TUESDAY TeaDay 5/13/08

[Scarlet Glow]

by Scarlet Glow » May 13th, '08, 13:22

I do not do any blending, nor do I have my own signature blend on Adagio... yet.

RussianSoul - I could not decide if I wanted to order shincha or not but after I read your post, I put my order in!

Salsero - Awesome pictures!

[LavenderPekoe]

by LavenderPekoe » May 13th, '08, 13:43

Of this one I have a one ounce sample. Ever notice how small sample sizes seem when you really like something???

Heh, didn't you just say most samples were too big?

[Chip]

by Chip » May 13th, '08, 13:51

Although I am traditionally a TeaPurist, I have been known to throw a couple teas together. Generally, my blending is with Japanese teas. Karigane (Kukicha), Matcha, Sencha, Gyokuro can be used to create many wondrous blends. It is a way to create a little variety in a rather restricted range of flavor profiles.

I will sometimes also do this if a particular Japanese tea is not to my liking or is imbalanced, uneven, often combined it is sooo much better.

I have more Shincha arriving, and more coming this week. I must carefully consider which to open, lest I have too much open at once.

I have this Fukamushi Supreme that everyone is raving about in cold storage, yet cannot open it yet since it is reserved for a tasting I am doing with close to 20 people. I want it to be as fresh as possible when the tasting rolls around in a few weeks. I am dying to try it.

[Chip]

by Chip » May 13th, '08, 13:56

Is today the day that the newly re-instated Chip is going to be a gentleman and pick up the gauntlet that Henley dropped?

Actually, Victoria threw down the gauntlet. I just helped kick it over...

I think that was "Shincha" or "Walter Marsby" who made that pledge.

But let me get a girly cup out later and give 'er a go.

[RussianSoul]

by RussianSoul » May 13th, '08, 14:06

RussianSoul - I could not decide if I wanted to order shincha or not but after I read your post, I put my order in!

Scarlet Glow, please relay my apologies to your credit card!

I answered "other" to today's poll. I don't consider what I do blending - I dabble and play.

I mixed mediocre sencha and mediocre gyokuro - success! But it was Chip's idea to start.

I mixed a fruit tisane and decaf Assam - disaster! Both were bad, and mixing did not improve them.

I mixed oolong #8 and peach oolong - nice try. It reduces peachiness and tames down the flavor.

Having a third steep of shincha Fukamushi. Still a great tea! Very full and round, still thick in the mouth with vegetal sweetness. But I overbrewed the second steep - 30 sec is too long for my taste.

[Salsero]

by Salsero » May 13th, '08, 14:13

Of this one I have a one ounce sample. Ever notice how small sample sizes seem when you really like something???

Heh, didn't you just say most samples were too big?

You know, L-P, I was thinking the same thing.

after I read your post, I put my order in!
Salsero - Awesome pictures!

Good choice. And you also have great taste in pictures. Keep those cards and letters coming!

[Chip]

by Chip » May 13th, '08, 14:19

Of this one I have a one ounce sample. Ever notice how small sample sizes seem when you really like something???

Heh, didn't you just say most samples were too big?

You know, L-P, I was thinking the same thing.

Isn't it the right of a woman to change her mind at any moment?

[Cinnamon Kitty]

by Cinnamon Kitty » May 13th, '08, 14:47

Of this one I have a one ounce sample. Ever notice how small sample sizes seem when you really like something???

Heh, didn't you just say most samples were too big?

You know, L-P, I was thinking the same thing.

Isn't it the right of a woman to change her mind at any moment?

It is not changing her mind since that is how tea samples work. A sample of an icky tea or a mediocre tea is always too big while a sample of a good tea is always too small and disappears too fast.

[henley]

by henley » May 13th, '08, 14:48

It is not changing her mind since that is how tea samples work. A sample of an icky tea or a mediocre tea is always too big while a sample of a good tea is always too small and disappears too fast.

Exactly right!

[chamekke]

by chamekke » May 13th, '08, 14:50

It is not changing her mind since that is how tea samples work. A sample of an icky tea or a mediocre tea is always too big while a sample of a good tea is always too small and disappears too fast.

Exactly right!

That's quite profound, actually.

We may need to start up a thread of tea aphorisms...

[Chip]

by Chip » May 13th, '08, 14:55

It is not changing her mind since that is how tea samples work. A sample of an icky tea or a mediocre tea is always too big while a sample of a good tea is always too small and disappears too fast.

Exactly right!

That's quite profound, actually.

We may need to start up a thread of tea aphorisms...

Japanese tea lovers rarely experience this phenom since virtually none of our vendors sell or offer samples...period!

Their idea of a sample is "won't you try once, you will like we determine." 100 grams later....

[Pentox]

by Pentox » May 13th, '08, 15:09

It is not changing her mind since that is how tea samples work. A sample of an icky tea or a mediocre tea is always too big while a sample of a good tea is always too small and disappears too fast.

Exactly right!

That's quite profound, actually.

We may need to start up a thread of tea aphorisms...

Japanese tea lovers rarely experience this phenom since virtually none of our vendors sell or offer samples...period!

Their idea of a sample is "won't you try once, you will like we determine." 100 grams later....

Either that or buy the super duper premium one, that's only a 40g package. (don't mind the price)

[olivierco]

by olivierco » May 13th, '08, 15:18

Shincha Kirameki. Longer steeping times for my second session for even better taste.

My 100gr sample won't last long...

[Chip]

by Chip » May 13th, '08, 15:49

Shincha Kirameki. Longer steeping times for my second session for even better taste.

My 100gr sample won't last long...

The Kirameki is an elegant shincha...nothing brash about that one. I think I will have that next!

[Eastree]

by Eastree » May 13th, '08, 16:35

I voted 'other,' for the, 'I won't tell you!' opetion.

Today, I'm starting on the puerh samples I ordered recently. In my cup is the '02 Hai Lang Mengku Wild Arbour raw puerh.

I'm on my ... wait .. I've lost count of infusions! I'll say less than ten, perhaps around eighth infusion, and the brew is still a very rich orange.

Also included are my new zisha clay strainer, and some other teawares in the background.