"Ocha" de Mayo,2008

[Salsero]

For some time, I have been thinking I need something a little butch in my teaware, and what could say tough guy more clearly than a brown wooden tea tray? So I whined and pouted and moped around until I got one.

Using wood, however, required overcoming a lot of baggage, since at my mother’s knee I learned that there are three things you never, never mix with water

• ELECTRICITY
  GOOD SCOTCH
  WOOD.

So you can imagine my trepidation about this wooden coaster for my gong fu cups. It is from the Holy Smokes Trading Company.

Having violated one rule, however, it was so easy to cast aside all modesty and plunge like a manic into mayhem, to melt into obsession. An unlikely coupling, me and this coaster? Yes, but a happy one. Sometimes unlikely bedfellows do luxuriate together. I am counting on it.

That's my new acquisition, center stage, under the broad saucer-shaped fish cup. Ain't she purrrrtyy? ... I mean, ain't it butch. Makes me want to go out and shoot game.



Belinda’s Dream is a recently developed rose that is tough and easy to grow. She blooms freely all year long, and is a delight to have as a botanical friend. She can be thorny, but she has made my heart leap with joy many times. The tea is a 2005 Menghai Dayi 7542 Puerh. I’ve set out an extra little cup in case someone else has the time to join me.

Selaphiel, you have been marked as absent every day you have missed. We expect better performance in the future. Mitä vittuu sää mulkoilet siinä?

[joelbct]

O-Cha De Mayo, huh

Let's see what is on the agenda for today:
Fujian Red this morning, Iced sencha (at room temp) in a Nalgene at work, then Matcha by night

And hopefully I'll get my o-cha shincha shipment and puerh today as well! Good times...

[auggy]

Sal's pretty picture distracted me so much, I have forgotten the question....

Uhm, tea drinking, summer. Right.

Pretty much the same here. I just turn on the fan and wear less clothing when drinking hot tea in the summer. Not a big fan of iced tea. I make it for DH (he goes through about a gallon a week) but never really drink any myself. My family in Georgia would be ashamed.

Roasted kukicha this morning. It's a weird tea but I like it. Very roasty but sweet. Kind of like a thin coffee once I've gotten a decent amount of sugar in it. It won't ever be my choice for post-work relaxing, but definitely a good morning tea.

This has been the week from H$%@, drinking lots of tea!

Ditto, Augie! Hope it gets better for you!

Sounds like it's that kind of week for several of us on here. I'm determined to have a better day today. Of course, considering yesterday, that wouldn't be too hard, but yesterday was perked up by having some tea show up at the house as well as some eBay goodies. So I hold out hope for today - for all of us!

[TimeforTea]

I am drinking the same amount of tea, despite the weather. There is something very comforting in drinking a hot beverage first thing in the morning, and a hot beverage in the evening. However, my afternoon teas will probably become iced instead of hot. Yesterday afternoon, for instance, I brewed a cup of Tazo Zen and poured it over a large glass of ice. It was refreshing.

This morning I drank the last of Lady Orchid Oolong a la tea swap from V.

The poll answers peaked my curiousity. What is this about green tea being very cooling??

[witches brew]

I'm sure I drink more tisanes in the summer. More water is healthy in summer, and water flavored by herbs is a delight.

I suppose some might call it iced tea, but I don't add the ice. It's just a cold brewed tisane with just a bit of honey or sugar in it. NOT sweet tea. My years in the south never made a convert of me.

This morning, I'm sipping hot genmaicha. It's a damp and drizzling morning. I'm kind of amazed that I haven't been getting caffeine headaches lately. Maybe I am used to tea now.

[henley]

This has been the week from H$%@, drinking lots of tea!

Ditto, Augie! Hope it gets better for you!

Hang in there, ladies. My week from H@*$ was last week! Could've reeeeeally used a TeaFairy as most nights I was too tired or got home too late to make a much needed cuppa. Sometimes it's really a shame we don't all live closer to one another.

Tea habits really don't change that much w/warmer weather though I have started using better quality tea to make iced tea.

Had oolong #8 w/bfast this morning. Needed an extra cup to help get my day started. It's gonna be busy.

Sal, another fabulous photo! Hubby has entrepreneur instincts & agrees that you need to do something w/your photos! Ever do pics w/English teaware?

[Beidao]

I have a funny sickness called parkinssonism, it's like Parkinssons disease but not as serious. It means I shake very much, especially when nervous, tired or cold. And when I say cold, I don't mean cold as in ten degrees below zero. I mean as in not desert-hot. So I have a good exuse for drinking tea and wrap myself in cosy blankets all the time. Keeps me less shaky

Anyway, what I wanted to say was, have been drinkning a whole can of pu er today at a lovely vegan Chinese restaurant. And recently emptied a cup of Golden Yunnan. Am now going to make some Keemun. Teaday has just started...

[chamekke]

Using wood, however, required overcoming a lot of baggage, since at my mother’s knee I learned that there are three things you never, never mix with water

• ELECTRICITY
  GOOD SCOTCH
  WOOD.

So you can imagine my trepidation about this wooden coaster for my gong fu cups. It is from the Holy Smokes Trading Company. [...]

That's my new acquisition, center stage, under the broad saucer-shaped fish cup. Ain't she purrrrtyy? ... I mean, ain't it butch. Makes me want to go out and shoot game.



I’ve set out an extra little cup in case someone else has the time to join me.

I'm totally getting the welcoming Friendly Giant vibe here. "One little chair for one of you, and a bigger chair for two to curl up in, and for someone who likes to rock, a rocking chair in the middle." Nice!



About these saucers, they look very much like the Japanese saucers (chataku) that are often used with sencha cups and yunomi. Most chataku are lightly lacquered and can handle a little moisture extremely well. Of course you wouldn't want liquid sitting on them for hours and hours... but you wouldn't do that, would you? I just wipe my wooden saucers with a linen teacloth after use, to remove any remaining water or tea, and they're fine.

[Pentox]

Using wood, however, required overcoming a lot of baggage, since at my mother’s knee I learned that there are three things you never, never mix with water

• ELECTRICITY
  GOOD SCOTCH
  WOOD.

Wait, you started drinking scotch since you were at your mother's knee?

[Salsero]

About these saucers, they look very much like the Japanese saucers (chataku) that are often used with sencha cups and yunomi. Most chataku are lightly lacquered and can handle a little moisture extremely well. Of course you wouldn't want liquid sitting on them for hours and hours... but you wouldn't do that, would you? I just wipe my wooden saucers with a linen teacloth after use, to remove any remaining water or tea, and they're fine.

I am so totally ready to move into your friendly giant house. Is that how you live in Western Canada? It's very rustic looking in there.

Yes, this saucer was billed as some sort of Japanese yadda, yadda, yadda (I zone out quickly on Japanese tea terms). I very much appreciate your reassurance and advice about maintaining the saucer. I would cry if it got water stained. I mean it! Butch or not, I would melt into tears.

[bi lew chun]

I usually start getting more creative with iced tea in the summer, but I don't so much decrease my hot tea consumption as increase my cold.

Nothing in my cup yet! Maybe I am waiting for a shincha delivery.

[Victoria]

I probably will have the same amount of hot tea, I'm usually surrounded by overly cold air conditioning all summer long here, so it's not a problem. I'm sure I will be adding much more iced tea for those times I'm outside.

Nilgiri in my cup again this morning - just lovely.

Have a nice day everyone!

[BonBon]

I usually drink the same amount as always. And a good mix between hot and iced. I've got some pitchers in the fridge with some cool green tea and I still a lot of hot tea.

I've had hot tea after working outside a few times, and I've gotta say, it's actually not that refreshing. Tastes good, but when I need to cool down, hot tea doesn't feel as good, at least mentally. I should just go with iced tea.

[insanitylater]

the same but i might try and find a cheap sencha i can ice but will still be good. if you have any recommendations for one i would love to hear it

came home and i resteeped the xiaguan puerh i had last night. i forgot to dump the leaves and thought why not. now have iced cold powdered sencha in my bottle

[tenuki]

Sorry Sal, the pink roses and yellow background kinda killed the butch. Try again girly man.