Break as you go or all at once?

[maxman]

Do you (1)break up an entire tea cake at once, or do you (2) take out a cake, break off enough for a pot, then wrap it back up?

I tend to go with 2.

Is there any reason not to break up a cake all at once, even though it may take several months or more to drink it?

[shogun89]

Break it as you go. The only reason to break it all at once is when the cake is fully aged, at which point you can break it up and put it in a yixing canister, and only some do that, others will just wrap the cake in plastic.

[Dizzwave]

I usually break as I go, but I have a couple of shu cakes that seem to taste better with a little "airing out" -- so I broke up those entire cakes and put them into paper bags. It's also more convenient, since those are more of my every-day cakes.. Easier for me to dip into the bag than to have to unwrap, carefully break off, rewrap, etc. my 2c.
dave

[hop_goblin]

I generally break as I go also. However, I do tend to break up wet-stored beengs for everyday drinking as to air them out a bit.

[tony shlongini]

Once again, I'll be the odd man out- I do both!

I hate watching the wrapper disintegrate from repeated openings, so I break off a nice hunk good for 4-6 sessions. I store the chunk in anything from a nice tea canister to a brown paper bag, depending on what's available at the moment. When I want to brew, I chisel off an appropriate amount from the aforementioned chunk, and go to town.

[heavydoom]

with a brick, the whole thing. with a cake, break as you need. that's me.

[TIM]

with a brick, the whole thing. with a cake, break as you need. that's me.

Love you style and your new look!

[Victoria]

with a brick, the whole thing. with a cake, break as you need. that's me.

Love you style and your new look!

Definitely the chameleon of TC.

[sp1key]

Idea of breaking it up is for a few key reasons.

1. convenience if you'll be drinking that same tea quite often

2. balancing the tea you'll brew by mixing up leaves from the upper/lower, inside/outside

3. for ready to drink aged raw, enchancing the flavour/aroma it has when its being kept in a zhisha urn for sometime.

for those young raw (1-10yrs), keep it as it is.

[augie]

with a brick, the whole thing. with a cake, break as you need. that's me.

Love you style and your new look!

Me too! Sleek, urban, very serious about his tea.

Break as I go. Don't know what I'd do with the mess???

[Salsero]

Sleek, urban, very serious about his tea.

I say street punk ... and I mean that in the best possible way

[heavydoom]

thanks guys, you like my new look?

[Proinsias]

Personally I preferred the very first look.

I tend to chip away as needed but that may change if I become a fully fledged pu addict.

[Dizzwave]

I like the new look, HD. Is that really you?
I can't even remember your original look, come to think of it.