews. These oxidized teas can sometimes be boring and overdone, but occasionally they send over a few really delicate ones.

DF

packaging tea is so wasteful

They always packaged TieGuanYin tea in separate little packets, but this is getting ridiculous. Another small plastic bag inside? They call it brewing 'a bag'. One packet in the teapot, good for a strong, structured brew. I just hate to see such waste. Especially because I insist on storing all my tea in clear glass containers. Tea leaves need to be scooped into the teapot, not shrink-wrapped like a fucking emergency ration. You're ruining the ritual, just ruining it.

So I guess the question is . . . does tea taste better individually wrapped? But you all know the answer already.

DF

涌溪火青

We're spoiled, with tea at least. We have many wonderful friends who continue to bring us some very special teas from their travels in China. This is one of them, a varietal that was renowned from the Ming Dynasty. From AnHui Province, 涌溪火青.

The leaves are rolled into balls, and have an almost oily sheen to them. Wonderfully fragrant before they ever touch water, I'm careful to ensure that the water used to steep them isn't too hot. As you can see from the steeped leaves, this particular sample is very fine. Tender, whole shoots, just an incredible quality.

The tea is so fragrant, herbal and slightly green. Rich in the mouth, well-structured and tannic. Develops a lovely sweetness with continued brewing. Delicious, a very special tea indeed.

DF

Flowers in the tea

The last of the dried flowers we found on our last visit to 周庄, a little village about 120 km or so southeast of Shanghai. What a beautiful place. The village's defining feature are the canals that the houses are built on. Shades of Venice, but much more beautiful. For poets and dreamers.

I stumbled across an old lady selling herbs for tea. And she showed me these flowers. I have no idea what they are, but they have the most exquisite aroma. Delicate and sweet, and brewed with a handful of 铁观音 leaves, a stunning example of how complex Chinese tea can be. A sip and somehow I'm back in 周庄, faintly hearing the rower's song echoing in the canals.

DF

White tea

White tea refers to the tender shoots and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant that have been slightly oxidized and lightly processed. That's what they try to market to you, as justification for charging higher prices.

White tea is actually green tea. Yes, oh you fancy huh, drinking white tea like thas wassup. No, it's just green tea - more tender leaves, yes, but still a green tea. Does it taste better? That's up to your judgement, you tea-baggers.

DF

龙井茶

The last bit of tea we bought in April from 龙井. Fine tea, as in wine, is all a lesson in the significance and tangible character of terroir. Appreciated by lovers of subtlety, a quiet moment of contemplation as the leaves release their aroma and soft essence.

DF

Yixing clay teapot

One of my uncles is from Yixing, in Jiangsu province. This area is famous, most of all, for their clay teapots. Why? Because the terroir here, namely the clay, is perfectly suited to making these fabulous teapots. What makes this marriage a fateful match is not only the fact that the clay holds heat well, and is especially conducive to shaping and etching paintings and calligraphy - it is also porous enough for the tea to infuse into its walls, and subsequently make your brews taste better and better with age.

He gave me this teapot, during my trip back this April. Very elaborately decorated. I'm still in the process of seasoning the teapot, making sure that a layer of tea extract develops on the inside walls. Four months in, I'm making some progress, but much more brewing needs to be done. I'll keep you posted.

DF

Sifting for treasure

In LongJing, at the home of a tea producer I visited, it quickly became apparent to me that this was a family business. Everyone - from the grandmother, to the mother, to the daughter - everyone was busy at work. The men are responsible for the actual farming in the moutains, but the women were primarily the ones doing the processing. The young man here is sifting through the freshly picked tea leaves, for any broken pieces. The leaves that fall in the bottom basket are kept for the family's own consumption - this is still high grade tea, but because the leaves are not in one piece, it cannot be sold. The proprietor explained how the tea is roasted - they use large electric woks, slowly turning the leaves until they are dry. There are 3 main hand gestures used in this roasting process - the first being a simple toss, the second being a lift and shake, and the final gesture being a stirring motion. Just fascinating, and I'm very glad that I was able to experience this. We bought a few ounces from them, the least we could do for their hospitality and the lesson in tea.

DF

Long Jing tea

The famous LongJing tea of ZheJiang. This is one of the finest green teas of the world, if not the greatest. When we were there, in early April, the first harvest of the year had just been processed. The first harvest is always the most prized, as the buds are most tender - these grades of tea are known as GuoYuQian, or QingMingQian. There is an ancient Chinese festival in the first week of April called QingMing, to honour deceased family. The tea picked in the days before this festival is of the highest grade, superior in fragrance, flavour, and texture. Prices correspond to the quality.

This particular tea here is the family's top grade - she charged 500 USD per kilo. Impressive indeed. As you can see here, she brewed a lot for us. The tea was extraordinary. The tender leaves have these amazing furry fibres attached, which detach and float in the tea. Colour is beautiful, fragrance is so floral and nutty. Absolutely delicious, lots of structure, just perfect in flavour and length.

One more interesting thing about this tea - the proprietor described the process of harvesting, and processing the tea. And I realized that she gave me a lesson in the importance of terroir. In wine, in tea - terroir overrides all. The tea grown high in the mountain is of higher quality because of the cooler temperature. Older tea trees produce more intense flavours. All forms of synthetic chemicals are shunned. Unfortunately, these tea plantations are zealously guarded, understandably. So we were not able to see them for ourselves.

Many thanks to the hospitality shown to us by this family. Truly an extraordinary lesson in tea terroir and all its subtleties and nuances. Will make this pilgrimage again, on my next visit.

DF

The thousand year old well

In HangZhou is the green tea region known as LongJing, or Dragon Well. This area produces some of the finest green tea of China - when the harvest begins, the highest grade teas can reach hundreds of dollars an ounce. I had been here once before, many years ago. I made the pilgrimage once again, to experience the LongJing tea at its finest - at the first harvest in the beginning of April, when the tea leaves are most tender and are of the highest quality.

The entrance to LongJing is marked by this well, the eponymous Dragon Well. This well is purported to be a thousand years old, and is covered with carved inscriptions. The centre, large inscription reads 'Old Dragon Well'. There is a story of the QianLong Emperor drawing water from this well. A tradition for visitors is to draw water, to wash. To experience LongJing, the mind and soul has to be cleansed, and the spirit of the well stays with the one who draws the water. It's a deep well - 30 metres down at least, and the water is remarkably cold. After washing, we went to the home of the old lady, to taste her tea.

DF

Dong Ding Oolong

凍頂烏龍茶

A fine oolong tea a friend brought back for us, from their trip to Taiwan. Originally of Fujian province, from the Wuyi Mountains. The name of the tea indicates the village in Taiwan where it is produced.

Dark colour, leaves rolled into tight little balls. Retains that green, which indicates that this hasn't seen too much oxidation before they roast it - always a good sign. Oolong tea is all about power, but you want to retain some freshness as well, which excessive roasting will obliterate.

Brewed in my clay pot, as always. Comes out quite pale, with a very subtle bouquet. Very subtle. It really begins developing on the 3rd pot. You begin seeing the structure and aroma I associate with excellent oolong teas, with an incredible freshness and vibrancy. This tea has a fine texture, and rounds out quite nicely. Clearly, a fine example of one of the great tea terroirs of Taiwan.

DF

Jin Jun Mei

Jin Jun Mei

I'm having difficulties inputting the proper Chinese characters. A friend from Fujian sent us another package of tea. Jun Mei, which is a tea native to Fujian, is grown on Wuyi Mountain. Arguably, the greatest tea terroir in the world. This tea has several grades, with this one, Jin (Gold), being the highest.

As you can see, this is a black tea, but with the most amazing copper-coloured edges. This colour disappears once infused, as the tea is well roasted.

Brewed in a clay teapot, the tea leaves plump and enlarge, infusing a dark, amber colour. The bouquet is extraordinary - orange peel and flowers, with fragrant, dried long-an. Very perfumed, if you can say that for a tea. The tea is silky in the mouth, with no trace of tannin or any bitterness. Very sweet. Exceptional tea for a cold day. I think I'm ready for a pot right now.

DF

Pu'er

普洱茶

A friend gave us something really special, something that I've read a lot about but have yet to experience. Pu'er tea cakes. Called tea cakes because they are loose tea leaves pressed into the shape of round 'cakes', and aged. A completely different interpretation of tea - just extraordinary.

What makes this tea special? This is an ancient tea of Yunnan, made from a variety of tea called 毛茶. Once picked, it is pan-fried in a dry wok, to stop oxidation. It is then pressed into cakes and aged. What is unique is that Pu'er benefits from aging - in general, the more age on the tea cake, the more valuable. Which is a total departure from the green tea most people know, which is most valuable when it's fresh.

The example we were given is known as 七子餅茶. It is hand pressed, as evidenced by the dimple found in the centre of the underside. Aged a minimum of 7 years (although that is not what the seven in the name refers to). I think this was an expensive one - fortunately for us, this friend hasn't realized it yet.

You have to break it up, and clean out any impure bits. It becomes loose tea, which you then prepare in the 工夫 method. Earthen clay pot, strain, and serve. You don't let it steep for more than 20 seconds.

The tea was wonderful. Deep red, almost tawny in colour (to use a wine descriptor). Lovely aroma of brambles and an almost floral component. Becomes very sweet in the mouth, with a velvety texture. Wonderful. My friends, we'll have to have a glass together soon.

DF