Tuesday's TeaDay, 6/24/08

[Chip]

I think I kinda misinterpreted the question, but I answered smell.

I was thinking more along the lines that if you...
take away sight, I would still enjoy the smell, the touch, and the taste
take away touch, I would still enjoy the sight, the smell, and the taste
take away taste, I would still enjoy the sight, the touch, and the smell
take away smell, and I think I'd be bored

That is a very interesting way of looking at it actually. Having lost my sense of smell for a few days, and just getting it back, I concur. Tea was very boring actually. Smell overlaps other senses it seems.
This Fukamushi smells great...thus it tastes great. As I look at the leaf steeping...I smell it, enhancing its appearance.

[tenuki]

This question is the anti-zen. Boo.

Aw, maybe we should have a "describe your zen tea experience day."

now you are just mocking me. 'describe zen experience...' oy vay.

[Victoria]

I'm having Kokeicha here at work, probably my last tea of the day.

And it's GREEN.

[britt]

If we're talking about the global experience, then it has to be "all senses". Touch is especially important to me where the teaware is concerned. And the visual element is essential.

chamekke is very wise and I especially agree on the contribution of touch or "feel" to the overall experience. I believe that using a piece of teaware is essential before judging it, and that once used a piece that wasn't liked very much visually can become a favorite in actual use. I think this aspect falls into the touch or "feeling" category, and I find it to be very important.

Sight and smell, of course, affect the overall experience. Using an Arita cup with a white interior can give a different overall perception than an unglazed Bizen. There will be a different "feel" between the porcelain and clay, as well as a different visual perception of the color, truthful in the Arita and masked or altered in the Bizen. One isn't necessarily better than the other, just different.

I still voted taste, because horrible tasting tea in awesome teaware is still bad tea. However, I don't dispute the importance of all factors, including the ever-important "feel."

[laran7]

I answered smell because scent can bring up so many memories and associations
that I think sometimes tea can be enjoyed on that basis alone The scent of dry leaves, what infuses in the pot and is poured into the cup. Then what you drink or sip and swallow. The scent of the whole process changes the atmosphere of the room. Its a time thing.

(And I did not like the smell of the leaves or blend to begin with, I would not bother.)

also - I just bought a new teapot - its heavy, ceramic, pale green - has a tea infuser and I love the way it holds the heat
so I guess touch has become an important part of my tea experience.

[henley]

Finishing my day w/Adagio's Wuyi Ensemble Oolong. For the second steep, I may try lowering the water temp just a bit. Got distracted & let the water go to full boil instead of just under.

[britt]

Matcha Manten a little while ago.

I assume you're talking Uji Matcha Manten from O-Cha.com? This matcha is by far the best I have ever had. 10 stars out of 5! This is a good example of a tea that caters to all of the senses; it looks awesome before and after preparation, it smells awesome before and after preparation, and it tastes awesome. It gets everything right, and the enjoyment can be further increased by using that favorite chawan that gives the whole experience an even better "feeling."

It is expensive at $60 per 30 grams, but IMO it is well worth the price. However, regardless of how good the sight and smell are, if it didn't taste so good I wouldn't bother with it.

[Chip]

Matcha Manten a little while ago.

I assume you're talking Uji Matcha Manten from O-Cha.com? This matcha is by far the best I have ever had. 10 stars out of 5! This is a good example of a tea that caters to all of the senses; it looks awesome before and after preparation, it smells awesome before and after preparation, and it tastes awesome. It gets everything right, and the enjoyment can be further increased by using that favorite chawan that gives the whole experience an even better "feeling."

It is expensive at $60 per 30 grams, but IMO it is well worth the price. However, regardless of how good the sight and smell are, if it didn't taste so good I wouldn't bother with it.

Yep, one in the same! It is the best I have ever had, no question. I am a bit of a neophyte in the world of matcha. I admire those who dedicate themselves to the enjoyment of matcha...and dedication to learning the tea ceremony. My enjoyment of it is very simplistic at this time. I almost feel guilty when I have Manten...it is too good and I am really not worthy.

Fortunately matcha can be enjoyed on many levels of dedication or I would never have had the opportunity to try Manten.

[chrl42]

Don't forget the sixth sense of tea drinking that is QI!

qi qi qi qi qi qi qi!

Did you watch that asylum-sought kung-fu master in NYC aired on NG?

according to TCM (don't accuse me with scientifical clues), Oolong has to do with easing Qi. And Puerh relates with downing Qi, lifting Qi relates Hong Cha, rasing Qi is Green and White tea does in concentrating Qi.

Just few notes from a book

[Riene]

What is Qi?

[chrl42]

What is Qi?

Qi 氣 is a Taoist term that exists in anything of creature.

For the information,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi

[chamekke]

Often transliterated as "Chi".

[tenuki]

Hey, the click of your Utilitea when the water reaches temperature. That's where the excitement starts!

Yeah!

I've recently grown quite addicted to the rattle of the bamboo charcoal in my kettle just as the boiling hits. Even if it didn't make the water wonderful I would probably leave it in for the sound at this point. Unfortunately my wife gave away my Joyce Chen ceramic kettle, have to get a new one on Amazon again. I know when I get teaware she likes, she always gives it away to her parents. geese..

[Chip]

Taste comes first for me.

Silver needles this morning and houjicha karigane with my lunch.

What happened...you usually share 5-6 teas with us each day? I can barely get in 2-3...so, I count on hearing what you drank all day!!!!