Sunday TeaDay 9/26/09 Learning experience?

[JazzNGreenTea]

I think what I have learned most from teachat is that tea is more than just a beverage. I was well aware of the Japanese tea ceremony prior to teachat, and vaguely aware of a culture surrounding tea, but it was just an awareness. I was seeking a way to start incorporating a little of that into tea drinking.

Once, again before finding this forum, I had started reading a wonderful blog by a Japanese tea enthusiast. (unfortunately I have not been able to find it for years, probably not around anylonger) I saw this gorgeous green colored tea presented in beautiful glass teaware (kyusu, cups etc.) and I was not making the connection that throwing a bag of cheap green tea in a mug was not how this person approached tea and that's why my experience was not like this. I just didn't know another way, and I wanted to get to that point where tea was more than just a beverage. So, after seeing some tea ceremony demonstrations, making some mistakes with my own loose tea experiences, and then finally reading the forums I had a better understanding of the approach to take tea to another level.

I have a long way to go, but teachat helped open that door to a new way to look at tea, teaware, etc.

[Chip]

... finishing the TD with Hatsumi from O-Cha. A great TD.

[leiche2]

Through TeaChat, I've learned lots about all things tea. I find that there's always more to learn.

Enjoying some houjicha tonight.

[Victoria]

My final cup this afternoon was LiShan from Floating Leaves Tea.
Is the weekend gone already? And next weekend we are into October!

[depravitea]

I chose tea- specifically Pu erh. Not that I've learned everything about it, far from it. But to me, it is the most interesting, and I'm constantly thinking about it.
I have to say, Kombucha was pretty interesting too, it's not every day you get to grow a swamp creature in your kitchen.