Monday TeaDay 11/10/08 Tea at work, etc?

[Chip]

The typical work week begins. I hope you can share TeaDay with us anyway. And don't forget to share what is in your cup today, all day.

Yesterday, studying was the top response why TeaChatters spend less time on TeaChat on Sundays. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

TeaDay is Monday, the start of a typical work week. Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic is about tea and "work" (or School). Whether you work at home or away from the house, how easy is it to prepare your tea and enjoy it at work? Please share about you, tea, and "work."

I am looking forward to sharing TeaDay with everyone, as always. Bottoms up!

[Salsero]

I don't think I have ever really enjoyed a cup of tea at work and I don't know why. Probably just psychological! On the other hand, at home I have so much fun playing with tea. Like today (yesterday now) I did the following project.

Inspired by the talk of cheek-by-jowl tastings of different tea, I brewed up 3 examples of Lu An Gua Pian. Frankly, they all tasted about the same and left me wondering why I keep ordering this stuff anyway. Maybe it tastes a lot better in the spring, but it’s pretty b-o-r-i-n-g now. On the other hand, I did run through maybe 8 to 10 infusions of each one, drinking the stuff pretty much all day, so it couldn’t be too awfully bad.


As usual, you can click on the photo for enough detail to get a good look at the spent leaves, and the dry leaves can be seen HERE.

In my cup, just finishing off a lovely 1991 Liu An Hei Cha, completely different from the 1994 Liu An I had a few days ago and I can't imagine why! No relation, BTW, at all to the Lu An Gua Pian pictured, which is a green tea.

[leiche]

Since I work/study at home, both enjoyment and preparation are incredibly easy for me. It's a definite perk to an otherwise monotonous situation.

I think it's time to veg out with a book and a cuppa on the couch for a bit before bed now.

[TaiPing Hou Kui]

Tea prep in the geology building where I do all of my work/research is fairly easy but not quite as enjoyable as back home. I have a personnel cabinet there where I keep a plain white 4 oz gaiwan and a few mid-grade teas as well as a simple white 4.5 oz cup that matches the gaiwan. All in all I dont have that expensive of things there becuase my cabinet doesent lock and others could potentially go into it. Not that I think that anyone would steal my teaware, but, I do keep lots of gologic maps and other materials that I let others use and someone might accidentally knock something over and break it, etc. So, if something bad did happen I would only lose about 10-15$ instead of hundreds if I kept my good japanese teaware there.....I just save those for when I get home in the evenings!

*Right now I am truly enjoying a cup of Rishi Dragonwell and I say "truly" enjoying becuase I really havent been much of a fan of Dragonwells and this is the first time I have tried Rishi's and it is quite nice, at least to me!

-Nick (TaiPing)

[Chip]

and the dry leaves can be seen HERE.

Thanks for sharing your tasting with us, Sal. I am a fan of Lu An Gua Pian, but I have to say the leaf I have had looked nicer and so much greener. Looked good enough to eat. Have you had TeaSpring's from years past? Although I have not had this last harvest, maybe a down year for it? Plus it tasted so fresh and veggie almost up to the next harvest (cold stored til opened).

I guess I never really thought about this leaf being so variable, yet you say it tasted pretty much the same.

Finishing a really nice session of home made Mugicha with Karigane.

[Vulture]

Work is easy to setup brewing if I use the ingenuiTEA. I can set it but sometimes I get to busy to drain the infuser while brewing or let it cool too much in my cup. I get distracted with alarms/events.

In my cup - Full throttle Blue Demon. I over tea'd myself saturday hanging out with peps on video chat.

[Trioxin]

The best I could do at work would be a teabag. So brewing and drinking enjoyment are rather low on the scale.

Currently drinking 2008 Guoyan "Queen of Yi Wu" Premium Raw Pu-erh

[Salsero]

Have you had TeaSpring's from years past? Although I have not had this last harvest, maybe a down year for it? Plus it tasted so fresh and veggie almost up to the next harvest (cold stored til opened).

I don't cold store my Chinese greens because I worry about condensation.

I think you may have something here about the 2008 crop. Looking back over my notes for last year's TeaSpring edition, they are pretty enthusiastic with all kinds of nice taste sensations mentioned. Jing's notes are not as enthusiastic, but certainly better than this year's. This year is the first time I have had the TeaCuppa.

Wasn't the harvest especially early in 2008? Maybe the plants didn't get enough rest over their short winter.

[Victoria]

My answer:
Tea prep is difficult, but enjoyment is easy

My work set-up needs "work" getting water, having a sink, finding the time - are all factors.

But when I do make that cup - I relax, close my eyes, and enjoy it.
It takes me away.

[Victoria]

Currently drinking 2008 Guoyan "Queen of Yi Wu" Premium Raw Pu-erh

Hummm would the Queen like this Yi Wu Queen?

[Trioxin]

Currently drinking 2008 Guoyan "Queen of Yi Wu" Premium Raw Pu-erh

Hummm would the Queen like this Yi Wu Queen?

You just may. Do you drink mush pu-erh?

[Victoria]

Currently drinking 2008 Guoyan "Queen of Yi Wu" Premium Raw Pu-erh

Hummm would the Queen like this Yi Wu Queen?

You just may. Do you drink mush pu-erh?

Hummm is that made with corn grits?
Ok, sorry! I drink a little, mostly raw.
Sometimes although I love the taste I can't get past the smell.
I've had some brew that was nasty too. Most of those are now
omegapd's favorites.

[Trioxin]

If you think my spelling is bad, you should see my math.

[Rakuras]

Tea prep is easy as I just bottle/mug it before I leave though retail and generally active jobs tend to prevent absolute enjoyment so I generally brew teas that do well when not at peak temperature or room temp. Rooibos does a good job with this especially when sweetened though blacks tend to do poorly from experience- sans those that are heavily spiced like most Earl Greys.

Currently in cup: Nothing. It's 1am and just the new day so I've yet to look at the few samplers I do have left before I set up my large order for the holiday and the next year all the while looking at new venues for those brews I enjoy. Likely I'll be going for a Jasmine as it's been stormy and flowery teas do so well in this weather.

[Drax]

I've had some brew that was nasty too. Most of those are now
omegapd's favorites.

*grabs a bag of popcorn and waits for the response*

I only started working at my current job about 3 weeks ago. They've got a coffee maker area, but not a lot of room for much else. I think when I start to drink tea at work, I will either be bringing tea brewed at home, or using bags at work...

I went w/ some Big Red Robe w/ breakfast this morning.