cigarette smoke tea

[Poohblah]

I recently went to China for the first time. While I was in Hangzhou, I bought a small amount of Bi Luo Chun, and although I have heard stories of Westerners getting ripped off by shady tea dealers, I couldn't simply return from China without any tea at all.

So I opened the packet this morning. The dry leaves smelled like not much at all, though I remember them being fragrant in the store. However, after the first steeping, the tea and the wet leaves both carried a very distinct smell of... cigarette smoke I gave the leaves a few more steepings, hoping the, uh, aroma would wear off, but no luck so far.

I hope I will have better luck the next time I visit China

[Chip]

Bleh, but I can certainly believe this.

[SlientSipper]

It coulda been worse.
Like you coulda had beetle in your leaves or worse.
the horror... the horror.

[IPT]

I hate that! My customers smoke like chimneys! I cannot ask them to stop, because that is just not done in China and I would lose them as customers. So, I keep all my green, white, and wulong teas stored in freezers in sealed bags, so they will not be smoke inpregnated. That smell just does not go away once it gets into the tea.

[Drax]

Ugh, that's terrible... I guess that problem is similar to storing tea in/near the kitchen.

Which is worse? Tea smelling like cigarette smoke? Or tea smelling like bacon?

[Sam.]

Which is worse? Tea smelling like cigarette smoke? Or tea smelling like bacon?

You could probably find a market for bacon-flavored tea. But I prefer tea that tastes like tea!

[Chip]

Which is worse? Tea smelling like cigarette smoke? Or tea smelling like bacon?

You could probably find a market for bacon-flavored tea. But I prefer tea that tastes like tea!

One member had deer jerky Long Jing ...

[Poohblah]

It coulda been worse.
Like you coulda had beetle in your leaves or worse.
the horror... the horror.

I would have still drank the tea if there were a beetle in the bag.

[Chip]

It coulda been worse.
Like you coulda had beetle in your leaves or worse.
the horror... the horror.

I would have still drank the tea if there were a beetle in the bag.

Unless it was a "stink bug" ...

[IPT]

It coulda been worse.
Like you coulda had beetle in your leaves or worse.

A little extra protein to go along with your tea never hurt anybody.

[a.serrao]

It coulda been worse.
Like you coulda had beetle in your leaves or worse.
the horror... the horror.

I would have still drank the tea if there were a beetle in the bag.

It's the real guarantee that the tea is 100% organic!