Thursday TeaDay 7/30/09 TeaMemory?

[Chip]

Hello and welcome to TeaDay. Please stop in and share with us what is in your cup today.

Yesterday we discussed our TeawareArtisans. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. Maitre_Tea suggested: "TEAmemories, or how good our memory is with teas we've had before. How well can you recall teas you've had days ago? weeks? months? years?" Please share with us.

I am looking forward to sharing TeaMemories with each other. Like the TeaMemories you have, have the TeaMemories you like.

[Geekgirl]

I have the memory of a goldfish. That's probably why I have 3 identical copies of Ursula K. LeGuin's "Left Hand of Darkness."

If I'm really lucky, I remember that I have a cup of tea that I'm currently drinking.

Recent example: I was drinking a Fox Barrel Currant Cider this evening. I set it on the table, walked away, and completely forgot I was enjoying a cider. My husband said: "I'm going to drink your cider!" I said "What cider?" Heh.

[olivierco]

I remember many teas I had years ago.

Ippodo shincha this morning.

[Salsero]

I have a terrible time remembering previous teas ... especially within a class like sencha or Chinese green. The memories that I have also seem to be very unreliable. I do keep written notes in a spreadsheet and that is an enormous aide-mémoire so to speak.

Den’s Houryoku shincha, mama foo dog, and banko kyuusu. The base on which the ivory figure sits is actually the untouched tusk from which the figure is carved. This made me remember that these ivories are all made from elephant tusks and probably would be illegal today.

[Maitre_Tea]

I have a pretty short memory, which is why I have a moleskine with tasting notes, and also a reason why I keep a blog. I'm able to remember vaguely the teas I've tasted in the past, but I wish I could remember them more vividly. Even the notes I take confuse me when I re-read them.

Had some Den's Kunpu Shincha and Zencha Takumi Shincha. First time trying Shincha, so I'm a little surprised by how mellow it is, unless I'm brewing it incorrectly.

On another note, has anyone here purchased any soma-yaki Chawan? I'm already looking for my next acquisition, and I might want to get something unusual, instead of Hagi or Raku (don't get me wrong, I love these two styles also).

EDIT: I know that Artistic Nippon carries one, but I'm afraid that it might be shallow...I guess I'm looking for something between 3-4 inches in height

[Drax]

Hrm, I can't say "years" yet since I haven't seriously been drinking tea for that long, although I can remember a couple of bad bagged teas. I also use a journal to record notes, but I do remember some of the teas I tried if they stood out in some way. But... do I remember them accurately? Hrm, that's a different question!

Still going with an anxi oolong this morning. I'm in a TeaRut...

[Herb_Master]

Only a few but yes!

I particularly remember when somethingwonderfully new happens.
As my brewing expetise grows these experiences may occur more frequently and the memories will merge and fade.

I remember drinking tea in Malaysia 2 years ago, nothing great but then in Wisdom Arts, with a couple of Wisdom's friends brewing up at the back of the shop - the tea hit me with a wave descending my body - the time I became hooked.

I remember the first time I got Da Hong Pao to work properly with a gigh density packing - layer after layer of excellent flavours.

And I remember the first brew of Rich Barbarians Summer Supreme Plus super glycerol and excellent flavour coating the mouth.

[Salsero]

Yum, some of the last out of a bag of last year's Castleton Muscatel Darjeeling. Delicious.



I'd forgotten how good it was!

[Riene]

I only remember really unusual individual teas, such as the pu and the matcha I have tried (once each). My normal drinking teas somewhat blend together.

[sriracha]

I have distinct memories of two teas I drank regularly over 15 years ago, one was called 'violet tea' but was really more sort of licorice-flavoured, the other some sort of citrus affair. Yellow Sky, I think it was called.

Also my first oolong which I'm guessing was a generic Formosa. I remember marvelling at the large leaves and long steeping times(gong fu was unknown to me at the time and the store recommended 7 minutes). Quite good in any case.

And on two or three occasions I have made perfect tea-perfect in this case menaning just what I needed at the time, steeping time and amount of milk added in harmony. The tea version of the perfect moments I constantly seek. You never know when they will come, and by the time you notice they're gone.


Mildly exciting Yunnan so far today. Tonight I'll be visiting a Vietnamese place with some friends, wonder what kind of tea they serve.

[Victoria]

I remember teas very well, I'm just bad a describing them. I remember the first time I tried certain teas, and the best ones of course.

This morning ToT Neela again.

Have a nice day everyone!

[Selaphiel]

I would say months. I tend to remember the uniqueness of different teas, they all have that special characteristic. That is what makes it fun to go back to a tea you have not had in a while and compare the experience.

Having some Li Shan Cha today. Had this every day the last week, it really is one amazing tea, probably my favorite oolong tea.

[depravitea]

I remember all my teas. I think it helps when you share tea, remembering a discussion helps me retain tea info/type as well.
Can't say I've shared and discussed every tea I've had, but if I like something, I'll give enough to my only friend who likes tea so he can give it a go as well. We usually talk about it and compare it to other things we've had. I think that's a big help in keeping the memory fresh.

[Aphroditea]

I'm like GeekGirl - memory of a goldfish! Oh, look! A plastic castle!.....Oh, look! A plastic castle!

It was not always this way, though. But, the memory problems are somehow related to the vertigo and sleep problems. I try to keep notes when I can (and often forget where I put them). But, this ends up being okay because a tea can surprise me over and over

[coloradopu]

sometimes i will get this flash back very vivid can taste it and smell it

so real

other times i just think i forgot to wash up after a session

then there is the first time...................well you know