A collection of more advanced tea topics, to expand your knowledge even further.
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?
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
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”
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.
Do you know the saying, “Keep Calm and Carry On”?
Interesting how such a simple and almost obscure saying has been so widely embraced by the tea industry. Every wonder why?
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?
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
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
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.
How the Scots Saved Ceylon
“The tea fields of Ceylon are as true a monument to courage as the lion is to Waterloo.”
What Brewing Tea Incorrectly Teaches Us
I made it a practice that anytime I overbrew tea, I must drink it.
You Can Roast Hojicha At Home
Find out how to roast hojicha yourself, and how to order a hojiki from Japan.
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...
Sheng Pu’er Storage: Wet, Dry, and Optimum
I recently ran across examples of sheng pu’er altered by the two extremes of storage conditions.
Tea & Chocolate: How I experience a chocolate bar and what it means for pairing with tea
The sensory experience of pairing tea and chocolate
How to Choose Matcha for Gelato
No need for expensive and rare food items. A unique and luxurious matcha gelato will inspire food lovers.
Starting Your Komboucha Brew
Komboucha brewing is becoming a fun and popular way to enjoy a healthy tea lifestyle.
Global Tea Initiative; Bridging Science and Culture, Time and Space
Does tea help manage Covid symptoms? What herbs should be blended? Global Tea Initiative 2022 explores these questions.
What Does it Mean for a Tea to be Brisk?
What does briskness in tea mean? To me it means bright in flavor and character or else astringent.
Getting the Grade on Matcha
The term ceremonial is overused in the West these days – everyone’s putting it on their packaging.
Will Battle, Author of “The World Tea Encyclopedia”
Meet Will Battle whohas 20 years of experience in tea sourcing and blending and is the author of the book, “The World Tea Encyclopedia.”
Green Tea 101: Health Benefits Made Simple
I haven’t written about the health benefits of green tea here on T Ching because there is just so much information out there. But during a matcha...
Hohin Teapots
In this article, we discuss the Hohin teapot and what makes it so unique for brewing Japanese green tea…
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.
August Tea Crossword Puzzle; The Language of Tea
Tasting tea and finding ways to describe what meets your tongue can be daunting. So, test your knowledge of these terms and see if you can you talk tea!
Tea References
I wrote a beginner’s guide to tea themes post that included a reference section. Here are some updates.
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.
Hotaru Shincha – What is Shincha
Shincha is the first batch of the first harvest where the fresh new growth is selected.
Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony; Share the Humanity of Tea
Wu-Wo is a tea ceremony based on traditional Chinese Gong-Fu small pot brewing dating back to the Ming Dynasty more than 300 years ago.
Japanese Green Tea Versus Japanese Coffee
Let’s talk about how Japanese drink tea and coffee then dive into their differences.
Gongfu Versus Western-Style Brewing
Let’s run through a standard description of both for comparison, based on my own preference more than a standard definition.
A Day in the Life at Nepal Tea’s Family Farm
Do we need to hear the stories behind the products and the makers of the products?
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...
Introduction to Hemp and CBD Tea – Part 2
Continued from Introduction to Hemp and CBD Tea – Part 1 Is Hemp and CBD Legal? Hemp became legal in 2018 and is regulated by the FDA. Because of...
Small-Batch Shu Processing – Part 2
Continued from Small-Batch Shu Processing - Part 1Since so many variables can be open to exploration (using different tea plant type inputs,...
Small-Batch Shu Processing – Part 1
Oddly, the tea that inspired me to write about this may or may not have actually been post-fermented as a small-sized lot. I just reviewed the...
Aged Oolongs
I recently reviewed two aged Taiwanese rolled oolongs – these were different than usual because they were only aged six years.
Best Plants to Choose for the Ultimate Tea Garden
The second-most-consumed drink in the world is tea and it's a perfect solution for many occasions – as a cool drink on a hot summer day, a great...
Modernizing Tradition: A Guide To Hosting A Modern Japanese Tea Ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony, also known as the Sado, is one of the most ancient and elegant traditions that comes from the Land of the Rising Sun....
What is Senchado? Differences Between Sado Versus Senchado
Chances are that if you’ve researched anything Japanese tea-related you’ve come across tea ceremonies - whether it be the classical-looking teacups...
Antimicrobial Effects of White Tea
Guest contribution by: Dr. Milton Schiffenbauer, PhD The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it...
Japanese Tea Farming Technological Innovation – Part 2
Continued from Japanese Tea Farming Technological Innovation – Part 1 What is it like to harvest Japanese tea? Let’s take a step back and refocus on...
Japanese Tea Farming Technological Innovation – Part 1
Why has technology flourished in Japanese tea farms? I’d like to think of tea as part of an experience. Perhaps part of the experience of waking up...
Wild Organic Tea – Third Installment
This is the final part of the WILD Organic Tamaryokucha review from tea that has been hunted and processed by the lovely folks at Country Friend...
Wild Organic Tea – Second Installment
My last post ( Wild Organic Tea From Shikoku ) was the first of this series on wild organic tamaryokucha from Shikoku. Just to recap, tamaryokucha...
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
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...
Essential Low-Ranking Chadogu for Ceremony of Tea – Part 2
Continued from Essential Low-Ranking Chadogu for Ceremony of Tea – Part 1 Kōgō (香合) – The Incense Container The Kōgō(香合) is the Chanoyu incense...
Essential Low-Ranking Chadogu for Ceremony of Tea – Part 1
This post is a follow-up to Chanoyu, Temae, and Chadogu Hai (灰) -The Ash The Hai (灰) is ceremonial ash. This tea dogu refers to the ash placed into...
Sheng Pu’er Aging Exploration – Part 2
Tulin 2007 sheng pu’er tuocha; getting there for fermentation level Slightly aged versions, versus “middle aged”: depending on initial...