Wonderful, Wonderful

This is a diptych, meaning two panels, hung over the choir stalls in a church in Germany. I had such a good time in the European churches. They just made me happy and mostly, awe-struck with their beauty.



After having so much real fall weather - cool but often sunny, today is scalding hot - over 90. Not a true Indian Summer because we haven't had frost yet. The sunrise was beautiful this am, turning the trees pink. Moonrise last night was especially lovely as well, as the clouds played hide and seek with the moon. I really appreciate living where I can see these events.

I have new teas, so I just can't wait for it to be cool again.

As I mentioned earlier, one of my favorite tea merchants is Dream About Tea, a wonderful tea shop in Evanston, Illinois, that specializes in Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese teas. I have always gotten top-notch tea from them and this is no exception. Today's selection is Golden Silk, from the Yunnan Province of China. I reviewed last year's in January, but this is the 2010 crop. It is grown in the high mountains, which are ideal for tea cultivation and it is only the fine buds and first leaves from the first Spring plucking. It is an attractive tea, with large, almost black leaves and golden buds. I could not identify the smell of the dry leaves, but let me assure you, it is wonderful, like some exquisite food you can't wait to eat. Maybe a touch of very special well-aged wood.

I brewed it for 3 minutes with boiling water, using about 1.5 teaspoons per cup. I really should have weighed it, but I've gotten pretty good at guessing with big leaves. The scent of the brewing tea was very much Yunnan, but with a very smooooooth edge that carries a touch of floral. The brewed tea was a real shock. Usually you can describe Chinese teas as a "red" tea, as they do, because they are some sort of reddish brown, but this was such a dark brown I would have to call it black. Oh my, what a wonderful taste! Very Yunnan, but not the spicey sort. It is more woodsy with some honey around the edges and then has a touch of astringency to ground it. But it is the smoothest Yunnan I think I've ever had. Wonderful, wonderful. What's even more wonderful is it is only $7.00 for 2 ounces, which is quite inexpensive in this year's tea market.

Drinking the Tea Journey

Gotta Love those church pews!


I am constantly amazed about the tea I drink. It really is a journey of discovery! I used to be a black tea person, with a foray or two into green – just gunpowder please, a few herbals and some flavored blacks – not too many, of course. However, I have really begun to appreciate Oolongs, although I know very little about them and Chinese greens, again, with little knowledge.

I did manage to read a tea book recently, Green Tea by Mary Lou Heiss, who, with her husband, Robert, wrote an excellent book about tea in general. This one states right up front that is filled with recipes – hot and cold drinks, sweets and savoury foods. She does give us a bit of background on green teas and some tips on brewing, but quickly moves to the basics, the recipes. Almost all use fairly readily available items, like lemon juice, strawberries, or pineapple with a few forays into things like chrysanthemum flowers which are a little harder to come by. Many of the recipes will make you say “now why didn't I think of that”. But I hadn't and so I have this book, which I really, really like. At $12.95, it's a bargain


Having said all that,about green teas, I am going to review a black tea. But it still has an element of discovery, as the tea with and without milk are such different experiences. Both of which are excellent. This wonderful tea comes from Dream About Tea and is called Golden Silk Black. It originates in Yunnan, on high mountains and is mostly buds. It's a real smoothy to drink and has that characteristic “Yunnan” smell, but softer and sweeter than usual, with almost no bite. A bit of milk just makes it a whole 'nuther drink. A delicious treat. It is interesting to me that lately I've had a few teas that seem to be one tea plain and something totally different with milk. I'm not just talking about rounder or smoother, but almost as though they were two different teas. Part of the great journey!