Thursday TeaDay 9/03/09 Fave Chinese tea?

[Chip]

Greetings one and all to TeaDay. Please come in and share what is in your cup throughout this day.

Yesterday we discussed local vendors near us for tea. You can still vote and discuss this topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. China, the birthplace of TEA. This is the first of a series of topics on China and tea. Do you have a favorite
tea(s) from China? Please share with us.

I am looking forward to sharing another TeaDay with us.

[Salsero]

At least half of my favorite teas come from China, like these spent leaves of Silver Needle. The spent leaves look surprisingly similar to the dry leaves!


crocosmia blooms in background

[Maitre_Tea]

I have an ongoing obsession with Wuyi Yancha. In fact, I bought another moleskin solely for Wuyi. I'm starting to research the different varieties and their "defining" characteristics...sort of making a personal tea encyclopedia or something like that.

Not surprisingly, enjoying some Shi Lan from The Tea Gallery in my new teapot...also from The Tea Gallery. The two go very well together

[depravitea]

Pu erhs, greens, oolongs... China is definitely my focus when it comes to teas. Still Wednesday night for me, but when I wake up, I'm going to break into the Green Pekoe (Fujian Province) from Adagio I received in the mail today. Was looking forward to having some tonight (while I watched Numb3rs) but my son thought I would prefer having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich smeared all over my Army of Darkness shirt, and anything else in reach lol
Fun.

I'll post a humble opinion of the Green Pekoe later
Goodnight.

[entropyembrace]

Almost all of the teas I drink are from China...with just a few Indian, Taiwanese and Japanese teas thrown into the mix...

[Trey Winston]

Most of my favorites are from China, except some Japanese sencha.

Still surfing the oolong wave today.

[Drax]

Mmmm, pu'erh. And some wonderful oolongs and greens as well, though I think my most favorite greens come from elsewhere.

Speaking of pu'erh... I went yet another day w/ this shou. I'm still being very TeaLazy. I'm not sure what the deal is...

[brad4419]

Yes, many favorites from China.

Im really enjoying Chinese greens right now and my favorite black(yunnan gold) is chinese. I also enjoy Japanese greens and taiwanese oolongs but Im still very new with many teas left untested.

peach Oolong in my cup.

[brlarson]

Almost every Chinese tea I have tasted that has had less than about 65% oxidation, plus pu-erh, are favorites: oolongs, yellows, greens, whites, and pu.

Yancha and Anxi oolong are my everyday oolongs and dancong are for rewards and special occasions. I prefer lighter roasts for dancong and Anxi and slightly heavier roasts for yancha.

Last year I had four delicious yellows. My favorite was Huo Shan Huang Ya, and the strangest -- thought still delicious -- was a Wei Shan Mao Jian.

I love the gentle bean flavors of Chinese greens. I recently tasted my first Tai Ping Hou Kui which had a distinct gingerbread-like spiciness to its scent. Mmmmm...

Ya Bao is in a category of own. It's a green that looks like a white, and it has the most delicate liquor with a hint of fine citrus.

I don't understand what is about Pu that grabs me, but there are times when I crave it and have to have some.

So, they're all favorites. Only Chinese red tea has failed to excite me.

I am on vacation, so Zencha's Ultimate shincha is in my cup this morning. I got it right today, with 9grams in 9ounces of water at 140F for 30 seconds brewed in my Hokujo. I mentioned yesterday or the day before that this pot requires less leaf and shorter brewing times than my other vessels. Later today will be day two of Hou de's 2005 Zheng-Yen Lao Cong Shui Xian.

Have a good TeaDay folks.

[Proinsias]

I have many faves from China.

I believe it is actually quite famous for the tea it produces

[leiche2]

Most of the tea I drink is from China. That should tell you something.

Hoping the Irish Breakfast blend in my cup will nudge the grogginess right out of me this morning.

[Intuit]

Unless you have an obsession with Indian, Taiwanese or Japanese teas, you're probably drinking Chinese tea at some point during the day - including S China cultivars grown in Taiwan for disease resistance, improved yields, and climate tolerance.

For a couple billion people every day, it's what for tea.

Cloud and Fog tea later on. Heavily roasted oolong to start.

[Chip]

Some of my fave teas of all time are Chinese. Long Jing tops the list, but other greens include Tai Ping Hou Kui, Luan Gua Pian, and others. Keemun black is a tradtional fave black for me. Certainly some of the oolongs are up there as well. If I ever really jump into Pu-erh ...

Began the TD with Magokoro organic from Yuuki-Cha which was quite excellent. SweeTea certainly enjoyed it as well while Wulong was pretty clueless.

[Intuit]

Chip, your predilection for Japanese green teas helps with your flagging gluthathione production and over-sensitivity to GI excitotoxicity.

However, aged Pu looks to be an even better source of glutathione synthesis promoters. Pu'erhs yin/yang effects on the CNS (improved mental clarity due to a boost in brain blood flow/macrophage nitric oxide mop-up) are probably as or more potent than your best green tea.

TC has an excellent cadre of pu'erh fans on this website. You might consider availing yourself of their guidance. It will further improve your stress tolerance threshold.

[geeber1]

I like Keemun Rhapsody, Golden Monkey, Golden Spring, and Fujian Baroque, all from Adagio. Although I didn't like Adagio's Yunnan offerings, I received some Yunnans in a TeaSwap a couple of months ago and really enjoyed them.

My favorites among the Adagio teas would be Golden Spring and Fujian Baroque.

I guess if you are a serious tea drinker, it's likely you enjoy one or more teas from China!

I had a non-Chinese tea this morning: Irish Breakfast.