Beyond the Basics header

A collection of more advanced tea topics, to expand your knowledge even further.

Popular Taiwanese Tea: Dong Ding Oolong

Popular Taiwanese Tea: Dong Ding Oolong

Recently I attended an event that I believe was a first of its kind here in Taiwan. The Nantou County Government sponsored the Lugu Farmers’ Association to host a public forum on the local specialized industry of Dong Ding Oolong Tea.

How do You Explain the Unique Qualities of Tea?

How do You Explain the Unique Qualities of Tea?

A huge part of my job as a tea importer trying to establish Chinese tea service as a cultural practice in America is drawing analogies. This is quite easy when it comes to the tea itself – good tea, like good wine, beer, chocolate, coffee, liquor, or pretty much

Pesticides and Tea; Historical Look at Agriculture and Pesticides

Pesticides and Tea; Historical Look at Agriculture and Pesticides

Are pesticides used in tea?
The short answer is “very likely.” In 2014 the CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corporation) conducted a study on 10 popular brands of tea including Twinnings and Lipton to test pesticide residue in the dry tea leaves: “Half of the teas tested contained pesticide residues above the allowable limits in Canada.

Do You Have a Favorite Tea? Searching for “The One”

Do You Have a Favorite Tea? Searching for “The One”

We all go on a quest in life looking for something to make it all worth it. We date in search for the one; we apply to jobs in search for one; we look for purpose in search of one. On this journey, we so often find others that we loosely call our favorite, or a temporary favorite, yet we are (hopefully) selective before we dedicate ourselves to one.

Cleaning Teaware:  the Tea Master”Bathing the Immortals”

Cleaning Teaware: the Tea Master”Bathing the Immortals”

You can tell a lot about artisans by how they care for their tools. The same can be said of a musician and her instruments, or a chef and his knives. Just as a master of any skill or craft can be distinguished from an amateur by that singular, effortless grace known to the Chinese as gong fu,

What is Purple Tea?

What is Purple Tea?

Purple Tea is a varietal of camellia sinenis that has a purple color. Leaves can be made into green, black or dark tea.

Immortal Dew

Immortal Dew

I do have a favorite tea, and where it’s grown it doesn’t have a particular name. We call it Immortal Dew.

The History of Tea in Taiwan

The History of Tea in Taiwan

If tea drinkers were asked to list their favorite teas and then told afterward that their tea choices provided a peek into their personalities, many would concede that there are plausible connections.

What Is Candle Bush Tea?

What Is Candle Bush Tea?

Why Candle Bush Is So Popular In JapanWe consume toxins through food, drinks, hygiene products, and free radicals every day. The fast-paced...

Hohin Teapots

Hohin Teapots

In this article, we discuss the Hohin teapot and what makes it so unique for brewing Japanese green tea…

What is Higashi?

What is Higashi?

Higashi is an art form of pressed dried confectionery. These vivid and pastel sweets are typically served in the summer tea ceremony.

Tea References

Tea References

I wrote a beginner’s guide to tea themes post that included a reference section. Here are some updates.

Tea Evaluation Template

Tea Evaluation Template

Just mentioning a “tea evaluation template” implies that analytical evaluation, a conceptual breakdown, is a positive thing – so let’s start there.

What is Yuzamashi?

What is Yuzamashi?

The world of tea is almost too large. If you’ve researched tea, you may already know, for example, that gyokuro is primarily defined by shading tea...

Aged Oolongs

Aged Oolongs

I recently reviewed two aged Taiwanese rolled oolongs – these were different than usual because they were only aged six years.

Wild Organic Tea From Shikoku

Wild Organic Tea From Shikoku

Tamaryokucha, also called guricha for its distinct curled leaf, is a processed tea that is hand-tossed in a large wok-like iron pan under a gentle...

Chanoyu: Tea and Ritual

Chanoyu: Tea and Ritual

There are Two Types of Green Tea Used – Usucha and Koicha  Two types of green tea matcha can be used in a tea ceremony.  There are also two ways the...