Friday TeaDay 11/20/09 TeaSnobs anonymous?

[Chip]

Greetings everyone. Please come in and sit a spell. Share with us what is in your cup throughout the day.

Yesterday we discussed tea slobbery. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. Please try to have some fun with this one! In terms of TeaLeaf, please rank your personal TeaSnobbery and why? Does your answer surprise you at all?

I am looking forward to sharing TeaDay with everyone, even if you are a TeaSnob. Bottoms up!

[Trioxin]

Cheap blackberry iced tea aside, I'm pretty snobbish when it comes to my leaf I suppose.

Currently drinking a 2009 spring Shui Xian

[clareandromeda]

I'm a big ole' snob. Especially with greens, I'm getting to the point where I can only drink gyo.

hooray for friday and payday!!

[Jasmin]

When I drink hot teas I only use loose leaves now. But I'm not too snobby about which kinds of loose leaf tea. Can't afford to be.
But for making iced tea I use 'better' tea bags.

[depravitea]

Mostly number 4 - Only quality loose leaf ever makes it to my cup.
Though I won't turn down a decent bagged in a pinch.
They do exist.
Just like unicorns

[Intuit]

Decent, middlin' to quite good loose leaf. Decent bagged* for travel or work, in a pinch.

Passable pouchong from Specialteas in my cup. Started the day with a no-name full leaf estate Ceylon (Uva district).

Mild temps, overcast skies again.

[Mrs. Chip]

I'm a big ole' snob. Especially with greens, I'm getting to the point where I can only drink gyo.

Can I be your new best friend ??????

Great TeaDay so far ... started with a fukamushi, 2nd tea of the day was Karigane w/matcha and next ... perhaps AliShan ala Adagio.

Oh and YEA, snob all the way, although we do enjoy occasionally a 'great' teabag from O-Cha while dining out.

Have a TEArrific TeaDay and TeaWeekend All!

[geeber1]

Mostly number 4 - Only quality loose leaf ever makes it to my cup.
Though I won't turn down a decent bagged in a pinch.
They do exist.
Just like unicorns

+1

But I don't extend it to when I'm visiting other people. If they offer me a bagged tea, I will usually accept it. (unless it's some kind of weird herbal blend.) In those instances, my host's graciousness and company is more important than whether their tea meets my standards.

Nilgiri Tiger Hills in my cup this morning.

[leiche2]

If it tastes good, I'll drink it.

Houji-genmaicha with lunch. Works surprisingly well with a buttered everything bagel. Bagel atrocity?

[Janine]

Hmm... as with "TeaSlobbery" I suppose this really depends on where you fall on the scale. There will be those above and below, wherever you are.

Given that, I don't like snobbery in its most limited sense. I think a true discernment requires an open mind... you never know where you're going to find something of charm and grace. So, to me, snobbery is a beginner's game. Knowledge is something that applies across the board; discernment is sophistication. And then there comes the time when you just have to accept your own tastes. sometimes it is definitely not worth it to me to pay a premium to have what is called "the best" when I am quite happy with something not the best, and might for some reason actually enjoy it more than what everyone's calling the best.

So, given that... I'm a snob for some and a slob for others. So be it I hope I have an open mind.

Today Ying De red tea from Red Circle Teas! Yum, it's mellowed a little in time, and the raisiny scent hits my nose even as the dry leaves go into the pot! Second steep is rich and I'm on my way to a third.

This is coming after an amazingly full brew of multiple steeps of a delicious Organic Yunnan Gold from Cha Ma Gu Dao. It was at the same time rich and refreshing in just the way a beautiful red (black) tea can be.

Happy Friday everybody

[clareandromeda]

Sure Mrs. Chip! well I'm far from rich but tea is so imp. I make sacrifices aaaaand I stopped buying teaware!

[Drax]

All I've bought for the past year is loose leaf, however I will still occasionally order a classic American Sweet Tea while I'm eating out.

Sorta like comfort food, I suppose?

Bai Ji Guan today. Should be finishing it off and moving onto other stuff. Mmmm, savory!

[chris&amy]

Nothing but loose leaf here. It has become pretty costly but It makes Amy happy so that makes me happy also. We had to slow down on the teawares for now because Christmas is coming to fast this year!


Cold Sencha throughout the day today and lots of hot Black Dragon Oolong with some nice Silver Needle in the mix.


Have a great weekend!


Chris & Amy

[Chip]

Pretty much a TeaSnob. I find it hard to enjoy mediocre tea having enjoyed the good stuff. Even the Teabags have to be very good.

Still, I do not go out of my way to just buy the best of the best, instead always searching new teas in a price range that is not insane. I actually used to spend a lot more on tea, and am now spending much less surprisingly.

Been working on some Hagi related projects that kept me from posting much over the last several days, but still great TDs! Today began with Zencha Fuji SP. Next up was Ali Shan from Adagio with DW. And finishing the TD with Den's Kukicha with some home roasted genmai and mugi.