Monday is TeaDay, 4/21/08

[CynTEAa]

by CynTEAa » Apr 21st, '08, 10:13

Discarding the leaves is my least favorite part. Because:

1. It's yucky
2. Means that tea is all gone

My second to least favorite part is actually choosing a tea. So many teas, so little time.

Three cups of Yunnan Gold today to steady a rocky start.

[chamekke]

by chamekke » Apr 21st, '08, 10:36

I chose "Overbrewing/bitter brew, Underbrewing/too light" because it's all about the symptom, rather than the cause - which for me, can be EITHER "Getting the temperature right" or "Getting the time right/the waiting"!

But cleaning the leaves out afterwards - that's a close second. Not so much because it's messy, but 'cause I'm worried that in a moment of inattentiveness, I'll swirl the pot so much that I'll knock it and chip it.

Everything else is good

[olivierco]

by olivierco » Apr 21st, '08, 10:59

I chose cleaning.

This morning Yunnan Golden tips and very soon sencha Kaburagien

[joelbct]

by joelbct » Apr 21st, '08, 11:31

I dont think I really dislike anything in particular about the process.... I even kinda enjoy tossing the leaves cuz I use 'em for compost.

Yesterday I did pick up a still-opened 100g bag of An Ji Bai Pian by the wrong end and half of it spilled onto the counter, that was kind of annoying

[Pentox]

by Pentox » Apr 21st, '08, 12:06

I chose cleaning. Not that I particularly dislike it, but it inches out above the rest.

So far in the cup Sayama Yabukita.

[ThinkingOutLoud]

by ThinkingOutLoud » Apr 21st, '08, 12:25

I'll come clean your house if you come clean mine then we'll make a road trip to NY for some of those yummy chocolates!

Let's just hire a couple of maids and get straight to the chocolate!

Nice to know that three of us, including GalileosDaughter, are on the same page re: language. Whatever else my children are, I want them to be kind.

So far today: the previously mentioned Irish Breakfast, the last of my Earl Grey Bravo sample, and a very nice Dragonwell from the new Tea cafe across the street which, I learned from the Hong Kong native owner, also serves Asian food. Yummmm .... Oh, and she carries a medium size selection of loose leaf teas with labels I can't read. Fun to be had!

[Sam.]

by Sam. » Apr 21st, '08, 13:06

I said cleaning all the teaware!

Drinking some citron green right now.

[Chip]

by Chip » Apr 21st, '08, 13:57

I simply love the whole process. I love to make tea as much as I enjoy drinking tea.

Chamekke had a list of poll answers, one was the catastrophic breaking teaware...I figured that would have gotten all the votes. But this is one thing I have done that truly...infuriates me.

I am limited in sencha choices right now. Sencha Gyokuro Blend...surprising how harmonious this blend is.

Last edited by Chip on May 25th, '09, 16:26, edited 1 time in total.

[olivierco]

by olivierco » Apr 21st, '08, 14:07

I have just opened a new package of Uji Gyokuro Kame-Giru-Shi.

And next is my first 2008 harvest darjeeling: NAMRING SFTGFOP1 from Mariage Frères

[jogrebe]

by jogrebe » Apr 21st, '08, 14:30

I almost always mess up the time because I think "okay, 3 minutes, that's 3 minutes I can go check my email, oh look, teachat, maybe I'll just read a few people's comments. Oh my, 15 minutes have passed?! Oh darn, my tea tastes like a bitter, evil, witches brew".

And so, I need a timer that beeps at me or something.

In my cup: chamomile, time to sleep.

Sounds like you have to download Adagio's free tea timmer program for windows.

[Proinsias]

by Proinsias » Apr 21st, '08, 14:36

As ever it depends.

Some days I really want tea and can't decide which to brew for hours.

Sometimes I find it tough to decide on which teaware suits the situation.

Sometimes I'm so impatient that the kettle takes forever.

Sometimes the temps too hot and I leave the lid off my pot until it's too cold and get annoyed.

Sometimes I waste great tea by being meager with it and sometimes I waste other tea by overdoing it.

Sometimes none of the infusions come out just quite right.

Sometimes I swear as my fingers burn and I have to choose between a decent cup and fingers that will still play guitar.

When there are lots of dishes to wash having to wash all the tea stuff separately due to my anal habits can be irritating.

De-scaling ain't much of a problem for me, phew.

Sometimes other stuff annoys me

Sometimes it all goes just nicely.

I almost always mess up the time because I think "okay, 3 minutes, that's 3 minutes I can go check my email, oh look, teachat, maybe I'll just read a few people's comments. Oh my, 15 minutes have passed?! Oh darn, my tea tastes like a bitter, evil, witches brew".

And so, I need a timer that beeps at me or something.

In my cup: chamomile, time to sleep.

Sounds like you have to download Adagio's free tea timmer program for windows.

The phrase "never whistle while your pissing" springs to mind.

[Daughteroftheki...]

by Daughteroftheki... » Apr 21st, '08, 14:58

Yea, cleaning is not my idea of fun. I would have marked descaling, but running vinegar in the kettle rarely happens, so I didn't even count that.

Started this morning with Adagio's Gyokuro for a green jump to the day. At work I'm drinking Adagio's TiKuanYin with Rosebuds (2 steeps hot then 2 more on ice...so far).

Happy Monday, everyone!

[jogrebe]

by jogrebe » Apr 21st, '08, 15:06

Yea, cleaning is not my idea of fun. I would have marked descaling, but running vinegar in the kettle rarely happens, so I didn't even count that.

Started this morning with Adagio's Gyokuro for a green jump to the day. At work I'm drinking Adagio's TiKuanYin with Rosebuds (2 steeps hot then 2 more on ice...so far).

Happy Monday, everyone!

Descaling is the worst in my opinion even though it doesn't happen that often. As getting all of the vinegar out of the kettle is hard and vinegar flavored tea is no fun.

[olivierco]

by olivierco » Apr 21st, '08, 15:55

Just had my first 2008 harvest darjeeling: NAMRING SFTGFOP1 from Mariage Frères.

I managed to obtain three steeps. Usually I have only two steeps from Darjeelings, but the third one wasn't weak at all.

A very good Darjeeling, but a little overpriced: 35€ (about 50$-55$) for 100gr. It was a gift anyway...

[witches brew]

by witches brew » Apr 21st, '08, 16:21

Cleaning and putting everything away is probably the least fun part of making tea. I'm always concerned that I'll knock the spout off the kyuusu or something equally klutzy. I do put down a rubber mat in the sink, just in case a cup slips from my soapy fingers.

I must admit I have never de-scaled a tea kettle in my life. Is that only for glass kettles? Does putting a stainless steel kettle through the dishwasher accomplish the same thing? Should I rush home and put vinegar in my kettle right now? Will the tea police revoke my brewing privileges?

I have Adagio's White Peach in my cup right now. Earlier today I enjoyed a peppermint tisane.