Monday TeaDay 1/19/09 End of the TeaDay?

[Space Samurai]

Another cup of yunnan noir and another day of failed (f-word) photography. I look out my window at the (f-word) sun that won't come near me, that (f-word) line of shadow that (f-word) taunts me. (f-word).

(f-word)

[leiche]

Last tea of the day is always whatever I'm in the mood for, regardless of caffeine content and time. Caffeine actually helps me sleep sometimes. Weird, I know.

Definitely coming down with something, so out comes the roasty Anxi TGY from Red Blossom. I find it soothes my throat.

[Drax]

still debating whether or not I'm going to be serious about this in the long term to warrant a dedicated "pumidor."

Lately, the majority opinion seems to be moving toward "simpler is better" for aging pu. See HERE.

I would venture to guess that Cloud knows better than shaving forum, but its probably just me. Nada tells me some friends in the UK have dead tea on their hands due to low humidity. I hereby object to the majority opinion.

I don't mind simple, as long as it is effective.

The question is whether to spend $2k on a dedicator humidor, or go with something cheap like humidity-beads (and spend that savings on some tongs). Hmmmmm.

[Salsero]

dead tea

I don't mind simple, as long as it is effective.

Between the mold and the dead I am a man of constant worry! Even Cloud, however, says humidity above 50% should be adequate. The biggest risk of falling below that is probably heated northern homes in the winter. I guess a sensible minimum investment would be a hygrometer and periodic calibration of it.

[brandon]

I am having a hard time maintaining > 50% during the winter without resorting to more drastic measures.

[Salsero]

I am having a hard time maintaining > 50% during the winter without resorting to more drastic measures.

I guess that is a plus about Florida. We don't have to run the heat much during the winter so the Relative Humidity stays above 50% most weeks.

When I want to increase the RH of my stash, I have been placing containers of water with floral foam in the drawers with the pu. The foam is very inexpensive at any florist shop and seems to work well at increasing the wet surface exposed to air and raises the RH.

Then all I have to worry about is mold on the foam, off smells developing, and too little air circulating around the pu.

On second thought, Drax, stick with Japanese green tea.

[Chip]

I tend to go with what ever soggy leaves I have left over from brewing earlier in the day or something low in caffeine. Or whatever I am in the mood for. I especially enjoy having the later steeps of a sencha or an oolong later at night.

I try to reduce caffeine consumption once evening rolls around. Teas of choice include homemade mugi and genmai without the cha, houjicha, kukicha, tea plant flowers which are supposed to be lower in caffene than leaf, and of course SLT aka soggy leaf tea which is the remains of the day with most of the caffeine brewed out. I will drink whatever the situation or desire calls for from this group.

So, today started with Fukamushi Supreme from O-Cha, very good today. SweeTea agreed, Wulong showed only slight interest and TEAh only dropped by to say hi. Cat naps for everyone else I guess.

Zuiko asamushi from Den's was next. Running behind on my TeaDay.

[Drax]

On second thought, Drax, stick with Japanese green tea.

It certainly would be easier, and the real plus side -- I can drink it now, as opposed to stockpiling for 10 years down the line.

Oh the tension...!

[Victoria]

My first cup today was coffee, and horrid, I do still love coffee, this was just a horrid cup.

Now in my cup Mountain Dew FF Darjeeling from TeaSource.
I have 2oz of this stuff, have had several pots of it, and still can't
really decided how I feel about it.

Nice to have the holiday off, but my chores are are keeping me
running around like a crazy person.

[battra]

I went to Omi Food. It was you telling me about them, wasn't it? They seemed really good at everything except tea.

Yes! I think I expressed that I thought they had the largest tea selection among the Chinese grocery stores in Stockholm, but I wouldn't buy their tea either! I have had quite a lot of tea from Chinese grocery stores, none of which was particularly good!

(Right now, I'm kung fu-ing my last muzha tky - luckily I have a package with more tky from Hong Kong to pick up at the post office tomorrow.)

[teaguru]

I typically end the day with some kind of herbal tea. Usually something with lemongrass and ginger, or hibiscus and mint. I might toss in some chamomile or some lemon balm to help me sleep, or a few herbs for their respective health benefits. My mother usually shares my 800ml pot with me, but there have been occasions where I've had the entire thing myself. When that happens, I wake up at 1:38am and go pee.

Coconut Pouchong! My last cup, so I'm savouring it.

[Ron Gilmour]

Like my Central NY neighbor, Cinnamon Kitty, my day usually ends with a steep of some previously-brewed tea. On workdays, my routine is often to start drinking a pu-erh or an oolong when I get home around six. Then, by bedtime, I figure it's practically caffeine free.

Good day today. I was supposed to have a root canal, but when I got to the endodontist, he decided I didn't need it after all! How often does that happen? Celebrating with some Rou Gui oolong.

[geeber1]

Yay Ron, lucky you!

I went in today for an Arthrogram/MRI on my shoulder. I thought it would be a piece of cake, but NO ... the procedure of injecting the dye into my shoulder joint was the most painful thing I've ever experienced, even worse than childbirth!

I was stressing about the MRI part, but it was nothing compared to what I experienced before-hand.

I need some tea.

[Salsero]

I can drink it now, as opposed to stockpiling for 10 years down the line.

Starting to sound more like Japanese greens again ... but with less pressure. I think that's the only reason I have collected so much pu: it's so undemanding. It thrives on neglect.

root canal

Congratulations!

Arthrogram/MRI

Commiserations.

Funny, but I didn't find childbirth that bad.

[ericnicolaas]

I avoid teas after about 5pm, just because I don't want the caffeine to keep me awake. So my final "tea" of the day is invariably a tisane, generally a rooibos, chamomile or some other variety. Earlier last year I was drinking a lovely blend of echinacea, olive leaf extract and lemongrass (I think that was the combo), which was great, especially through winter.