Friday TeaDay 8/01/08 Choice of an Indian region's tea?

[Chip]

That could be a messy proposition coming and going, Katrina...

I love having a Premo Gyokuro around once a week or so. Really makes it mind blowing each time. Yame Gyokuro. This would run around 50 bucks per 100 grams. I was given a nice amount by someone who was not thrilled with gyokuro. I would say this is old. But it is still mind blowing.

I started with 3 grams per 1.5 ounce water and brewed really low, around 110* F. WOOOOOW. The second steep a little hotter, man, like honey and a sweet veggie. It is mind blowing.

[Victoria]

Do we have a Chinese speaker? I need one for a translation!

In my cup this afternoon Hou De Aged 1998 Bai Hao
From the box pass, and quite delish.

[Chip]

Do we have a Chinese speaker? I need one for a translation!

In my cup this afternoon Hou De Aged 1998 Bai Hao
From the box pass, and quite delish.

All my Chinese friends are asleep in China. All 2 of them.

[CynTEAa]

A Friday just isn't a Friday until you have to induce vomiting in your dog.

Feels more like a Monday.

(She's fine BTW. She decided to finish off my daughter's box of raisins. Ugh. We'll be keeping a close eye on her this weekend...)

I don't know if tea is going to be strong enough.

Hope she's ok, Katrina! Hope your weekend goes better!

This afternoon seemed suited for Nepal First Flush. Ah, just right! I still can't vote but I'm really leaning toward Nepal - heh...

edited for silly typo

[Chip]

A Friday just isn't a Friday until you have to induce vomiting in your dog.

Feels more like a Monday.

(She's fine BTW. She decided to finish off my daughter's box of raisins. Ugh. We'll be keeping a close eye on her this weekend...)

I don't know if tea is going to be strong enough.

Hope she's ok, Katrina! Hope your weekend goes better!

This afternoon seemed suited for Nepal First Flush. Ah, just right! I still can't vote but I'm rally leaning toward Nepal - heh...

I ultimately voted for Darjeeling. I know what you mean though, Cyn. But I like the diversity and challenge of Darjeeling. Nepal has very little variety available, but is consistantly very good as was the sample from Adagio that you gave me.

[joelbct]

hmmm, given only the choice of Indian tea kind of makes a guy reach for the coffee.

Ick! Have you tried any really good Assam?

Seriously! One word:"Meleng!"

"Assam" got my vote... I am just not a Darjeeling Guy, although I can enjoy a 2nd Flush Castleton or such every now and then.

There is some great Ceylon out there as well, but I don't think Sri Lanka is officially part of India...

Apparently the East India Company declared it a British Colony in 1802, officially not part of India, and it won its independence in 1948 as The Commonwealth of Ceylon, later of Sri Lanka... Good stuff.

[Salsero]

For those who aren't following the Other thread too closely, Proinsias just posted a great way to make Chinese green over there: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?p= ... cant#54819

Work backwards to his previous posts in that thread for more info and pix.

[scruffmcgruff]

I said Assam. Darjeeling gives me headaches!

[RussianSoul]

Assam.

I just got two new ones from Tea Gschwendner: an award-winning Assam Marangi which is amazing and Assam Mokalbari which only a hair behind, if that. The Mokalbari is also a lot cheaper.

Highly recommend both.

[laran7]

Thank you so much for the informative posts - I am finding a lot of tea accessories in Thrift and Consignment shops - sometimes people don't know quite what they are - or certainly how to use them. (me included obviously)

I recognized two beautiful cups (not matching) at a local consignment store I'm set on getting tomorrow morning.

(If I consider it overnight its not an impulse buy , right?)

In the poll, I voted for Darjeeling - it gives me energy and is strong tasting; but I'm new to this . . . who knows what the future holds.

The one annoyance I have is that I like to sweeten it quite a bit..

[JM]

bai mu dan with breakfast, chai after super in place of desert

[Cinnamon Kitty]

I'd probably go with an Assam. I've had one Darjeeling that I liked out of the few that I tried and I could tolerate both Assams that I tried even though I am not much of black tea person. Assams make a really nice iced tea though, so that is always an option too.

Organic Monk's Blend, which has Assam, Nilgiri, and Darjeeling in it as well as some Keemum. Why pick one Indian tea when you can have three combined into an awesome blend? Currently, I am the third steep of Hashiri Shincha. I decided that I needed green tea to celebrate my new forest green eye glasses frames.

[Chip]

There is some great Ceylon out there as well, but I don't think Sri Lanka is officially part of India...

I indicated "Indian region," and not just India.

I am sampling a sample of Korean green called Nok Seon from Hankook. The flavor is oddly so much like Chinese gunpowder. Basically, this is cheap Korean, so, I guess it makes some sense. Looks more Chinese than Japanese too.

I would not be ordering this one.

[Chip]

I'd probably go with an Assam. I've had one Darjeeling that I liked out of the few that I tried and I could tolerate both Assams that I tried even though I am not much of black tea person. Assams make a really nice iced tea though, so that is always an option too.

As do Darjeelings, Ceylons, Nepals, and Sikkims. Indian teas are the best for iced black tea, IMHO.

Organic Monk's Blend, which has Assam, Nilgiri, and Darjeeling in it as well as some Keemum. Why pick one Indian tea when you can have three combined into an awesome blend? Currently, I am the third steep of Hashiri Shincha. I decided that I needed green tea to celebrate my new forest green eye glasses frames.

Now that is a commitment to greens!!!

[Beanbean]

This Dark Sider, who has been camping in the Black Hills all week, is an Indian tea drinker all the way. I voted for Assam but that would be very closely followed by Ceylons and Darjeelings. I typically reach for Assam and Ceylon (or blends containing large amounts of these) for early in the day and have Darjeeling in the afternoon. Usually.

This week I drank Twinings Irish Breakfast but watching the rabbits, wild turkeys, and deer tracking across our campsite made the tea palatable.