Tea Habitat article in LA Times

[wyardley]

One of my favorite tea related articles, and one that I think had a role in getting me interested in tea:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/13/dining/13kungfu.html

[TIM]

One of my favorite tea related articles, and one that I think had a role in getting me interested in tea:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/13/dining/13kungfu.html

Thanks Wyardley for digging that up Have not seen it since 06 Tea Times fly - T

[Tead Off]

Moot,

Very good article which helps to bring out the poetic quality that tea connoisseurs have regarding their tea and teaware. For me, there is a striking similarity between the way Imen feels about Dan Cong teas and the way I feel about Zhuni Yixing teapots. There are different levels of teas and different levels of tea pots. When one stumbles onto this level, a new discovery is made and a new standard set. One cannot easily return to what was known before.

But, what may be an even worse dilemma arises. With this new standard, comes the burden of price. How many posters here are going to spend what it takes to experience a new level of tea or teaware? In the case of the tea, you are also going to have to renew it when it runs out. And, how many tea drinkers routinely sit through 20 brewings? I'm already bored at 6 or 7.

But, you did an admirable job of creating the desire to experience what Imen's passion is all about and this thread has done an admirable job of revealing the crap that Dan Cong teas can be at the commercial level. If only posters realized the same about yixing at the commercial level.

[ABx]

I think the fact that the article was written for people that don't know tea is a good part of why I liked it so much; the ambiguity serves to intrigue people and encourage them to go to her shop and try some. I think the article was excellent. I see articles on tea now and again, and they all just seem to basically say: "tea good -- try some," without really giving any convincing reasons. I thought you put in, and left out, just the right amount of information

[Maitre_Tea]

This is much better than the last tea article I read ... about the burst of the Pu'er bubble

[moot]

Thanks guys, thanks again for the kind words.

I think, in a sense, my job was pretty easy. I had these *fantastic* quotes from Imen, and all I had to do was set them up properly, and not screw them up. Her quotes were like the jewels, and I was the guy putting 'em on a ring.

I actually think the heart of the article is when Imen says that multiple infusions are like watching an old movie, the frames going by. I think this really gets *it* - what's special about the tea thing, an expression of the life and the motion of it. I've been trying to explain this to people forever and I never had the words.

Oh: to fill out one of the other moments. In the article, Imen says she loves dan cong most for being a balance between the masculine and the feminine - the feminine being the aroma, the florality, and the masculine being the substantial flavors "that mark our their territory on your tongue."

She went on to say that she found green teas a little too girly and feminine, and pu-erhs too masculine - all oiliness and intense flavor, no lightness. She digs 'em all, of course, but what makes dan cong *her* favorite is the balance. (This got cut because, you know, for the vast majority of readers who've never heard of or tasted pu-erh, it would be worse than meaningless... [Worse as in jargon-y and shut-out-ing])

[ABx]

I think, in a sense, my job was pretty easy. I had these *fantastic* quotes from Imen, and all I had to do was set them up properly, and not screw them up. Her quotes were like the jewels, and I was the guy putting 'em on a ring.

...

She went on to say that she found green teas a little too girly and feminine, and pu-erhs too masculine - all oiliness and intense flavor, no lightness. She digs 'em all, of course, but what makes dan cong *her* favorite is the balance. (This got cut because, you know, for the vast majority of readers who've never heard of or tasted pu-erh, it would be worse than meaningless... [Worse as in jargon-y and shut-out-ing])

Hehe don't underestimate yourself. Knowing when to embellish, when not to, what to leave out, and how to draw it all together is not a talent that everyone has, or can do well

[wh&yel-apprentice]

Will be a busy weekend for those local tea afficianados headed for TeaHabitat.

Don't have enough time to write up my limited, n00b level tasting notes until after the weekend.

Suffice to say, the out of stock (will be back in stock shortly Imen told me tonight) 2008 Song Zhong #5 is a new favorite of mine as well as it seems many other customers. If only it did not cost $56/oz or 28grams!

For those who are local, easy to find TH, but you have to know where to look .

Traveling west towards the ocean via Hawthorne Blvd. you turn left at the intersection of Hawthorne & Silver Spur Rd., then make a very quick right-hand turn into Peninsula Center via Silver Arrow Drive. the road leads into the parking lot and goes a short distance, either right or left as you come up on a building with Starbucks to your left and Rite-Aide pharmacy to your right. On the other side of this building you will find Tea Habitat, directly across from TJ Maxx store.

I have to make sure I don't make too much of a fool of myself; Imen says to me 'I know you're on teachat'...ugh, my cover blown; in descriptions of tea tasting notes. Imen's tea connoisseur friend was there this evening too, tasting us on the current harvest of Oriental Beauty from Taiwan. 7 teas, 5 infusions of each...tea/caffeine overload for a lightweight like myself...but much fun> more later.

IIRC she only has 6 bar stools, so I imagine this weekend will be quite hectic...consider that if you dare to try visiting right after the ariticle has been published.

[wyardley]

Will be a busy weekend for those local tea afficianados headed for TeaHabitat.

I'll be there tomorrow, "helping out" or something... say hi if any of you teachatters comes through.

[tea fish]

when Imen says that multiple infusions are like watching an old movie, the frames going by. I think this really gets *it* - what's special about the tea thing, an expression of the life and the motion of it.

Amen! I found your article quite moving...including Imen's fantasy of having her ashes buried among the roots of a tea bush.

I'm a graduate student.

When you mentioned this, the drama you described of writing-doubting-hating all began to make sense...

[OolongWang]

Coming out in tomorrow's print edition; already up online:
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la ... 7599.story

Very good article. I enjoyed reading it. There is only one mistake I could detect in the whole article:

"Shan loves dan cong above all other teas for a lot of reasons. "They're from Canton," she says, with pride. She's from there, too, though she came to California at the age of 15."

Dan Cong is from Chaozhou in the eastern Guangdong province. Canton is a city presently called Guangzhou very far away from Chaozhou. Even if Shan is from Canton she would have very little in common with the Chaozhou people because not only is the culture different between the Cantonese and the Chaozhou people, they even speak a different dialect! Chaozhou people have their own form of opera in their own dialect for instance.

I suspect that there is a misquote. If in the article one substitute "Guangdong" for "Canton" then everything falls in place.

[wyardley]

"Shan loves dan cong above all other teas for a lot of reasons. "They're from Canton," she says, with pride. She's from there, too, though she came to California at the age of 15."

Dan Cong is from Chaozhou in the eastern Guangdong province. Canton is a city presently called Guangzhou very far away from Chaozhou. Even if Shan is from Canton she would have very little in common with the Chaozhou people because not only is the culture different between the Cantonese and the Chaozhou people, they even speak a different dialect! Chaozhou people have their own form of opera in their own dialect for instance.

I believe Canton is often used outside of China to refer both to both the city of Guangzhou and to all of Guangdong province, though the newer names are gaining some ground.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canton

Since most people here wouldn't know what she was saying if she said Guangdong, she says "Canton" because people here are more likely to have heard of it or have some concept of where it is. I wasn't there when she was interviewed, but I have heard her say these exact words to other people, so I am sure it's not a mis-quote.

[wyardley]

Few photos my girlfriend took while we were down there Saturday:

Roy helping Imen out behind the bar:



Tea table:

[Tead Off]

Few photos my girlfriend took while we were down there Saturday:

Please give us some commentary on the teas. Would love to hear your impressions.