Archive for the ‘Assam’ Category

3 comments

greetings to a new Tea Buddy


2012
04.23

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Posted in Assam, India, teablogs | 3 Comments »

While going through my Spam folder, I found a recent comment about a post I wrote last autumn (you pay more for appearance) about golden-tipped leaves and their curious pricing. Which tells me two things: check my spam folder carefully and secondly don’t forget that there are still so many interesting tea people out there that I haven’t met yet.

I’m going to introduce you to one right now. Here was the comment I found that almost got lost in the rubbish bin of history:

I am enjoying your blog! Came across this post on Assam Teas. My father was a tea planter and I grew up in a remote tea plantation in Assam. The gold tips in good quality Assam are the buds which turn golden after oxidation. Tippy teas are expensive teas. TGFOP “Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe” is the highest grade of Assam and fetches top prices in Arab countries where it is drunk pure (without milk). TGFOP contains roughly one fourth tips. Tea afficianados joke TGFOP stands for “Too Good For Ordinary People”!! Tippy teas are also more flavorful and have higher caffeine content. Very fine tippy teas are entirely hand processed and blankets are used to trap the tips. I have lots about Assam tea on my blog.

Isn’t that a great comment? I really enjoy meeting new tea people, and want you to know about her too, so here’s:

Tea Buddy: Shona Patel’s blog about Tea, Writing and Life

My kind of people. Without a doubt.

I particularly liked her Photo Gallery of Tea Garden Bungalows.

isn’t that a great smile?

So, greetings Shona. I’m sure we’ll be talking about Assam and other tea in the future.

6 comments

you pay more for appearance


2011
09.10

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Posted in Assam, Geoff Norman, golden-tipped leaves, Lazy Literatus, Michael J Coffey, tea seller | 6 Comments »


I’m imagining someone shopping for tea in an excellent tea shop.  The customer is relatively new to tea, and has only recently gotten up the nerve to actually ask to smell the tea leaves before he decides which tea he’ll take home.


Although he has a selection of quite a few different sorts of tea, he’s been on a bit of an Assam kick lately.  He even forces himself to drink the other tea in his tea cabinet, but he’s a bit concerned that he’d actually reach for the Assam every single time (day and night) if he thought it would be ok.  He’s not at all sure it’s ok.  


This customer’s still quite uncertain when it comes to all of this tea and its paraphernalia.  He loves so much about what he’s learned about loose-leaf tea, but he has to force himself not to bolt out of the tea shop when there are too many other customers present or even worse when the tea seller asks him even the simplest questions.  


So he goes into the shop at times when he hopes no-one else is there.  Today’s just such a day, and the nice thing is that the tea seller is the only other person in the shop.  He asks for 100g of his latest favourite Assam, and asks about several others.  The guy behind the counter happily opens each canister for the tea to be smelled.  And then the question.  This question comes eventually.  Every tea seller knows it’ll appear sooner or later.


‘Why’s this tea more expensive than the others?’


Well, the easiest answer is that this tea demanded more at the tea auction.


Really?  Is that it?  That’s the only reason?

Actually, no.  There’re so many things that go into the pricing of tea, and it’s quite byzantine all the rules and machinations that are involved.  When it comes to this Assam, people seem willing to pay more if there are little golden tips on the leaves.


Don’t the little golden tips on the leaves make the tea taste better?


Not necessarily.  Interestingly, how they process the tea to create the golden colour might not even be the best way to process tea for the best taste.


Hm, that’s a bit odd.  This tea that’s entirely black might actually taste better than the more expensive one that’s black with little golden-tipped leaves.  Is that right?


It might.  It’s not as if all golden tea tastes bad.  And some tea with golden-tipped leaves can be really quite exquisite.


Well for the time being, I intend to buy my tea based upon how it smells and tastes not how it looks.


sidenote


This blogpost began when I considered a conversation I overheard on twitter between Geoff Norman (@lazy_literatus) & Michael J Coffey (@michaeljcoffey) about this very topic of whether the golden colour in the leaves actually made the tea taste better.  Here’s exactly what Michael said over on twitter:


‘Short answer: “best” flavor may require wide range of processing req’s, gold color req very specific processes.…Therefore, if you process for gold color, you limit what you can do with flavor…BUT people pay $$$ for color.’


Wanted to bring up the topic partially because I’m fascinated with the way tea is priced and also because I like explanations that are quirky and counter intuitive.  This one has plenty of both of these things.

18 comments

my shingle’s been hung


2011
09.05

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Posted in Assam, Oolong | 18 Comments »

Read an article in a spa magazine recently that went through the different types of tea and explained the differences between them.  For the 4 types of tea mentioned (I know there are more…talk to the spa magazine people, will you?), there’s a column in which is answered:
Good for you because

Reach for it

It tastes

I could easily go through and talk about the very practical information that was imparted by the article, but  I’ve decided not to do that.  There are plenty of places you could go for exactly this sort of thing.  Most days I’d be more than eager to delve deep into it.  But not today.

Today, I’ve resolved to do two different things.  One is to hang out my shingle and offer a therapeutic service regarding tea.  What tea fits your particular situation/emergency?  This is a shameless attempt to deal with the second thing.

In the past, I’ve had tons of discussion over on the original blog.  I continue to get more here on my mirrored blog at Tea Trade (you know their main site), but I really like a bit of lively back and forth at both places.  So here’s my shameless attempt to get some of you who like to come here and gawk to actually speak up.

Everyone loves an advice column.  Ok, not everyone.  Most people like advice columns.  As a result, I’m offering to answer non tea-related catastrophe with very tea-related solutions. Either in the comments themselves or in an additional blogpost, I’ll hopelessly and even recklessly make your problems a thing of the distant past.

And to kick it all off I’ve decided to answer a question I’ve received from Larry in Dayton, Ohio.  Let’s hear it Larry.

Larry in Dayton:

Yeah, uh…ok.  See, I really hate my brother-in-law.  I hate him so much I want to kill him. So my question is What sort of tea is best for me to deal with that?


My answer:


Oh gosh.  Ok Larry in Dayton.  Not a very light-hearted question to kick this off, is it? But I promised I’d do my best.

I’m going to assume you don’t want a tea to help you get up the nerve to actually off the guy, right?  I can’t do that.  That’d be unconscionable.  (*whispers* Assam by the way…a dark, strong, malty Assam)

No, I’ll just take it for granted you want a tea that’ll help you calm down and not go through with these murderous thoughts.  So my gut feeling is that you need a good strong Oolong. And not one of those lightly-oxidised sorts of Oolong.  I’d go with a nice flavourful Choice Formosa Oolong.  This tea won’t let you down.

It’s Good for you because…you won’t be committing murder.  You can enjoy your freedom and actually choose when and where you go and what you can do.

Reach for it…Brew some up any time of the day, but especially right before you’re forced to have any contact with this brother-in-law of yours.  I’m sure it’ll do the trick.

It tastes…nothing like a black tea, but packs a strong full punch.  It’s got something nutty and earthy about it.  There’s even a hint of caramel.

You’re probably feeling an undeniable sense of peace now that you’ve followed my simple instructions Larry in Dayton.  Enjoy this photo from a balcony looking out over the Mediterranean.


After that expert advice above, I’m sure the questions will now come flooding in.  My proverbial shingle has been hung and I’m awaiting your queries.

3 comments

what tea do I start with?


2011
08.20

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Posted in Assam, Ceylon, Earl Grey, tea obsessive, tea seller | 3 Comments »

(photo: a new morning-a new tea drinker)

Someone’s been interacting with me on twitter or even in the real world. They’ve politely tolerated my blathering on about tea. How no matter what the topic of conversation is that it somehow veers back to tea drinking.

Finally, the question comes up, ‘Ok, enough already. Go ahead and tell me. What tea should I start with?”

What an exciting prospect, but then I freeze up. Hm? What next?

Well, the first thing I ask is, ‘How do you take your coffee?’ Cream or milk? Sugar or not? What on earth does that tell me? Well, if you drink black coffee, then a delicate subtle tea just won’t do. Not at all.

The next question, ‘Do you like spicy foods?’ does the same thing.

I used to think that a decent Earl Grey was a nice gateway tea. That one might like the Bergamot oil early on and over time want to taste more of the tea and less of the flavouring. I’m not sure if I’d always go that direction anymore. If someone’s already enjoying Earl Grey then I won’t discourage it, but I’m not so thrilled about pushing someone in that direction. Not when there’s so much delicious tea out there.

If someone tends to eat spicier food, I think I’d recommend a malty Assam. If not, a subtle Ceylon. Yes, ok. But which one?

Go to your local tea seller and ask what sorts of Assam they have. Or what about their selection of Ceylon?

Ask to smell the tea leaves. Any decent tea seller will be thrilled that you’re interested. Don’t be shy asking how much a te costs and definitely don’t assume that a higher price means better tea. It simply doesn’t.

I know this answer is very simple. Maybe too simple. But if you’re new to tea (or good tea), you’ll likely appreciate the simplest of answers. Please let me know how it goes.

What about you other tea obsessives? How do you answer the question posed above? Someone shows even a hint of curiosity about trying decent tea. Which direction do you send them?

1 Comment

tea choices for marauding teenagers or Zombie Apocalypse


2011
07.30

Posted in Assam, Blow-Up, Everyday Kenya, Keemun, Kenya, Le Palais des Thés, leaf, London, Nilgiri, Nilgiri Thiashola 'Carrington', Swinging Sixties, Uncategorized, Zombie Apocalypse | 1 Comment »

So I was watching the opening scene of the 1966 British film Blow-Up this evening, and there were packs of wild (even insane) teenagers romping through the streets of London. I think it was supposed to signify the Swinging Sixties, but it served a different purpose for me.

It got me thinking.

About the Zombie Apocalypse, of course.

Whether it’s marauding British teenagers in clothing styles that really can’t be described as flattering or zombies in full-scale apocalypse mode, there’s an obvious question that I haven’t seen discussed by the more reputable teablogs. Well not yet at least.

What tea might you serve to these eerily similar groups of people? The object of serving them tea wouldn’t be in any way to dissuade them from their brain eating goals. Simply put, a nice tea would at least slow them down. And potentially make the whole experience just a bit more civilised. If only a bit.

But which tea for this most delicate of situations? Be honest. It’s a more difficult question than you first thought, isn’t it?

My first choice was a decent first grade Keemun. Seems like this is the sort of tea many blends include to temper the boldness of a strong Assam. If it’s good in that capacity, then why not here? But something about that choice just seems too easy. The zombies may or may not go for the Keemun, but I have serious doubts that the teenagers would have anything to do with such a tea. It’s just a hunch.
What about a tea from Kenya? My friend Neil introduced me to Everyday Kenya from leaf tea. I wrote about it in I’ll show you mine if you show me yours. That’s interesting enough to please the teenagers and strong enough that the zombies might even be able to taste it. But still…I don’t know. It’s simply not the perfect choice.
Oh wait. I have it. Why’d it take me so long to come up with this one?
Another tea sometimes used in blends to tame an errant Assam is a good Nilgiri. The one I’m thinking of has all the attributes of the above-mentioned teas, but it’s got an extra dose of zombie-halting flavour. It’s one I found at Le Palais des Thés and, as you can see, I can recommend it for the most unlikely of occasions.
The name of this delicious Nilgiri is Thiashola ‘Carrington’, which really cannot be recommended more highly. As much as the teenagers will enjoy the actual taste of the tea, they’ll get as much fun out of the name ‘Thiashola‘ as I did when I first read it. My thoughts ran wild at the thought of a girl named Thia and her anatomy.
If nothing else, this tea’s name can be employed in their sophomoric poems to rhyme with Pensacola or Indianola.
Only the most crucial of questions are answered on this teablog. I feel as if I’m providing an important service.
5 comments

the ‘best tea’?


2011
07.19

Posted in Assam, best tea, Darjeeling, Keemun, loose-leaf tea, Nilgiri, Oolong, Ostfriesen Blend, Taylors of Harrogate, Uncategorized, Yorkshire Gold | 5 Comments »


Was asked by a friend today what the ‘best tea’ was. What a question, eh? But I love a good debate. And blog comments. In case I’ve been unclear in the past, I really really like blog comments. So here’s my not-so-humble answer. I wonder how the rest of you might respond.

Many teabloggers focus on green and/or Oolong tea, but as much as I like them, I’ve focused more on black tea. Most tea sellers in Germany make their own unique Ostfriesen Blend that is often a mix of strong, malty Assam and a Chinese Keemun (and maybe an Indian Nilgiri). If I had to choose my favourite non-single estate tea, it’d be one of those specialty blends.

But if it’s brands we’re talking about, the tastiest and most consistent tea I’ve found is ‘Yorkshire Gold‘ made by Taylors of Harrogate. But that’s only if we’re talking about black tea blends.

I’d say the best non-green/Oolong tea, in my opinion, is still a single estate Darjeeling (to be truly accurate, most ‘black’ Darjeeling is really only 90% oxidised, so it’s actually Oolong). I like stronger tea, so I enjoy second as well as first flush Darjeeling.

But the best brand? If you’re buying from a seller that can tell you on which estate a Darjeeling was grown, then the likelihood is that it’ll be better than something labeled simply as ‘Darjeeling‘. The estimation is that 40,000 tonnes of Darjeeling are sold worldwide, while only 10,000 tonnes are grown. Logically, one isn’t always entirely sure that purchased Darjeeling was actually grown there.

Again, I’m very grateful for the question. Clearly the answer you’ll get is entirely objective. I like thinking about how to make loose-leaf tea drinking more attractive. If I were a tea snob, it’d be the worst way of going about the whole thing.

What about you other tea obsessives? When someone asks you what the ‘best tea’ is, what might you say? I know on the face of it, it’s an impossible question. But please jump in and claim your stake on this issue.

Did I mention that blog comments are encouraged?

3 comments

tea in the shadow of Enchanted Rock


2011
04.26

Posted in Assam, tea travel | 3 Comments »

Another example of tea making an already fantastic experience fantasticker. Went to Enchanted Rock early this morning, and a day trip just wouldn’t be the same without my flask of tea.

I’ve gone into excruciating detail about preparing my tea for a trip, so I won’t bore you with that again. It should be mentioned that although I rose before the sun came up to avoid the hottest part of the day, I made sure there was enough time to preheat my thermos. It made all the difference.


An hour or so later, noticed this German flag while careening through Fredrickburg, Texas. The shops have German names, and there’s plenty of indications that people here actually speak German.

 


Back to Enchanted Rock. While trudging up the face of the rock, all I could think about was that steaming tea waiting for me at the end of all this. Beautiful flowers…um, can we go drink that tea soon?

 


Nice view from up above everything. Great day for a hike. Thought when I left Germany that I’d be foregoing hiking until my return. Not a chance. Does this mean I’ve earned my tea? Yes, I have.

 

 

A whole pot of still hot Assam Khongea packed in the early morning for a perfect day.

4 comments

Waking up in Mangalam


2011
03.24

Posted in Assam, Ceylon | 4 Comments »

Ordered a selection of Ceylon and Assam tea that I started my blog with last year. I want to see how my tastes have changed, and find out specifically what I still like about these very traditional black teas. Am also excited to exhibit some of the research skills that I’ve honed in the last year.

The first tea I’d like to reintroduce is Assam Mangalam. This is an excellent Assam with plenty of golden tips. Although it has a typical malty taste, this tea is absolutely not bitter.

Everything I read about the estate is incredibly laudatory. I plan to dig deeper and find out more about its history. No matter how much I enjoy learning about green and Oolong, there’s nothing better to start my day than a strong cup of Assam.

So I’m imagining where these tea leaves were grown. The care that was put into growing and processing them. A part of me is falling asleep tonight wondering what it’d be like to wake up on the tea estate. I’m already there in my dreams. Put on your seat belts…this is going to be an eventful ride.