Wednesday TeaDay 9/02/09 Local tea shops?

[sriracha]

No, I wouldn't buy tea from any local shop. There is only one around here that I'm aware of, I've tried their tea and won't do it again.
There was, for a short time about two years ago a small shop that sold very good Darjeelings and other Indian and Chinese, but when I finally could be bothered to go in they were having their close-out sale. I'm an idiot.

It's like a gentle kick in the pants.

Back when I first tried 'better' teas I remember associating the phrase "kicks like a mule" with my then fave Yunnan, to distinguish it from the milder-mannered Keemuns. Sophisticated vocabulary

Today started of with a Yunnan Gold from Hou De which doesn't seem to be available any more. Had some matcha before leaving for work, to perk up a bit. Some shu on my desk right now.

And summer's gone!

[Chip]

In the midst of PA Dutch Country, ummm, not really. There is a coffee place at the farmers' market that sells tea in huge glass jars with the loose fitting glass lids, it is low grade weed that is further degraded by the pour storage practices. I attempted to enlighten the owner to no avail.

Then there is one dedicated tea shop owned by a nice Chinese lady named Ming, but the market here has forced her to focus almost completely on Western styles of teas and teawares. Tsk tsk. In 10 years, I purchased one tea from her, Bewleys blend of some kind.

Began the TD with Yutaka Midori from O-Cha. Always great as SweeTea can attest however Lili, Pyrit, and Wulong were closed minded.

[Chip]

Just received a Zencha Package from Japan, yeah, very non local! Included are their 2 new Yame Matcha, Fuji The Ulimate, Fuji Super Premium, and the new promo item Fuga Limited Edition.

Let the good times rollll ...

I am looking forward to trying one of the new Matcha this afternoon ... in a new very cool cory lum chawan I picked up at the local tea store ... NOT.

Yep, nothin' like this locally.

[Ebtoulson]

unfortunately not. The closest tea house is an hour and a half away and the closest tea shop is 2+ hours away....I don't even know where a tea bar is. The only thing local is about 4 coffee cafes, which some 'do' tea if u consider making tea just throwing an unknown loose leaf tea in a cup and pouring boiling water on it. Some of the japanese restaurants/sushi bars offer 'oolong' tea but I haven't tried it yet.

[olivierco]

There is a "Palais des thés" store where I can get some good teas 5 km from my home.

Himalaya gold this evening.

[depravitea]

I went with: Yes, one reputable local vendor.
I don't honestly know if they're "reputable" as far as tea goes, but they're ok by me.
A Seattle's Best which is inside the local Borders sells 8oz bags of Tazo's China Green Tips. I like the tea, and think of it as my "everyday tea" meaning it's kind of my default. It's good when brewed in my gaiwan, it's good glass brewed, and I've even had the chance to use it in my new Chinese thermos as well, with great results. (Bye bye bagged tea at work.) I've looked into China Green Tips, to see specifically what it is, and apparently it's a Mao Feng from the Zhejiang Province.
It's tasty and versatile, for which I feel lucky, because it's the only (good/loose) tea around.

[entropyembrace]

Yes! I have four shops fairly close by (furthest is 6km) which all specialize in loose leaf tea...they have the regular flavoured teas and malty black blends that the market demands but they also each carry a few gems of high grade loose tea. So I can get a fairly satisfying collection of loose leaf teas locally and only have to make online orders for when I want to get deeper into a particular type of tea...like trying more Darjeeling estates than are available locally. Two of the shops are even tea lounges so when I'm out and about in that area I can stop off for a nice relaxing pot of tea...very handy since I tend to get tea cravings when I'm out shopping xD

[Chip]

Broke open the cheaper Yame prefecture Matcha Kasumi from Zencha for a trial run in this new chawan from Cory Lum. I have to say, this is really nice Usucha style matcha. Dry in the preheated Chawan gave off a wonderful aroma.

This soda ash Shino Chawan has a lot of character.

[tenuki]

Ya, Seattle is awesome like that.


Nice gratuitous tea porn Chip....

[Proinsias]

Jack mentioned Teapigs teabags, first time in years I've been pleasantly surprised by green tea in a cafe. A tea bag in a big white cup, served in a cafe, that made me smile, my wife nearly passed out.

Been drinking blacks and older than it should be matcha for the past few days, this 90's sheng from Nada was a good idea for a change of pace.

[Dreamer]

Nothing local that I know of...there is a substantial population of Taiwanese people (relocated and 1st generation born here) in the area so there may be places that I just don't know about (yet).

Last year there I noticed a new tea store at a local mall...he had LOTS of different kinds of tea for sale (sencha, matcha, oolongs, blacks, flavors, etc). None of was marked with any great detail; for example, "Japanese sencha", "Light roast oolong" was as detailed as he got. He had tea by the cup and you could by loose. He seemed thrilled that I was looking at loose leaf; most of his sales were sugary flavored stuff by the cup and while I'm sure that was a money maker, he seemed to be bored by that. I saw that his "inventory" was huge silver bags...huge like 20 pounds. He would dump part of a package into a large glass container with a loose lid...not much hope of moving it before it got stale and no way to keep it fresh. Last time I was out there the shop was no longer open.

I love bookstores, tea and people watching, so even bagged tea at the local Books-A-Million coffee shop on a cold winter afternoon is like a little vacation!

This morning I was delighted by a favorite...Ceylon Vithanakande at breakfast and in my travel thermos later. My tea buddy made "red and white" from a bag (rooibos and white tea); it is a favorite and it was good! This afternoon a big bowl of matcha energized me (free tickets to the St. Louis Cardinals baseball game last night kept me up way late...Go CARDS!!!).

Joy,
Dreamer

[iannon]

Just received a Zencha Package from Japan, yeah, very non local! Included are their 2 new Yame Matcha, Fuji The Ulimate, Fuji Super Premium, and the new promo item Fuga Limited Edition.

Let the good times rollll ...

I am looking forward to trying one of the new Matcha this afternoon ... in a new very cool cory lum chawan I picked up at the local tea store ... NOT.

Yep, nothin' like this locally.

not a teashop in sight! or close..or 50 miles away..or 75..or 100..you get the picture. online for me baby!

oh.and I have been enjoying the Matcha Sansui usucha style myself. I have really enjoyed everything ive had from Zencha this year. You will have to tell us what you think of the Fuga limited edition..the price is right so how about the taste!? I have even been enjoying the yame sencha moe