Ah.... Martha, what have you done!! :P
Tea tasting is fun and can be extremely challenging to me by those with active minds.
A tour of the Chinese tea mountain and markets! If you are interested in going to China with Imen, roam around the tea markets in Guang Zhou, see the tea plantations in China, taste fresh tea leaves cooked in meals, watch how tea is made, and drink tea well in to the night at local tea houses, we are planning a trip for you.
I have in mind a relatively relaxing trip for the first time, 10 days trip around Thanks Giving time, during the world tea expo period, begin with flying into Guangzhou city:
day 2 and 3, check out the largest tea market in the world (over 10k merchants) and the largest world tea expo of Guangzhou.
day 4, lunch or dinner and tea at an antique house converted restaurant, a food massage after that, tea drinking well into the night
day 5, 6 fly to Hangzhou, visit the world famous west lake and visit the local life, museum and garden
day 7, head up to Longjing mountain to check out tea fields, stay overnight at the mountain village
day 8, & 9, head over to city of Shanzhou, up the mountain of Shan, a lunch and/or dinner by the local tea farmers, mountain free range chicken, wild boar ham and fresh tea, bamboo shoot meals, run wild amongst the tea bushes if you dare.
day 10, fly back to Guangzhou, then head home.
We will try to stay in clean environment at all time, however remote tea mountains can be a bid country style without the fancy toilet, please consider that before jumping on board. This is mostly happen on day 8 and 9.
I pick the above itinerary out of the consideration of our concern of comfort and level of foreign cultural shock. Most of the time we will stay in cities with modern comfort, only a day or two of rural experience.
Transportation, hotal, tour tickets and meals will be included with a tour guide in every location, fully insured. Please keep in mind, if you have severe food allergy and/or health condition, go at your own risk.
If you are interested, let me know soon and I will put this into action. Flying to China in Nov is low season, air fare is relatively affordable.
In the future, we can plan trips to other tea regions combined with local sight seeing and food. Yunnan, Wuyi mountain, Huangshan mountain are all great tea producing regions at the same time are famous tourist area. If one trip is not enough for you, there are many many more tea mountains to see in China. At least I find it fun to combine tea and sight seeing together, but can not be tea hunting alone.
Well, it's a thought for now and you can chip in your thoughts, perhaps we can make this happen very soon.
Monday, June 03, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Tea event at UCLA 04/23/13
This is the 5th year that the NCAM of UCLA will be hosting the tea event consecutively. As one of the volunteers of the event, I am very proud to be part of this event for so many years.
Since it has been a few years, if a freshman attended all 4 events, he would had been graduated by now. So my concern is what should I talk about when there are students had been to more than one events, I am sure they would not want to listen to the same materials over and over again.
Tea can be a deep subject, it never ends. For young minds which may or may not have much exposure to the world of tea, what would they be mostly interested in knowing?
I personally think tea can be separated into several categories:
1, the basic of understanding types of teas by color, cultivation, processing
2, tea brewing
3, how to identify tea by quality
4, drinking tea and health
5, energy of tea and nature
each category can be extended with many sub categories, which become a large tops on its own
I don't have time nor that the students have the patience to listen to a 5 days talk at once. What would you be interested to know if you were one of the audience? Your input is appreciated greatly.
Since it has been a few years, if a freshman attended all 4 events, he would had been graduated by now. So my concern is what should I talk about when there are students had been to more than one events, I am sure they would not want to listen to the same materials over and over again.
Tea can be a deep subject, it never ends. For young minds which may or may not have much exposure to the world of tea, what would they be mostly interested in knowing?
I personally think tea can be separated into several categories:
1, the basic of understanding types of teas by color, cultivation, processing
2, tea brewing
3, how to identify tea by quality
4, drinking tea and health
5, energy of tea and nature
each category can be extended with many sub categories, which become a large tops on its own
I don't have time nor that the students have the patience to listen to a 5 days talk at once. What would you be interested to know if you were one of the audience? Your input is appreciated greatly.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
My first tea tree
One might wonder why plant a tea tree, and why years later? Well, I wish I could have started a few years back so it would be producing by now. Last year, I visited the long jing producing region and had young tea leaves fried free range chicken eggs. It was so refreshing and delicious, I can not forget how wonderful it tasted. So planting a tea tree solely for this purpose is in my mind ever since.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Tis the season to drink Dan Cong oolong!!!
Dan cong oolong is a moody tea alright. Season's change also changes Dan Cong teas' performance. I find fresher the dan cong is, the better it will taste in Spring, Summer and part of Fall. They hibernate during winter. When spring comes, they bloom again releasing fabulous fragrance and sweet like nectar. Winter is a season for aged or heavily oxidized dan cong or teas that hold the same characteristics.
Cupping through my stocks of dan cong oolong of various harvests, most of which tasted better than I last had it during Fall and Winter.
Cupping through my stocks of dan cong oolong of various harvests, most of which tasted better than I last had it during Fall and Winter.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
2011 You Hua Xiang - Pomelo Flower Fragrance
Today, I am preparing for the first tea tasting of the year, cupping teas in stock is my task for the next few days.
2011 Dan Cong teas are now fully open up!!! I am extremely delighted to find 2011 stocks are performing at its prime. The fragrance is rich, the texture is silky, the flavor is intense and full. After taste is refreshing aromatic sweet intense and long lasting. My favorite is You Hua Xiang so far. It is well rounded with everything you want in a cup of nurturing tea!
Time after time, dan cong teas prove to become better with time! Look forward to sharing these wonderful fairy teas at the tea tastings!
2011 Dan Cong teas are now fully open up!!! I am extremely delighted to find 2011 stocks are performing at its prime. The fragrance is rich, the texture is silky, the flavor is intense and full. After taste is refreshing aromatic sweet intense and long lasting. My favorite is You Hua Xiang so far. It is well rounded with everything you want in a cup of nurturing tea!
Time after time, dan cong teas prove to become better with time! Look forward to sharing these wonderful fairy teas at the tea tastings!
Spring Tea Tasting 2013
Spring is here! Weather is getting warmer day by day. Let's have tea by the sea again.
Spring Tea Tasting by the sea
3/17/2013
Spring Tea Tasting
Spring has arrived, enjoy a warm afternoon by the sea with tea.
Time:
Sunday, March 17, 2013 @ 1 pm
Location:
Point Vincent Lighthouse Park at Palos Verdes Peninsula
Menu:
2012 Long Jing Green Tea
2012 Crystal White Long Jing Green Tea
Spring has arrived, enjoy a warm afternoon by the sea with tea.
Time:
Sunday, March 17, 2013 @ 1 pm
Location:
Point Vincent Lighthouse Park at Palos Verdes Peninsula
Menu:
2012 Long Jing Green Tea
2012 Crystal White Long Jing Green Tea
2007 You Hua Xiang -- Pomelo Flower Fragrance
2009 Au Fu Hou - Gardenia Fragrance
2011 Mo Li Xiang - Jasmine Fragrance
2011 Lao Cong Shé Men - Shé Entrance
2012 Zhi Lan Xiang - Cattleya Orchid Fragrance
2012 Po Tou - Ginger Flower Fragrance
$35 per person
Reservation only, no drop by please
Tuesday, March 05, 2013
2009 Au Fu Hou
Drinking an Au Fu Hou the other day, after a few years, all of its strength has surfaced. My one and most important definition of good tea is it makes you feel good regardless of flavor and price. Old bush dan congs share one characteristic, it's soothing to the body, soft and relaxing as taking a spa treatment amongst blooming orchids.
Like wine, each yield and crop has its own stamps of characteristics, richness, depth, substance are the fundamental essence of quality measured by aroma and flavor. For Dan Cong Oolong tea, my personal favorite years are 09 and 07. They are richer and deeper period!
Spring Tea By The Sea
Sunday, partly cloudy, slight breezy, rolling clouds drifting ashore, a day of many skies.
We had tea here as usual, just 2 ladies having afternoon tea by the sea.
On the menu are 4 teas: 2012 Zhi Lan Xiang (it's great year after year, never disappoints), 1978 Dan Cong, 2006 Lao Ban Zhang, 2006 Dan Cong.
Saturday, February 02, 2013
Gem stone flowers
Gem stone flower pen zai (Bonsai), a popular table top decoration since Qing dynasty. A beautiful name Jin Yu Man Tang - Gold & Jade Fill the Room, wishing for wealth and fortune. Colors of gems are vivid and consistent year after year, I particularly like the transparency of the stone.
As a little kid, I had not the appreciation for such traditional beauty. Today, my love for them is growing strong.
Monday, December 31, 2012
2013 New Year Sale
Ahh, a new year begins~ wish you all a prosperous and happy new year!
Great teas for a great start, get them while the sales is on
20% New Year sale on all Single tree private stash and aged teas , only for 7 days, you don't want to miss it. Sale event has begun since it is already new year in other parts of the world.
Sales valid while supplies last, can not combine with other discount or coupons. 20% off is addition to bulk discount price, select appropriate unit size at the "please choose" drop down menu.
Sales valid while supplies last, can not combine with other discount or coupons. 20% off is addition to bulk discount price, select appropriate unit size at the "please choose" drop down menu.
Tong Zhi Period Antique Gaiwans
All 3 cups are in great condition, no chips or cracks. Normal ware condition.
Cup #1 the small U shape that looks like a crack is a natural flaw during making, glaze coating over the area is visible.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
2012 holiday gift
Another year of hard work, another year of your support, another year to be grateful for.
A gift from us to you, with purchase of only $25, one gaiwan per order, valid while supplies last.
Please add bonus item to your basket in order to receive gift.
The imari gaiwan is out of stock, we are subsitituing with this flower shape white porcelain gaiwan as gift.
Out of Stock
The imari gaiwan is out of stock, we are subsitituing with this flower shape white porcelain gaiwan as gift.
Out of Stock
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