bloodsong1 | Tea adventures

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.