WednesDay TeaDay 5/28/08

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Do you strive to have more teas open...or less? Anotherwards, do you have too much or too little open currently?

I have way too much open...out of control
13
22%
I have too much open...but really...I don't have a problem...really I don't
26
43%
I am just about right where I want to be
19
32%
I have a few to few open...
0
No votes
I am in a rut and have way too few open
2
3%
 
Total votes: 60

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May 28th, '08, 13:15
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by Space Samurai » May 28th, '08, 13:15

Sal, that pictures is amazing. I know you what say about me, but you have skills that far surpass me.

There are two catagories for my tea, the Japanese stuff and everything else.

I only worry about how many I have open with the Japanese tea, which is easy I only keep a few on hand at any given time, usually:

1-2 sencha (deep and mid steamed)
1- matcha
1- roasted kukicha
1- kuki/karigane

Everything else is ussualy 50-30 grams or less and stored well. If I should find a certain tea has lost all its umph, into the trash bin it goes without a second thought.

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May 28th, '08, 13:23
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by Salsero » May 28th, '08, 13:23

Space Samurai wrote:...skills that far surpass me...
Skills you can learn, vision is what you have.
Last edited by Salsero on May 28th, '08, 13:47, edited 1 time in total.

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May 28th, '08, 13:33
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by omegapd » May 28th, '08, 13:33

Salsero wrote:
EW, I didn't know you also drank Chinese greens! I thought you used to be all about Red Rose. It warms my heart to see you branching out.
I still am, my friend. The Red Rose is my ideal black tea. 8) That said, I have 3 or 4 greens opened right now. Some bulk Chinese, Adagio's Apricot Green, Adagio's Kukicha and some Ito-En Sencha/Matcha mix in bags. The Kukicha is the only one I really like. I'm just not a green guy, I guess... :wink:

EW

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May 28th, '08, 15:02
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by auggy » May 28th, '08, 15:02

Salsero wrote:
Space Samurai wrote:...skills that far surpass me...
Skills you can learn, vision is what you have.
And really pretty natural light which I think makes your pictures so striking.

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May 28th, '08, 15:04
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by Cinnamon Kitty » May 28th, '08, 15:04

I have lots of teas open, though most of them are samples and some of the samples I don't like so they won't be open again. For actual larger than sample sized tins and bags, I only have 10 open. The only teas that I really worry about having open too long are the greens so I only have two of those open right now.

So far today, I have had White Peach tea.

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May 28th, '08, 15:07
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by olivierco » May 28th, '08, 15:07

No time tonight to try Fukamushi Supreme Shincha.

Darjeeling Risheehat SFTGFOP1 in my cup.

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May 28th, '08, 15:07
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by ThinkingOutLoud » May 28th, '08, 15:07

LavenderPekoe wrote:ETA: ThinkingOutLoud, that sounds...awful.
LOL It really is totally gross and completely wonderful! Or maybe you just had to grow up in my house???? :?

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May 28th, '08, 15:41
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by Chip » May 28th, '08, 15:41

Space Samurai wrote:Sal, that pictures is amazing. I know you what say about me, but you have skills that far surpass me.

There are two catagories for my tea, the Japanese stuff and everything else.

I only worry about how many I have open with the Japanese tea, which is easy I only keep a few on hand at any given time, usually:

1-2 sencha (deep and mid steamed)
1- matcha
1- roasted kukicha
1- kuki/karigane

Everything else is ussualy 50-30 grams or less and stored well. If I should find a certain tea has lost all its umph, into the trash bin it goes without a second thought.
Thaty is a good way of putting it Space...exactly how I view my own stock piles...
blah blah blah SENCHA blah blah blah!!!

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May 28th, '08, 16:16
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by witches brew » May 28th, '08, 16:16

I think I have one open tea too many right now. I really shouldn't have opened two of my three shincha, but I was so curious to compare hashiri with a standard shincha.

And the samples are just perplexing me right now. They clutter my mind. I think I need to take some time away from my current favorites and explore my samples, which means getting out of my comfort zone. It means work, rather than easy enjoyment.

This was an interesting question, because it gets to the root of how I enjoy my teas and tisanes. I'm not always looking for something new. Sometimes I go for weeks on end wanting the same tea.

Today was another genmaicha day.
Brewing joy, happiness and green tea, like any good TeaWitch should!

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May 28th, '08, 16:21
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by Katrina » May 28th, '08, 16:21

Space Samurai wrote:...skills that far surpass me...
Salsero wrote:Skills you can learn, vision is what you have.
A regular mutual admiration society we have going. :D

I think it is clear to all of the rest of us that you both have tremendous talent and vision...and modesty. I know Salsero was saying yesterday that he was just a "hack." Well, I must say, a "hack" with a tremendous eye and artistry then. Thanks for allowing us all to enjoy your work (both of you.)

Today I tried a couple of green tea/herbal blends that a friend shared with me.

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May 28th, '08, 16:40
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by CynTEAa » May 28th, '08, 16:40

Victoria wrote:I have way too much open...out of control. But then I'm pretty much still a newbie and there is just so much good stuff!! I'm hoping to settle down soon. Oy.
Hehehe! I'm just the same and have no excuse! :-) Here's a toast (Nepalese Himalayan Tips) to NOT settling down!

:D

Oh, and I'd like to echo what Katrina says just above. Thanks for sharing guys! Sal, I would seriously buy a print of that for my house. It immediately made me think of a Taiwanese oolong with magnolia notes. :)

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May 28th, '08, 17:35
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by Katrina » May 28th, '08, 17:35

And RE: the poll. I used to feel like I had "too many" open, but then I just gave up and decided not to worry about it. What am I going to do? Throw away good tea? Perish the thought. Besides, I love having lots of options. I just try to keep amounts small so nothing gets stale.

I don't know if any of you are knitters, but one's collection of yarn is referred to as "stash." There are lots of rules around what "counts" as stash. People get very creative in justifying their excesses...I thank the craft community for this skill. :wink:
Visit my website and blog at http://www.teapages.net and http://teapages.blogspot.com

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May 28th, '08, 18:08
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by daughteroftheKing » May 28th, '08, 18:08

Hi everyone! Just briefly stopping by while on staycation: family came to visit me instead of the usual other way around.

I used to think I had too many teas and recently made a concerted effort to drink-them-down and have even refrained from buying any more. Now I like the variety in my tea cabinets, something for every mood and most every guest. But the pressure!! I have to get more new tea! :lol:

For the past 2 days I steeped and resteeped and re-resteeped a Dan Cong Classic (teaspring) in my gaiwan that just wouldn't quit. Still had color and taste when I gave up and wanted to move on to something else.

Today I'm enjoying a light, sweet Nilgiri (thank you, V.). This will certainly be part of my tea stock re-build.
"Top off the tea... it lubricates the grey matter."
(Jerry Ledbetter, "Good Neighbors")

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May 28th, '08, 18:17
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by Victoria » May 28th, '08, 18:17

daughteroftheKing wrote:Hi everyone! Just briefly stopping by while on staycation: family came to visit me instead of the usual other way around.

I used to think I had too many teas and recently made a concerted effort to drink-them-down and have even refrained from buying any more. Now I like the variety in my tea cabinets, something for every mood and most every guest. But the pressure!! I have to get more new tea! :lol:

For the past 2 days I steeped and resteeped and re-resteeped a Dan Cong Classic (teaspring) in my gaiwan that just wouldn't quit. Still had color and taste when I gave up and wanted to move on to something else.

Today I'm enjoying a light, sweet Nilgiri (thank you, V.). This will certainly be part of my tea stock re-build.
Staycation, huh? Never heard that one before, but I've had lots of those.
:wink:

I love the Nilgiri too and also have also added it as one of my black staples.

Li Shan Fu Shou for me again this afternoon. I find if I only go 3 mins on the first steep, I can get three good steeps. That's 45 oz for you gongfu -ers. Not bad for a teaspoon of leaf, huh?

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May 28th, '08, 18:42
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by tenuki » May 28th, '08, 18:42

Victoria wrote: Li Shan Fu Shou for me again this afternoon. I find if I only go 3 mins on the first steep, I can get three good steeps. That's 45 oz for you gongfu -ers. Not bad for a teaspoon of leaf, huh?
I can get at least that out of the same leaf. The only difference is my is overwhelmingly delicious, hot and fresh every single sip. ;P
Do something different, something different will happen. ( Gong Fu Garden )

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