Tea ... who likes it?

[pjgh]

Right, this Gong Fu lark ... I get it ... spend time making tea and spend time really enjoying it, but it looks to me like just slopping water all over the place. Is it really any more than warming the vessels, steeping the tea and taking time to enjoy it?

No doubt there a deep, cultural thing going on but not being Chinese I'm not really seeing it as any more than making a cuppa and enjoying it. I am a pleb, though.

What's the deal?

 

[Nishy]

Black tea on occasions for me. Can't drink milk after my brother took me to see how cows are milked and the purification process. That's the problem with a vegan vet, you have to keep your guard up. Anyway. Sainsbury's taste the difference Kenyan tea. Lovely dark, rich and pungent flavour.
Too much green tea has a laxative effect, which I realised at work. Lovely flavour though.
Also enjoy Turkish kiwi tea.

 

[Nick_S]

Tea? You're asking who likes tea Be easier to find out who doesn't like tea

I love just about all types of tea, pot brewed preferred, but I'm not averse to a bag.

 

[Looney12345]

Right, this Gong Fu lark ... I get it ... spend time making tea and spend time really enjoying it, but it looks to me like just slopping water all over the place. Is it really any more than warming the vessels, steeping the tea and taking time to enjoy it?

No doubt there a deep, cultural thing going on but not being Chinese I'm not really seeing it as any more than making a cuppa and enjoying it. I am a pleb, though.

What's the deal?

You've pretty much nailed it mate. There is method to the madness mind you and we only do a "proper" ceremony when we fancy it and have a spare half an hour. Otherwise we just enjoy the tea using a Bodum pot and other similar pots that have removable filters so you can steep the tea to taste and then remove the leaves ready for them to be used again.

I'm not Chinese either, but essentially the ceremonial side of things is basically just to relax, enjoy the process and enjoy the tea, the cups are small so you savor the taste rather than gulping it down and it is a very relaxing experience that just makes you slow down and reflect. You have some nice conversations around the tea ceremony I liken it to a shave that you really take your time over, like a straight shave, but with others to enjoy it with you, it's just a bit of down time.

Also the slopping water over the place does have a function. You should always "wash" the leaves before drinking, so the reason the tea is poured out on the first pass is to do just that. You steep the leaves for a short while to rinse them, then you pour them into the bowl, the little figures (like my tiger) are just for fun, little ornaments.

The very condensed basic process is as follows if doing it properly;

Hot water into the vessels you are using (cups, teapot, jug etc) to warm them up - pour the water out
Leaves into the pot (using a the wooden tea spoon), add right temperature water, steep, pour out
Add right temp water into pot, steep, pour into jug using a filter
Pour tea from jug into cup, drink and enjoy

 

[pjgh]

Thanks for the insight ...

Washing the leaves is something that had not occurred to me. That's a tip. Cheers!

I'm also into car detailing, finessing paintwork and so on ... anyway, there was a fellow regarded as one of the most learned in terms of technique, products and experience who had a saying: "find something you like and use it a lot". I guess that's gong fu ... not only taking time to prepare and time to enjoy, but the long time to really understand the character and depth of the tea.

 

[Looney12345]

Thanks for the insight ...

Washing the leaves is something that had not occurred to me. That's a tip. Cheers!

I'm also into car detailing, finessing paintwork and so on ... anyway, there was a fellow regarded as one of the most learned in terms of technique, products and experience who had a saying: "find something you like and use it a lot". I guess that's gong fu ... not only taking time to prepare and time to enjoy, but the long time to really understand the character and depth of the tea.

Pleasure

That's alright, you aren't going to die from drinking it, but considering where they've come from, been stored etc etc, I'd certainly say giving them a rinse is worthwhile, also the flavor of the tea isn't as good drinking straight from the first one!

Yes I got very into car detailing as well, spent 8 hours doing my car one a Sunday once, but haven't done it for ages, that 8 hours put me off lol Still got all the gear, another thing the Mrs uses against me when she gets the chance

You definitely appreciate the tea more when taking the time to enjoy it properly

 

[Gairdner]

Whilst I, personally, am not fussed about that particular tea ritual (it's just not my cup of tea...) there is indubitably a ritualistic element to the proper enjoyment and imbibing of tea regardless of its type or origin. I'm currently sat here with a pretty wooden tray before me laden with, one might say quintessential, English blue and white ironstone in the form of teapot, milk jug and 1/2 pint mug. A traditional stainless steel spoon, empress-style tea strainer and hand knitted 'Blue John', flecked navy blue tea cosy completes the set. From the warming of the pot to the boiling of the kettle (at my old house, I liked nothing better than prepping my solid brass Burmos paraffin stove and using it to boil a full Simplex copper kettle) to the selecting of the crockery and utensils, the greedy grabbing of a few choice biscuits and the almost guilty nipping downstairs to quaff it, is a very pleasing, reassuring and comforting process or rather, ritual.

Indeed, there are times when I'll grab a large mug, drop a bag into it and pour over boiling water, squeeze said bag, add a tot of coo and make a run for it back out to the 'gairden' but the aforementioned method is so much more enjoyable and rewarding. As @Looney12345 rightly says, it is about taking the time to fully appreciate and enjoy the whole preparation and drinking of the tea. Don't just drink it, experience it.

Anyway, back to my tea, Ripper Street and the delightful, spicy, fruity aroma of Mater's black bun baking slowly in the oven.....

 

[Looney12345]

Whilst I, personally, am not fussed about that particular tea ritual (it's just not my cup of tea...) there is indubitably a ritualistic element to the proper enjoyment and imbibing of tea regardless of its type or origin. I'm currently sat here with a pretty wooden tray before me laden with, one might say quintessential, English blue and white ironstone in the form of teapot, milk jug and 1/2 pint mug. A traditional stainless steel spoon, empress-style tea strainer and hand knitted 'Blue John', flecked navy blue tea cosy completes the set. From the warming of the pot to the boiling of the kettle (at my old house, I liked nothing better than prepping my solid brass Burmos paraffin stove and using it to boil a full Simplex copper kettle) to the selecting of the crockery and utensils, the greedy grabbing of a few choice biscuits and the almost guilty nipping downstairs to quaff it, is a very pleasing, reassuring and comforting process or rather, ritual.

Indeed, there are times when I'll grab a large mug, drop a bag into it and pour over boiling water, squeeze said bag, add a tot of coo and make a run for it back out to the 'gairden' but the aforementioned method is so much more enjoyable and rewarding. As @Looney12345 rightly says, it is about taking the time to fully appreciate and enjoy the whole preparation and drinking of the tea. Don't just drink it, experience it.

Anyway, back to my tea, Ripper Street and the delightful, spicy, fruity aroma of Mater's black bun baking slowly in the oven.....

Picture or it didn't happen

Very eloquently put good Sir. You've surmised the enjoyment of taking your time to enjoy extremely well and still ticked off the "I JUST WANT A MUG" camp

 

[pjgh]

I got a trio of Ceylons from My Petal on eBay, all BOP1 ... low, medium and high grown. I don't think I'm a Ceylon fellow, but I'll see how I like 'em through the day tomorrow ... I tried the low grown and quite enjoyed it, bitter and peppery afterwards; the high grown was just a bit ... well, meh.

EDIT: Here http://www.milliesyork.uk/home/183-sri-lankan-black-tea-100g.html, although the low, medium and high choices are not present at their online shop, just on eBay

 

[pjgh]

I got a trio of Ceylons from My Petal on eBay, all BOP1 ... low, medium and high grown. I don't think I'm a Ceylon fellow, but I'll see how I like 'em through the day tomorrow ... I tried the low grown and quite enjoyed it, bitter and peppery afterwards; the high grown was just a bit ... well, meh.

Hmmm ... well, the medium grown is really quite nice to my tastes. It's got some bite, some depth, good tannin and mouth feel. That's drunk as is.

I'm clearly a pleb as the high grown really doesn't do anything for me. The low grown lacks the florals of the high grown (although there's little else of interest there for me) and has a really strong astringency, quite a piney aftertaste and seems good with a dot of honey - an English set honey, just to take the edge off the tannins which come through really strong as I have to leave it for a good steep to get the strength of the other flavours to come through.

I can see why they blend this tea with Assam.

Since actually taking an actual interest, rather than "just drinking tea", I have made just a few tentative purchases - I have a single estate Assam and a quite nice, although not quite tarry enough Lapsang Souchong as well. I think I'd enjoy a three way blend - the Assam, the Lapsang Souchong and the low grown Ceylon ... a sort of Yorkshire Caravan?

 

[Steve Bowles]

I brew loose green tea in a glass infuser cup. My favourite strains are Dragon Well, Gunpowder, and Iron Buddha - with a dash of lemon juice and sweetener.

 

[pjgh]

Well, a nice example of Jin Xuan (or Milk Oolong) has just arrived ...

Yeah, it's ... erm, okay? In many ways, it reminds me of Lapsang Souchong without the smoke and in that, it's like an EDT without animalics ... okay, but lacking teeth. I gather the milk soak takes out a lot of the inherent flavours of the tea, giving a clarified taste? Yeah, it's ... erm, okay.

I've never had an Oolong before. It's refreshing, I'll give it that ... but I don't think it's one I'll be reaching for over and above other tea that I have.

I think it might form the first of a few that I'll turn into a passaround in due course. I'm not rushing things, but I do have a growing list of teas that I want to try out and there will no doubt be those which I won't want to make a habit of.

Meanwhile, I'm giving those varied elevation Ceylon teas a good go ... and I'm finding the low to be most enjoyable. It's strong, it's dark, it has bite and it has a good aftertaste. The medium, too, but less so and a different character of its own. The low elevation on its own, given a good steep with milk makes for a fine morning tea, the medium, again, a good steep with some English set honey makes for a lovely afternoon brew. The high elevation, I'm not that enamoured with.

Blending the low with a single estate Assam that I have and a nice smokey Lapsang Souchong did make a lovely brew indeed! Yeah, "Yorkshire Caravan" ... why not?

 

[pjgh]

Ha! My son's off to Chengdu in the early hours of Monday morning. It's in Sichuan. I've given him a shopping list

 

[Looney12345]

Ha! My son's off to Chengdu in the early hours of Monday morning. It's in Sichuan. I've given him a shopping list

Brilliant. Just make sure he doesn't get ripped off! They see a tourist and prices could up 500%

 

[pjgh]

He's there on business and get's a cultural guide to ensure that he leaves ... no, leaves with only a favourable impression of China. He'll probably wind up with bland export tea as the local stuff would not be deemed suitable to western tastes. We'll see.