wednesday TEADAY 5/21/08

[Chip]

by Chip » May 21st, '08, 13:59

Nice memories from everyone!

The only tea I ever saw in my house growing up was tea crystals flavored with saccharin. I hated it, but this is what mom offered in the summer. I am definaitely a first generation tea drinker. My parents who drank coffee morning, noon , and night still don't know where they went wrong with me!

I remember a few years ago, I was having dinner with my parents and distant relatives I had never met. They were a fascintaing couple...lots of world travel stories, etc. So, I as always went to my parents with some kind of tea, this time it was Otsuusan from O-Cha. The husband asked what tea I was drinking, I could see he was interested by the eye contact and how he looked at the very green brew in my cup. I proceeded to give him a brief education about the tea and its origin.

My father thinking I might just bore the guy to death (though I could see that he maintained genuine interest)...or thinking I might reveal a deep dark family secret (that I was a tea fanatic) abrubtly cut my story off after a minute or two...hmmm, this is my relationship with my father in a microcosm.

Today, ironically, he can not drink coffee, and drinks the same herbal Bigalow every single day.

Shincha Fukamushi, delicious and sweet.

[Jeremy]

by Jeremy » May 21st, '08, 14:42

My parents and grandparents would drink coffee by the liter, but I remember that we always used to have a box of Lipton Yellow Label in the cupboard. I liked to sip it when I was was sick, but apart from that, I don't come from a tea-drinking home.

LOL

Thats too funny , my house hold was exactly the same. My parents could own stock in Maxwell house. Aside from the ubiquitous box of Lipton (for iced tea and colds), there was an equally offensive box of Chinese orange pekoe for when we ate Chinese food! Oh the humanity.

[olivierco]

by olivierco » May 21st, '08, 15:06

Kirameki shincha right now.
I realize how lucky we are able so easily to order quality teas.

[henley]

by henley » May 21st, '08, 15:13

I'm finally getting my first (real ) cuppa tea for the day. Enjoying a big mug of oolong #8 w/a touch of OBO. Really like it this way, especially for warm weather.

[Katrina]

by Katrina » May 21st, '08, 15:19

Speaking of parents and tea...I mentioned the other day that I brewed my dad his FIRST cup of loose leaf tea the other day. He actually liked it (hooray!) Trying to decide what to try next.

Should I stay with something basic like an Assam or should I be daring and have him try Dragonwell? Other ideas? (I'd prefer to stay away from flavored teas...)

[Chip]

by Chip » May 21st, '08, 15:27

Speaking of parents and tea...I mentioned the other day that I brewed my dad his FIRST cup of loose leaf tea the other day. He actually liked it (hooray!) Trying to decide what to try next.

Should I stay with something basic like an Assam or should I be daring and have him try Dragonwell? Other ideas? (I'd prefer to stay away from flavored teas...)

Shincha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, that might be a dangerous move, but he might love it.

Dragon well is pretty safe. I have shared it with non tea drinkers with favorable results. Blacks are safest usually...pretty easy to like. Oolong...shoot, pull a tea out and just hope for the best.

[Katrina]

by Katrina » May 21st, '08, 15:37

Shincha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boy, Chip, I NEVER would have guessed that that would be your suggestion.

And let me guess, Victoria will suggest Orange Blossom Oolong...

[Chip]

by Chip » May 21st, '08, 17:20

Shincha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boy, Chip, I NEVER would have guessed that that would be your suggestion.

And let me guess, Victoria will suggest Orange Blossom Oolong...

Yeah, Victoria is soooo predictable!!!! I on the other hand, am full of surprises! Like the Shincha Hashiri in my cup currently. Shocked ya all!

[Victoria]

by Victoria » May 21st, '08, 17:28

Shincha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boy, Chip, I NEVER would have guessed that that would be your suggestion.

And let me guess, Victoria will suggest Orange Blossom Oolong...

Ummm BINGO?? Or any nice oolong.

Having a nice one as we speak, er ... type, FLT Ali Shan Traditional oolong.
A new favorite. My first tea at work today, it has been so hectic!

Yeah, Victoria is soooo predictable!!!! I on the other hand, am full of surprises! Like the Shincha Hashiri in my cup currently. Shocked ya all!

Humm the only thing in your cup that will shock me will be OB Oolong!!!

Last edited by Victoria on May 21st, '08, 17:44, edited 1 time in total.

[Space Samurai]

by Space Samurai » May 21st, '08, 17:34

SHINCHA!

All my tea arrived today, replenishing my stores.



I spent the afternoon in my backyard drinking tea. The Yutaka Midori is great, bold yet clean. And the roasted karigane from Hibiki an is very good. Hoping to try the matcha later today.

[Pentox]

by Pentox » May 21st, '08, 17:45

I'm at least a 3rd generation tea drinker, very very very likely that there are many more generations beyond that. Although as far as being very interested in it i'm a first. For the other's is you drink what you have, get whatever works. Mostly resulting in whatever's cheapest. I remember seeing the bag of genmai that my grandmother got from a friend because it was on the cheaper side. It was 3 dollars for 2 kilos... That stuff was gross.

[Victoria]

by Victoria » May 21st, '08, 17:48

Wow Space, very nice. Great looking setup. And a new tray too?
Congrats!

[horsencl]

by horsencl » May 21st, '08, 18:11

I grew up drinking Lipton and Tetley black tea with sugar and milk. My mom drinks 10-20 cups a day of that stuff. My grandmother's tea habits were pretty much the same. When I went away to college, I wound up seeking out teas that I could tolerate without adding anything in order to save money. I was never really serious about tea until I saw a magazine spotlight on flowering teas. They were my rather expensive obsession for a while.

Out of curiosity, I stopped by a now close local tea shop. The owner gave me a mini tea lesson and that opened up the floodgates. There is an entire section of the pantry dedicated to my tea collection. I drink almost exclusively loose leaf tea now. I've even sprung for the Zarafina tea maker, which I love. I find I can barely stomach the Lipton type teas anymore. If it has to be bagged, I usually drink Mighty Leaf.

My cup today: Wegman's Dragon Well Green, it was surprisingly good. I really liked their Oolong tea as well.

[Salsero]

by Salsero » May 21st, '08, 19:18

the Shincha Hashiri in my cup currently. Shocked ya all!

Having my first cup of the stuff ... and I am a little shocked. In my short experience, it is quite unique: very aromatic, a little light on flavor but extemely fresh and flowery. It doesn't even seem much like a sencha, almost more like a Dan Cong ...

After your warning about astringency and RussianSoul's worry about bitterness (the 2 are not the same), I was a little freaked and so was extra careful not to overbrew. I did: 3.75 gr, 160°, 55 sec, 25 s* Very enjoyable ... maybe not for every day of the year, but a nice once-a-year experience.

Space --I was trying to add up in my head the $$ value of that beautiful stash of tea and ... looks to me like a major economic stimulus there! Gorgeous shots as usual, really make me want to join you in your beloved backyard, sipping tea. No girly cups for us he-man tea drinkers!

Gee, this Hashiri really is good ... mad props ... almost worth the crazy high price!






* OK, Tenuki, laugh at me, see if I care!!

[Ladytiger]

by Ladytiger » May 21st, '08, 20:00

I'm not a first generation tea drinker, my uncle and grandfather are tea drinkers but no so 'hardcore' as I am and I'm not very hardcore with tea...yet! For them it's nuke the cup of water and steep the tea, no timing, no water temp, no gong fu or yixing, just a 21th tea time with a tea ball.