Tuesday TeaDay 11/10/09 Tea Green-Card?

[Chip]

Greetings everyone and welcome to TeaDay. Please drop in and share what is in your cup throughout this TeaDay.

Yesterday we discussed the moving journey and if tea had a part in it. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. Simple yes or no, answer this question ... Have you purchased TEA directly from another continent? Please share what prompted this seemingly bold move with us.

I am looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone, bottoms up.

[Drax]

Many of my pu'erh orders and Japanese greens come directly from Asia. Of course, there's always a middleman involved and not directly from the tea grower, but such is life.

Started into an 'old bush' shui xian last night. Good stuff, will hopefully continue with it tonight when I get back from work...!

Have a great TeaDay everybody!

[Trey Winston]

Being of an unusually adventurous nature, I have sometimes ordered tea from the mysterious, inscrutable and unfathomable continent of North America.

Also, I have had shipments from Asia.

White Peony today.

[brad4419]

At least once. I ordered from teaspring.com because I heard they had some of the best chinese greens. They were very good. The main thing is that I read up on reviews from places before ordering tea. Im not much of a mystery shopper when it comes to food/drink items.

more taiwanese wuyi this morning.

[brlarson]

I use only one vendor, Ippodo, who processes my credit card information from and whose servers reside on another continent. Everyone else processes payment information and maintains servers in North America. However, if you only consider the ``ship from'' address as the designator of a purchase's origin, then most of my teas are purchased from another continent.

I buy from other continents because it's so hard to find good tea locally.

2008 Autumn Xiang Hua TGY is in my cup this morning.

[RachelC]

"Yes Many Times For Me" but I will say primary because I was in the country at that time. I try to visit Indian when possible which is where I buy from directly.

Starbucks in my cup this morning...needed it 2 yr old daughter and all. Need I say more. LOL. Tea to follow...

[JBaymore]

Many times. When I am in Japan....which lately seems to be about once a year...... I "stock up".

best,

................john

[olivierco]

I regularly order from Japan, sometimes from China and Taiwan.
Kaboku sencha right now.

[Janine]

To answer the question: no, I never have. I've purchased plenty of tea imported from other continents But not bought directly from near the source.

Prompted by a topic on TeaChat, today I made a trip to Ito En in NYC (Madison Ave bt. 68th & 69th Sts.). I had to be in the neighborhood for a doctor's appointment anyway, so I took advantage of the time to stop by at Ito En.

Of course the teaware was to die for. I managed not to buy any, even the pieces I loved that were on sale. I'll think about that, though.

But, being a lover of China black teas, I wasn't there for a very predictable reason. I wanted to try the Keemun Chun Fen that I saw mentioned on TeaChat. At Ito En they call this "Keemun Spring Dawn." I bought some of this tea to try, and also some Yunnan Gold Tips and another Anhui tea called Red Peony (about the shape of the leaves in "bouquet"). I haven't tried those yet. It seems a little crazy to have SO MANY wonderful outlets that specialize in Chinese tea and then to go to Ito En for China blacks/hongcha. But, I have to say I'm happy I tried this tea as it is quite lovely and I'm enjoying sipping the Spring Dawn/Chun Fen... there's always more to try and to compare...

[Chip]

A very quiet TeaDay/TeaChat!

Seems much of my tea requires a green card! I find it interesting how readily TCers jump onto the importer bandwagon. I would think the general population would not be very inclined to take such a bold step as to import a food product from an Asian country.

I was quite surprised and amazed how easy it actually is ...

Began the TD with Kabuse from O-Cha again. Next up, Den's Zuiko. The TD is turning out to be a great one!

[leiche2]

Sadly, no. I plan to in the future!

Chilling out with a hot cuppa Oolong #8.

[olivierco]

Began the TD with Kabuse from O-Cha again.

Which one? Organic or non organic?

[Dreamer]

Oh yeah...all my Japanese greens come to me from Japan!!! I really believe that I would not even know about Japanese green tea if it weren't for the internet and internet vendors!

Tea today so far...Yunnan Imperial, mmmm good tea and a cool, cloudy windy morning! Right now some YM out of my Hagi-offer loquat glaze tea cup...such a wonderful tactile sensation to drink such good tea from this cup!

Happy Teasday,
Dreamer

[AdamMY]

I'm almost more shocked when I order from the States or Canada. Mind you there are some good shops in the US and Canada, but most of my orders are from over seas.

Den's matcha Miyabi and Organic and Kaze tasting, I was really impressed by each of these.

[Drax]

For a little more detail, I suppose the vendor I was most concerned about ordered from was the online auction house Skip4Tea. All of the fears and concerns aside, the order went quite well and the tea I got was great for the price...

Got to try some nice sencha from Den's. Zuiko and Yame Fukamushi. The best sencha I ever had!