We had snow! It snowed for about 2 hours, but none of it stuck, as the ground hasn't frozen yet. Quite dutifully, I thought, we had frost last night, the really truly end of summer.
Another Yunnan today. This is from that great culinary haven, Wegmans, their Yunnan English Breakfast Black Tea. I discovered they also have Double Devon Cream and Clotted Cream. As my friend Bev and I had already been pretty bad with cheeses and olives, I passed it up, for now. However....
Back to the main object of the day. The dry tea smells very typically Yunnan, sort of earthy, with a touch of cocoa, maybe a lick of spice. The mostly brown twisted leaves are enlivened by some gold buds. I brewed it for nearly 5 minutes, at a little below boiling. The resulting brew is very dark and smells like the inside of a cobbler's shop - tanned leather, shoe dye, but still with that hint of cocoa. Odd, I know, but it is an aroma I like, so don't be put off by it. Oh yum, this is a nice tea. The chocolate comes out in the liquor, it is the first thing I can taste. Then the spice comes in and some tannic action here as well - the latter probably from brewing it a bit too long and maybe a bit too much extra tea. I added some half and half and was quite pleased. This is sturdy enough for breakfast and while it has some complexities, you could drink it in a somewhat somnolent state and not feel you were doing it a huge injustice.
2 comments:
I recently visited Yunnan in my "I'm so lucky!" tea tour. I drank tons of Pu-Erh. :-) But I also love Yunnan Black teas!
I've read that some of Wegmans' teas are supplied by Rishi, and this one sounds very similar to Rishi's China Breakfast...in fact, reading your description, I am wondering if it's the same tea. I do really like that tea, and feel similarly about it as you wrote about this tea.
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