All day TeaDay, Saturday, 3/01/08

BYOT! Enter TeaChat here, you never know what you may find!


A most unfair question, you have a limited choice at a swanky restuarant, what TEA would you choose?

Assam
6
13%
Darjeeling
4
9%
Keemun
1
2%
Chinese Oolong (nondescript)
12
27%
Dragon Well
7
16%
Sencha
6
13%
Matcha blended with Kukicha
0
No votes
I tell the Server to bring me hot water because I BYOT
9
20%
 
Total votes: 45

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Mar 1st, '08, 15:14
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Sencha.

by Trey Winston » Mar 1st, '08, 15:14

For some reason I associate Asian food with sencha, and not oolong like most people. Also, I ran out out sencha last week, and I guess I kind of miss it. Must order more.
Trey

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Mar 1st, '08, 15:34
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by Victoria » Mar 1st, '08, 15:34

Mmmmmm Uji Manten Matcha -
Better than the first one I tried, the Kaoru Supreme.

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Mar 1st, '08, 15:43
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by skywarrior » Mar 1st, '08, 15:43

I've actually BYOT occasionally. But if I don't have the chance, I'd probably get a nice Assam.
It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes -- Douglas Adams.

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Mar 1st, '08, 15:50
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by Sydney » Mar 1st, '08, 15:50

Chip wrote:I honestly do not know how anybody brews sencha to perfection w/o a thermometer...and all the modern tools of the trade?????? It came out too soft for my liking.
I guess some of us are just more adept. 8)

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Mar 1st, '08, 16:06
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by Cinnamon Kitty » Mar 1st, '08, 16:06

If I have the chance before hand, I bring my own tea unless I know the place where we are going has good tea. If we go to an Asian restaurant, I order the house tea, which has not disappointed me yet. If we go to random diner that serves only nondescript black tea bags, you bet I will have my own tea. If I don't have my own tea and the place has horrible teas, I go with soda or just a glass of water.

I slept late and don't feel like being caffeinated yet so I am enjoying a mug of Vanilla Rooibos.

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Mar 1st, '08, 16:11
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daily poll

by Ron Gilmour » Mar 1st, '08, 16:11

From the choices listed, I'd probably go with the Darjeeling, just because that's my favorite tea.

However, in real restaurant situations when I want tea but find myself faced with warm water and my choice of tea bags, I usually pick Earl Grey. It's not that I even particularly like Earl Grey, but for some reason bad Earl Grey tastes less bad than most other bad teas.

I'm at work today and my tea-infuser thermos is filled with an organic first-flush Darjeeling from Tao of Tea.

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Mar 1st, '08, 16:43
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by Chip » Mar 1st, '08, 16:43

Ding Gu Da Fang...niiiicccccccceeeeeeeeee!!!
blah blah blah SENCHA blah blah blah!!!

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Mar 1st, '08, 18:24
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by RussianSoul » Mar 1st, '08, 18:24

Well, I cannot answer the poll because the answer is "It depends..."

If I am in Chinese restaurant I will go with either unidentified oolong or Dragonwell, and trust that the proprietor knows his teas, which they usually do. I don't remember a bad tea in Chinese restaurant.

If I am out for sushi, and they have some matcha blend on the menu, I will have that and will terrorize them about the exact name and prefecture it came from.

Otherwise I'd have Darjeeling, because I am weary of what they call Assam in general restaurants that are not tea houses.

Today I was drinking Assam Boisahabi estate all morning. And now am enjoying the first infusion of Victoria's Own Blend :D. It smells awesome and is very tasty as well as interesting. I can't wait to make a second infusion because, as I understand, that's when the oolong part will become evident. Excellent tea, Victoria! Thank you for sharing it.

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Mar 1st, '08, 19:16
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by Victoria » Mar 1st, '08, 19:16

RussianSoul wrote: And now am enjoying the first infusion of Victoria's Own Blend :D. It smells awesome and is very tasty as well as interesting. I can't wait to make a second infusion because, as I understand, that's when the oolong part will become evident. Excellent tea, Victoria! Thank you for sharing it.
Yes, I love the second steep. The first is rather bold Assam, I love how the oolong then comes in, I hope you do too!

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Mar 1st, '08, 20:43
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by daughteroftheKing » Mar 1st, '08, 20:43

You did say it was a swanky restaurant. And if they offer teas by those designations, somebody there must have some idea what to do with tea, so it's worth the gamble to try an oolong.

And in case of a "tea emergency", I usually have little bags that I've pre-packed into an altoid tin. 8)

Today I've enjoyed several steeps of Li Shan 2008 from Houde (via Victoria). I liked it better than the 2007.
And since we had a near record high 72 degrees here today, I made mango tea on ice to get me through a couple of hours of yard work. Tomorrow we're supposed to get 3 inches of snow. You gotta love Colorado weather. :D
"Top off the tea... it lubricates the grey matter."
(Jerry Ledbetter, "Good Neighbors")

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Mar 1st, '08, 20:45
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by Ladytiger » Mar 1st, '08, 20:45

I love family gatherings because my grandfather and uncle are into tea. I found out that my uncle bought one of my signiture blends and raves about it. My cousin was complaining that all she hears about is my tea but has never saw it before. It was so funny.

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Mar 2nd, '08, 01:16
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by TaiPing Hou Kui » Mar 2nd, '08, 01:16

Started off the day with a premium sencha from indigo-tea......I ordered two yixing cups from them and it was sent as a free gift......only a small sample (enough for 1 cup, by an 8 oz. measurement), brewed it in my 4 ounce gaiwan, 1st infusion was excellent, one of the best senchas I have ever had which I found quite suprising since I just looked on their website and it is only about $10 for 4 ounces. Second infusion was good but not like the first and I could tell it would not be good for a third infusion. Overall I was pretty impressed. Right now, before bed, I am drinking my favorite...TaiPing Hou Kui.

*I usually have at least a small amount of loose tea on me at all times, either in by backpack or laptop case, so I would have to say, "Bring on the hot water!"

-Nick (TaiPing)

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Mar 2nd, '08, 01:31
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by skywarrior » Mar 2nd, '08, 01:31

Been switching between Valentines, Chocolate, Creamy Chai and Chi'lan Chai all today. Tonight I am drinking chocolate tea.
It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes -- Douglas Adams.

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Mar 2nd, '08, 01:45
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by Victoria » Mar 2nd, '08, 01:45

Drinking a nice herbal, chamomile citrus punch, hoping to sleep better tonight.
Thanks Ladytiger.

Mar 2nd, '08, 01:57
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by Pentox » Mar 2nd, '08, 01:57

Hm I'd probably choose "other" and go with a bottle of wine, iced tea, or a diet coke.

Had all kinds of teas today can't remember half of them though. Some were:
Teance - Bamboo Green
Teance - some old growth oolong. I forgot the name
peets- Darjeeling
and a bunch of others that wern't even noteworthy

Oh i also tried out some first flush FTGFOP Castleton Darjeeling, that was divine, but I couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of cash on it.

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