Tea adventures

[bloodsong1]

So I was perusing Enjoying Tea's website, they were the ones I bought my clay tree trunk teapot from, and I discovered they sell something called Puerh.

Cue ear prick

Puerh, it turns out, is a tea from a specific part of China that is fermented instead of oxidized, like black. Fermentation can take anywhere from a few weeks (artificial process) to a few years (original process). I did more research and discovered puerh has mice-tested health benefits, like lowering cholesterol and cleaning the blood. There is a lot of "This is a Weight Loss Tea!", but no studies, human or analog, to back that up. All the testing was done in China, so take that for what it's worth. Still! A new type of tea!

I ordered 4 oz. of the chrysanthemum pressed blend. It arrived today and I promptly fixed myself a pot. The tea comes in indented half-spheres, about the size of a marble shooter. Does anyone remember marble shooters? Does anyone even remember marbles? I broke one half-sphere in my mortar-n-pestle and used roughly half.

The tea is a lovely clear brown color and full bodied. It's like lapsang souchong, without the heavy wood smoke flavor. SNB tried it and said he'd drink it again.

I also went to Harney & Sons and ordered about $50 of various black teas.

I love tea. I just need to keep reminding myself I don't need a cast iron tea pot.

Comments

[sheherazahde.livejournal.com]

Is this the kind of Japanese Cast Iron Tea Pot you don't need for your birthday?

[sheherazahde.livejournal.com]

Or is this Shogun Cast Iron Tea Set more what you are thinking of not getting?

[bloodsong1.livejournal.com]

Sort of to both. There was one on the Enjoying Tea website that was mushroom shaped, and another that was blue and I think had a bamboo pattern. I was only interested in the pots, not the sets.

Either way, I do NOT need one! (^_^)

[chezelliott.livejournal.com]

The next time you are in this neck of the woods, we should go to Harney & Sons' Tea Room.

[sammisnake.livejournal.com]

What in the world does NEED have to do with tea pots? Silly thing, every one after the first is pure WANT......

[bloodsong1.livejournal.com]

On the contrary! I NEED 3-4. My tree trunk pot is only for green tea because of the nature of the clay. I need a big one for visitors, another small one for single servings of black and one that will serve two people comfortably.

Right now I have two big ones that serve 3-4 people and one fat brown English pot for single servings of black tea. Oh yes, and my French press for coffee, which serves 3-4.