London is overcrowded.
Difficult to walk. So many people! I guess many parents take kids to London during half term.
On the other hand, I have experienced
what a small world.
I have met a lecturer from my college, my former boss (I still work with him but he is not my direct boss anymore) and his family, in Covent Garden. What was a chance?!? Before we went to Covent Garden from Piccadilly Circus underground, we spent 5 minutes debating, where to go. Covent Garden or directly to Tea Smith area. 30 seconds more or less of deliberation on our part, one more pro for Tea Smith and we would miss each other. It is London! Such a double plus big city! Coincidence? Fate? Call it whatever suits your imagination
Anyway, the highlight of the trip was Masterclass in Tea Smith.
It is a small pub? cafe? tea shop? They have a big place underground where they host some sort of tea exhibitions from time to time.
We were 5 people and a teacher
She was a lovely Italian lady, so passionate about teas! Because she was not British, she could say everything she thought about British contribution into tea development in India....
When she brewed teas, it was like watching a magician.
For all teas she used something that looked like
yixing teapot and A Gaiwan
We tried all the teas listed in the
menu except Darjeeling, instead we had another oolong. Wuyi? One of the oolongs smelled like a flower. Very pleasant (don’t remember which one though).
If I understood her correctly she is not a fan of black teas. At least not a fan of non-Chinese black teas. As you can see there are no black teas in the menu at all.
I realised that there is no chance I will ever brew a tea like she does. All steeps were no longer than 30 seconds. Often less than that. She said that her way of brewing tea is a big amount of tea leaves vs. long brewing time. The flavours were fantastic! Oolongs were
very interesting.
Although, I don’t think it is possible to achieve the same flavours at home, unless you brew them like she did. They have many different teas in the shop. Unfortunately, they don’t have an online shop. I asked her why, she shrugged helplessly and suggested to ask the owner. Later I read a few online reviews of the place and I got the impression, that the owner lost interest in the shop/café.
She prised a lot white, green and oolong teas. Taught us the basics of how to recognise teas by looking at the tea leaves.
I was a bit disappointed in Pu-Erh. We tried quite good Pu-Erh and I didn’t feel any difference with what I have at home. Moreover, I still prefer very earthly flavour of Pu-Erh from Bath’s Tea House Emporium.
We bought a couple of teas there, although only two Pu-erh. One aged, 1992 from the same cake we had during the masterclass and Golden tip cooked Pu-erh loose leaf. Baozhong oolong, Wuyi Dark Rock – roasted oolong and an odd one. Sobacha. It is a very funny name for Russian, because it means Dog.
Toasted buckwheat. I like to eat it but to
drink? I guess it will be one of the first teas I am going to try from the London batch.
P.S. I have invented a new name for cooked Pu-erh: Fairy for stomach
To be continued….