Often when talking about oolong tea you sometimes hear that a tea was 25% fermented, or that black tea is fully fermented. Sadly both those things are wrong to say, they are common usage due to a translation error from Chinese into English. But the correct word in both those situations is oxidized. To be …
Author: Adam Yusko
Spent Leaves?
The economy is in bad shape, and everyone is tightening their belt to save every penny. So here are ways you can use tea leaves that would otherwise be thrown out. First you want to make sure you are getting the most out of the leaf, and to do this once you have steeped the …
Tea and Enlightenment
In the East, tea has long been viewed as medium to help achieve enlightenment. Rumor has it that the first tea plants grew from the eyelids of a Buddhist monk who grew sleepy while meditating. The monk was so ashamed that he removed his eye lids and threw them to the ground so it would …
Grow Your Own Tea
Either from the naturalist in me, the idea of wanting to give it my own try, or maybe just the want for the ultimate freshness, I’ve been looking into growing my own tea plant. After many long hows, however, sadly I've realized that making your own tea is much more than growing the leaves and …
Types of Teapots
As you continue to drink tea more often, you likely will eventually have the desire to brew tea in a teapot. But with so many choices of teapots, how do you decide on which one to choose? There are several things to consider-- are you still using teabags, and how many are you serving? If …
Brewing Loose Leaf Tea
The way the tea leaves open up, unfurl, and move with the eddys and currents in your brewing vessel is known as the dance of the leaves. This is something you cannot truly appreciate when brewing with a tea bag, but the next time you are making a nice loose leaf green or white, watch …
Delicious Ti Kuan Yin Recipe
I recently made up a batch of iced Tie Kuan Yin oolong. I chose a greener Tie Kuan Yin, as its lack of roasting has the lighter more delicate flavors often enjoyed during the warmer months of the year. Now the necessary items for this are a kettle and a brewing device. I chose a …
The Aging of Tea
Teas, just like most food products, can go bad. So maybe it is time to ask "how long have my teas been sitting exposed to the air?" Green and white teas are notorious for going bad within 6 months of opening, quicker if exposed to sunlight. Black teas are fairly rugged and can last a …
Oolong, Oh My!
India has its black teas, Japan has its green teas, and China has them all. But China and Taiwan have Oolong teas which are actually some of the most prized, or at least most well respected in China and the rest of the world. Often when you hear of a Chinese tea ceremony, they are …
Treats to Have with Tea
If you've ever had tea on an empty stomach, you know how problematic it can sometimes be. Depending on the strength of the brew, a cup of tea normally has a pH close to 4, which is roughly the same as tomato juice, however any way you brew it it's still likely to come out …
