Now when visiting the tea house, you have the option of doing a flight of teas. There are a wide variety of teas to choose from. There is enough tea for as many people as can fit around the small tea bar. Sitting, there is room for four tasters, but if people stand, I am sure that more could fit. People are really enjoying this service and it seems to have caught on with little or no promotion on my part. This is a great way to learn about different teas as well as discovering which tea or teas you like best. It is also great because you can try before you buy.
Some people will select three teas in the same genre. I have seen this referred to as a vertical tasting. It would be similar to tasting three of the same types of wines. For example, if a person tasted three Syrah wines. Alternatively, some people will try a broad variety of tea such as a green oolong, a puer and a black tea. This was referred to as a horizontal tasting. This is like tasting a cab, a merlot and a pinot noir.
I make the teas in clear glass tea ware so that people can see the tea as it unfurls. I then hand them the glass tea ware with the brewed leaves and invite them to examine the leaves and smell the aroma. Of course, they can then drink the tea. This is usually their favorite part. Some people have commented that this is a wonderful experience and some have even gone so far as to say that it is much more enjoyable than wine tasting.
Of course it is also possible to try some of the highest end tea. In this case the tasting will cost more. The $5 fee covers teas that are $5 to $10 per ounce. For tea that ranges from $11 to $20 per ounce, the fee is $11 and for tea that ranges from $21 to $30 per ounce, the fee is $16 and so on.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Excerpt From "Conversations Over Tea: The Psychology of Tea"
Conversations Over Tea: The Psychology of Tea
By Josh Chamberlain
We were sitting in my teashop, a small shop in which people had shared so many details of their lives. It is this shop that is ever evolving and that seems to have a soul that we chose to have that my mother and I sat down to have tea and talk about some of teas amazing characteristics. As we waited for the water to boil, I proposed this question to my mother: “Do you believe that tea has the power to positively influence family relationships?”
I’ve often wondered if drinking tea could influence behavior. A few years ago I was living overseas in Taiwan when I was introduced to the world of tea. It was my experience with the timeless tea tradition, the focal point for social interaction in many households in Taiwan , which inspired me to start my own tea importing business. Since my introduction, tea has become so many different things to me: It is a plant, a friend, a social lubricant, a commodity, a means from which I earn my living, a beverage, a tonic, an elixir of life, a pick-me-up, a digestive aid, a health enhancer and a conduit to meditation. But is it also a great cultivator of relationships?
In Taiwan, families are typically multi-generational, often with three generations living together in the same household. Yet in America, it is not uncommon for family members to reside hundreds of miles apart. Take my family, for example. I have grandparents in Chicago and grandparents in Florida while my mother and father live in Oregon, near my home.
America, in direct contrast to Taiwan, is characterized by migration. Rather than remain in one central location with our family members near by, we seem to prefer to be “free” and we emphasize this sense of freedom by traveling the country in search of a place where we feel most at home- a place where we fit.
I’ve often wondered what role tea played in the Taiwanese family dynamic and if the same benefits could be enjoyed by our own movement-obsessed culture, which is how I found myself sitting with my mother, discussing the psychology of tea.
By Josh Chamberlain
We were sitting in my teashop, a small shop in which people had shared so many details of their lives. It is this shop that is ever evolving and that seems to have a soul that we chose to have that my mother and I sat down to have tea and talk about some of teas amazing characteristics. As we waited for the water to boil, I proposed this question to my mother: “Do you believe that tea has the power to positively influence family relationships?”
I’ve often wondered if drinking tea could influence behavior. A few years ago I was living overseas in Taiwan when I was introduced to the world of tea. It was my experience with the timeless tea tradition, the focal point for social interaction in many households in Taiwan , which inspired me to start my own tea importing business. Since my introduction, tea has become so many different things to me: It is a plant, a friend, a social lubricant, a commodity, a means from which I earn my living, a beverage, a tonic, an elixir of life, a pick-me-up, a digestive aid, a health enhancer and a conduit to meditation. But is it also a great cultivator of relationships?
In Taiwan, families are typically multi-generational, often with three generations living together in the same household. Yet in America, it is not uncommon for family members to reside hundreds of miles apart. Take my family, for example. I have grandparents in Chicago and grandparents in Florida while my mother and father live in Oregon, near my home.
America, in direct contrast to Taiwan, is characterized by migration. Rather than remain in one central location with our family members near by, we seem to prefer to be “free” and we emphasize this sense of freedom by traveling the country in search of a place where we feel most at home- a place where we fit.
I’ve often wondered what role tea played in the Taiwanese family dynamic and if the same benefits could be enjoyed by our own movement-obsessed culture, which is how I found myself sitting with my mother, discussing the psychology of tea.
The Top Five Reasons to Go Loose Leaf
The Top Five Reasons to Go Loose Leaf
1. The value vs. quality ratio: you will get a higher grade of leaf for about the same price per serving. It is no secret that tea bags contain mostly dust. When the norm is dust, the leaf, in its full glory, is a refreshing surprise. Also the taste and the mouth feel are far superior. Loose leaf tea is good for multiple infusions (sometimes 6 to 10 infusions), whereas a tea bag is good for two or maybe three cups.
2. The purity: loose Leaf is pure. There is no tea bag flavor, no glue holding the string to the tea bag, no string. Nothing but tea.
3. The variety: as you walk down the tea isle of your local natural product supermarket, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of choices available from a wide range of countries. But how distinct are they really? The tea in the tea bags has been selected for you and they are labeled in many market driven (and sometimes random) ways. When you go to loose leaf you are selecting the tea for yourself. The selection is wider and you can see and understand more precisely what you are getting.
4. The process: the act of brewing loose leaf tea and observing the leaves as they unfurl to reveal the aroma is very rewarding. The act of brewing tea is an interaction with the tea plant. For me and several of my tea friends, brewing tea has a calming effect. By taking the time to go through several steps of the brew process the mind is cleansed and I am ready to face the challenges that life has to offer.
5. The tea ware: cool and beautiful tea ware is not a must when brewing loose leaf tea but it is fun and further contributes to a relaxing and satisfying experience. I sometimes brew loose leaf by simply adding leaf to the bottom of a mug, adding hot water, waiting for the leaf to settle to the bottom and then drinking tea off the top. I have even brewed loose leaf tea at a gas station out of a Styrofoam cup with the scalding hot water that was in the coffee machine (not recommended). For a while, one of my favorite ways to make eastern beauty is to put 3 to 5g (one spoonful) of loose leaf tea in the bottom of a pint glass, add water that is about 180 degrees Fahrenheit (bring water to a boil and then wait 5 minutes), wait three to five minutes and then strain with a fork into another pint glass. Although this minimalist approach to tea brewing is convenient, brewing tea with tea ware that compliments the teas specific characteristics, not only makes the experience more sublime, but the tea actually tastes better. Visually, tea ware has an impact. It can be arranged to be esthetically pleasing, and create a feeling of serenity and harmony.
1. The value vs. quality ratio: you will get a higher grade of leaf for about the same price per serving. It is no secret that tea bags contain mostly dust. When the norm is dust, the leaf, in its full glory, is a refreshing surprise. Also the taste and the mouth feel are far superior. Loose leaf tea is good for multiple infusions (sometimes 6 to 10 infusions), whereas a tea bag is good for two or maybe three cups.
2. The purity: loose Leaf is pure. There is no tea bag flavor, no glue holding the string to the tea bag, no string. Nothing but tea.
3. The variety: as you walk down the tea isle of your local natural product supermarket, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of choices available from a wide range of countries. But how distinct are they really? The tea in the tea bags has been selected for you and they are labeled in many market driven (and sometimes random) ways. When you go to loose leaf you are selecting the tea for yourself. The selection is wider and you can see and understand more precisely what you are getting.
4. The process: the act of brewing loose leaf tea and observing the leaves as they unfurl to reveal the aroma is very rewarding. The act of brewing tea is an interaction with the tea plant. For me and several of my tea friends, brewing tea has a calming effect. By taking the time to go through several steps of the brew process the mind is cleansed and I am ready to face the challenges that life has to offer.
5. The tea ware: cool and beautiful tea ware is not a must when brewing loose leaf tea but it is fun and further contributes to a relaxing and satisfying experience. I sometimes brew loose leaf by simply adding leaf to the bottom of a mug, adding hot water, waiting for the leaf to settle to the bottom and then drinking tea off the top. I have even brewed loose leaf tea at a gas station out of a Styrofoam cup with the scalding hot water that was in the coffee machine (not recommended). For a while, one of my favorite ways to make eastern beauty is to put 3 to 5g (one spoonful) of loose leaf tea in the bottom of a pint glass, add water that is about 180 degrees Fahrenheit (bring water to a boil and then wait 5 minutes), wait three to five minutes and then strain with a fork into another pint glass. Although this minimalist approach to tea brewing is convenient, brewing tea with tea ware that compliments the teas specific characteristics, not only makes the experience more sublime, but the tea actually tastes better. Visually, tea ware has an impact. It can be arranged to be esthetically pleasing, and create a feeling of serenity and harmony.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Top Ten Reasons to Brew Your Own
1. It is fun!
2. It is way economical, roughly the same price per serving as tea bags.
3. You will get a much higher quality drink. You get the whole leaf vs. crumbs.
4. Taste the soil (terroir) of different lands.
5. Taste the magic of master craftspeople.
6. Experience the joy of learning a skill.
7. Take time for yourself.
8. You get to collect a variety of pretty tea ware.
9. Brewing tea makes you feel cool.
10. You know what goes into it.
2. It is way economical, roughly the same price per serving as tea bags.
3. You will get a much higher quality drink. You get the whole leaf vs. crumbs.
4. Taste the soil (terroir) of different lands.
5. Taste the magic of master craftspeople.
6. Experience the joy of learning a skill.
7. Take time for yourself.
8. You get to collect a variety of pretty tea ware.
9. Brewing tea makes you feel cool.
10. You know what goes into it.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Floating Leaves
I love going to Seattle for drinking tea. I think of it as a city with an extensive tea culture, and on this trip I have taken some time to ask questions from Seattle tea industry insiders. Seattle has such an amazing story as an economic trading port on the Pacific Rim. Though, not as popular as San Francisco or its neighbor to the North, Vancouver BC, Seattle is a leader in imports of coffee and tea. I bet Seattle has a pretty high per capita tea drinking population when compared to other cities.First, I went to Floating Leaves and had an amazing brew session with the owner, Shiuwen, and some of her friends. Shiuwen’s window faces west, so we were able to bask in some of the days last rays of light. The windows are big, so there is a nice amount of natural light. She has her strong Jade plant that enjoys its spot in the window. “It brings in the money.” she chimes in as I take pictures of her plants. This is just after she told me that I was not allowed to take pictures in her shop. So, if you want to exhibit some basic courtesy, don’t just blast into Shiuwen’s shop taking pictures, as I did. It might be nice to ask her permission, before taking all the pictures you want.
Before I met Shiuwen, in 2002, she was working for Seattle’s Best Tea. She wanted to do more to promote tea. She began visiting tea houses on the west coast at which time she met Roy Fong (owner of Imperial Tea Court) and Frank Miller former owner of Blue Willow Tea House (which no longer exists). Shiuwen was inspired by these tea teachers and her thirst for knowledge grew. She and her former husband did some tastings in Seattle and people were skeptical that the small pot would make enough tea. “Let’s make some tea, and you can tell me if it is enough.” Shiuwen suggested. And sure enough by the third infusion everyone was very impressed. People were ready to place their orders. Shiuwen made a call to Taiwan and asked a relative to send her some tea. She opened a 10 by 10 space in a covered outdoor market. In the mornings she would work as a barista at Starbucks and then she would walk to the tea stand where she would take naps in the lull between customers. “Business was slow, because the open market was never filled.” Shiuwen recalls.
Shiuwen, David Weinman, Michael J. Coffey, Rich Tao and I drink tea at Floating Leaves.Her next venue was The Freemont Sunday Market, which was a flea market. Each place she went she would meet customer and develop a bit of a following. It was in these early building days that she met groups of loyal customers that, to this day, still buy from Floating Leaves tea.
I met Shiuwen and Rob, her former husband, in the Spring of 2005 when they came to Taiwan for a buying trip. I was living in Taiwan at the time and we spent a couple of days drinking a great deal of tea. We shared several tea buying stories and drank tea until we were tea drunk. In July of 2005, Floating Leaves opened its first full service tea room in Ballard, but after struggling to keep it open and after making some life changes, Shiuwen moved Floating Leaves to its current location which is smaller and more tailored to Shiuwen’s ideal shop.
The top selling teas of Floating Leaves are: first, Dong Ding oolong tea, because it has the taste of a high mountain tea, but it costs less money; second, Wen Shan Bao Zhong oolong tea, because it is delicate and beautiful, so it is easy to grasp its greatness. It is a great starting point when one wants to get into oolongs. And third, High Mountain Tea, everyone likes high mountain tea right? I am thinking that the price is the determining factor that makes High Mountain Oolong Tea the number three seller.
I met Shiuwen and Rob, her former husband, in the Spring of 2005 when they came to Taiwan for a buying trip. I was living in Taiwan at the time and we spent a couple of days drinking a great deal of tea. We shared several tea buying stories and drank tea until we were tea drunk. In July of 2005, Floating Leaves opened its first full service tea room in Ballard, but after struggling to keep it open and after making some life changes, Shiuwen moved Floating Leaves to its current location which is smaller and more tailored to Shiuwen’s ideal shop.
The top selling teas of Floating Leaves are: first, Dong Ding oolong tea, because it has the taste of a high mountain tea, but it costs less money; second, Wen Shan Bao Zhong oolong tea, because it is delicate and beautiful, so it is easy to grasp its greatness. It is a great starting point when one wants to get into oolongs. And third, High Mountain Tea, everyone likes high mountain tea right? I am thinking that the price is the determining factor that makes High Mountain Oolong Tea the number three seller.
This is the tasting table at Floating Leaves, after spending an afternoon with Shiuwen and tea friends. After hearing the Floating Leaves saga, all I could say was, “Wow, you truly are Floating Leaves.” Shiuwen admits that the name is bad fong shui and might have had an influence on the business. She thought about changing the name to Floating Fragrance, but says that too many people know her by the original name.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Quatro de Mayo Tea Tasting
From right to left we will be tasting:1. Competition Winner Wen Shan Bao Zhong (First Tier) - winter harvest 2008
2. Li Shan Da Yu Ling - winter harvest 2007
3. Shan Lin Xi - Spring 2008
4. Mount Ah Li Baked 1000 Mile - Spring 2006
5. Competition Winner Mu Za Iron Goddess (Honorable Mention) - Winter 2007
The book shown in the picture is Wine Lover's Companion - Comprehensive Definitions for More Than 3500 Wine-Related Terms by Herbst & Herbst. In the lower right-hand corner is a list of wine terms shown below. The list and the book were loaned to me by a local wine expert / tea enthusiast.
Parameters: we will use 5 g of each tea, three minute infusions. We are using charcoal filtered water 210 to 212°F.
A note on the tasters: I am Taster 1. Taster 2 is a chef trained in Aryuvedic food pairing and Gong fu tea service.
The teas will be tasted in the order listed above. I arranged the teas in this order, not as an arrangement from least desirable to most desirable, rather so that the previous tea would not interfere with the following tea. As we can see in the photo below, this arrangement is consistent with the color progression as the teas change from greener the darker.
The results are in.
1. Competition Winner Wen Shan Bao Zhong (First Tier) - winter harvest 2008
Taster 1
Honey syrup hummingbird nectar followed by aftertaste of Hummingbird sage. Salvia. Green floral honeysuckle lingering sweet, sunflower in the sun, peanut. Mist covered sloping hillsides. Rolling green contrast stone that the steps are carved out of climbing higher eventually disappearing into the mist. A slight astringency gives it a weight and substance. Rocks and soil aftertaste, a sweet mouth feel that is long lasting.
Taster 2
Fresh, citrus, melon, honey. Invokes images of sitting on a beach at sunrise. Scent: baby breath.
2. Li Shan Da Yu Ling - winter harvest 2007
Taster 1
Brilliant fruit composition like a virtual fruit platter mango pineapple soft pillow clouds of fruit sugars. Pure sweetness the whole way through. I'm getting one of those, I can't believe tea moments. The sugars are so intense, almost as if sugar was extracted from fruit and in the process of attaining a bit of fruit scent. This is one of the teas my teacher said could be stored, meaning that the quality is high enough that it will change, as all teas do, the only change for the good. This is because it has enough sweetness along with of the soil and the earth. The oceanic crust that was pushed from the ocean floor to become one of Taiwan's highest mountains towering at 11,000 feet. This tea has staying power.
Taster 2
Scent: So sweet! Baklava.
A little leathery, some musk and sawdust. And almond without skin.
3. Shan Lin Xi - Spring 2008
Taster 1
Tannins are almost too bright initial aroma, this tea does not hide. It is the blackberry pie on the window still cooling for all to see, followed by a sweetness that carries an umph. Brings a lot with the change of sweet on the end there is almost too much going on to wrap one's mind around. The flavor continues to change and ends up as a under ripe watermelon.
Taster 2
Bohemian; sweet, bitter, soul, dry on the tongue, warm on the throat. Interacts with the stomach well. Almost unripe.
4. Mount Ah Li Baked 1000 Mile - Spring 2006
Taster 1
Walk up mist covered mountains steps in the fog enveloped you beckoning you for calling your direct line and letting you know it will nurture and envelop your soul. Creamy smooth amaretto, crushed hemp seed texture, swirling flavor complexity, cocoa.
Slightly citric bright finish. And applesauce presence and some doughyness.
Food complement: lamb chops. This tea would go amazing with barbecued lamb chops.
Taster 2
Comforting, ginger bread/cinnamon. Stir fry, amaranth, rich.
5. Competition Winner Mu Za Iron Goddess (Honorable Mention) - Winter 2007
Taster 1
Kimchi! Inhaling the aroma in one long breath, the scent slowly builds. It seems to start from the earth, travel into the roots heading up into the wood transitioning into almond creamy textures. Continuing the nose seems to travel up and out the branches of the plant out to the tips for the brilliant fruit bouquet. Eventually reaching a high pitched citric crescendo that pours over and over asking the question, will this scent ever stop peeking? A little bit of leather some tobacco and sweet floral to fruit how very so many flavors could come to mind his point to describe this teas taste. Because on and on it just keeps changing, almost intense hummingbird sage. Caramelized fruit bread crusts, just the caramelized part. The rest of this teas flavor is almost as broad as your imagination, there are a lot of flavors present and all of them are good.
Taster 2
Caramelized pecan and onion. Not so much water, yet cooling in the stomach, stew, bread, carrots, SMORES, sauna, mineral very mild clove or nutmeg. Raisin.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Tai He Oolong Packaging
Here are some shots of the competition winning Tai He oolong packaging. Tai he is located on Plum Mountain in the Mt. Ah Li tea growing region. It is known as Tai He Yi Zhan or 太和驛站 or Tai He Courier Station (where couriers changed horses or rested). I have bought Tai He Competition winning tea in the past and was very pleased with the quality. It was the kind of tea that I would pull out when business is not so good. After making the tea for myself, I would always remember why I am in the tea business. Having tea like this to drink makes it all worth it. 梅山鄉公所 "Mei Shan Xiang Gong Suo" and 梅山鄉農會 "Mei Shan Xiang Nong Hui" oversee the competition.
Recently one of my customers brought to my attention the wonderfull juxtaposition of "this mortal world of chaos" with "simply having a good cup of tea". The great part of the text reads, "When one comes in need of getting away from this mortal world of chaos, seeking calmness in onesself, or simply having a good cup of tea, Taihe Mind-Soothing Vintage Tea
Recently one of my customers brought to my attention the wonderfull juxtaposition of "this mortal world of chaos" with "simply having a good cup of tea". The great part of the text reads, "When one comes in need of getting away from this mortal world of chaos, seeking calmness in onesself, or simply having a good cup of tea, Taihe Mind-Soothing Vintage Tea
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Winter Baking
Winter is the time for baking tea. As the temperature drops, there is nothing nicer than roasting oolong. The entire teahouse is filled with a spectacularly sweet aroma. One thing I learned about on this most recent trip to Taiwan is how to create a space for baking oolong tea. I've done my best to create the ideal space here in the teahouse. The size of the room that the tea will be baked is important and is related to the size of the tea roaster. The most preferable ratio for the baking room to the tea roaster is 10 to 1 meaning that one could fit 10 tea bakers on the floor of the tea baking room. In preparing the space, it was thoroughly cleaned, taking special care to remove any substances that might contaminate the tea. Because tea is very sensitive, the area of tea baking should be enclosed. Though the enclosed space is necessary, air circulation is also important, so at both ends of the teahouse the windows are open just a crack to allow a slight stream of air to pass through the baking room. After all conditions are met in the house, it is important to wait for the right weather. Tea cannot be baked if it is raining because of the overall increased humidity. Baking tea is the process of removing moisture from the leaves and therefore dry weather is ideal for baking tea.
Last week, I baked a batch of Gui Fei Mei Ren here in the teahouse. Gui Fei Mei Ren is a tightly rolled summer harvest aphid bitten oolong from Dong Ding Mountain in Taiwan. Baking the tea accentuated its honey flavor as well as added a nice toasted aroma. Yummy!
This week, I am baking a batch of Li Shan high mountain oolong. The aroma is sweet and rich while the flavor is deep and full bodied. Winter time is the best time to drink baked oolong tea. With such a rich flavor is not necessary to drink a lot of tea. The rich roasted flavor brings about a warm toasty feeling.
Last week, I baked a batch of Gui Fei Mei Ren here in the teahouse. Gui Fei Mei Ren is a tightly rolled summer harvest aphid bitten oolong from Dong Ding Mountain in Taiwan. Baking the tea accentuated its honey flavor as well as added a nice toasted aroma. Yummy!
This week, I am baking a batch of Li Shan high mountain oolong. The aroma is sweet and rich while the flavor is deep and full bodied. Winter time is the best time to drink baked oolong tea. With such a rich flavor is not necessary to drink a lot of tea. The rich roasted flavor brings about a warm toasty feeling.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
All the Tea in China
– a non credit class offered through Lane Community College
J-TEA is starting a new class this spring term through the continuing education department at Lane Community College.
Class title: All the Tea in China
Class number: 42487
Cost: $49
Dates: Wed April 1st, Wed April 8th, Wed April 15th
Duration: 2 hours each (total of 6 hours)
Here is the write up as it appears in the LCC catalogue:
The tea leaf has influenced history, cultures and the world. Learn about the exciting journey of the tea leaf. This course of study will expose you to how tea is appreciated all over the world and how it has influenced and been used by different cultures. The course will offer insight into “The Art of Tea” and “The Way of Tea” as well as tea’s health benefits and medicinal properties. Experience methods for making and taking tea. Cost includes a tea pot, 2 cups, and samples of tea to take home.
To sign up, call 541-463-5252. If you have previously attended Lane, you may use ExpressLane at lanecc.edu to register and pay for classes. Space is limited and the class is filling up fast, so be sure and sign up soon if you are interested.
This class is very hands-on. Each person in the class will get to experience brewing tea. We will also drink a lot of tea in the class. I hope to see you there.
J-TEA is starting a new class this spring term through the continuing education department at Lane Community College.
Class title: All the Tea in China
Class number: 42487
Cost: $49
Dates: Wed April 1st, Wed April 8th, Wed April 15th
Duration: 2 hours each (total of 6 hours)
Here is the write up as it appears in the LCC catalogue:
The tea leaf has influenced history, cultures and the world. Learn about the exciting journey of the tea leaf. This course of study will expose you to how tea is appreciated all over the world and how it has influenced and been used by different cultures. The course will offer insight into “The Art of Tea” and “The Way of Tea” as well as tea’s health benefits and medicinal properties. Experience methods for making and taking tea. Cost includes a tea pot, 2 cups, and samples of tea to take home.
To sign up, call 541-463-5252. If you have previously attended Lane, you may use ExpressLane at lanecc.edu to register and pay for classes. Space is limited and the class is filling up fast, so be sure and sign up soon if you are interested.
This class is very hands-on. Each person in the class will get to experience brewing tea. We will also drink a lot of tea in the class. I hope to see you there.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
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