What is in your cup?

[Stitchawl]

Love is but the song we sing,
And fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Know the dove is on the wing
And you need not know why
C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now

Good morning all, and Happy Valentine's Day! My Valentine brought me chocolate croissants for my breakfast today, which seem to go well with Keemun tea! I'll have to pick up a bouquet of flowers for her, as today is also our wedding anniversary!

Originally Posted by beppe

The tabasco is there just to give a reference to size. The little egg is something that already my grandmothers used ... (Note the plural). The net thing is rather large, but Prof considers those sinful -worst, evil- so I do not use them anymore ...

I think that really depends upon the size of the tea leaves... Some teas are really quite powdery and don't expand very much when steeping. Using a large egg infuser works well for those. That larger basket seems to be perfect for larger leaves too. I don't see what the problem is. Water does have the ability to get into the tiniest places...

If one asks for the opinions of someone that is more knowledgeable than one does not have other choices than to follow the advice. Or not?

I was always of the belief that one should trust... but verify. Try it for yourself and see how it works for you.

Originally Posted by astra

Sorry about it
We are all different, some people buy an enjoy it, so you might like Ahmad's English Breakfast. Who knows?
When you try it, please let us know what you think.

I like the Ahmad English Breakfast tea as a 'loose leaf' tea. It may be VERY different when made with commercial tea bags.

I was tea bag person 95% up till October 2010. So, I am relatively a newbie in a loose tea drinking Moreover, I understand the convenience of tea bags.

I'm a firm believer in using tea bags! Much more convenient than any other method.... but....
NOT COMMERCIALY PACKED TEA BAGS!!! The tea that is used for them is usually not as good as the tea found in loose leaf packs. So... because I like the convenience, I pack them myself in good quality bags, store the bags in the tins, and have the best of both worlds. It only takes me about 30 minutes every few weeks to refill all my tea tins, and I have the convenience of using tea bags with the taste advantage of loose leaf tea!
I usually use the larger sized empty bags... Easier to fill.

I have chosen another path (an easier one, a path of least resistance). No tea pots for me. No truly traditional tea drinking. Convenience and enjoyment are the foremost things for me.

Author!! Author!! Convenience and enjoyment = Good!

Back in xUSSR, we used to put a few tea spoons of Georgian black tea into a small tea pot, fill it with boiling water, then pour a little bit of the content into a cup, like 1/8 - 1/6 of the cup, fill the rest with hot water and add sugar.

This is a rather common method in many parts of the world. In fact, I've seen bottles of concentrated tea to be used just with this method!

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Becoming a tea drinker nearly crippled me for life!

Glad to know that you survived!
Every hobby has its dangers. Tea drinking is no exception. Be strong.

I use almond (quiet down in the peanut gallery!) whenever vanilla is called for

My second wife was actually IN the Peanut Gallery! It was her claim to fame!

... and I think I can just squeeze in one more croissant and of course, one more cup of tea. This keemun tastes really good, so I'll refill it!

Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by astra

Dear Stitchawl,
A personal request for information!

(I know it is all personal, but you are my best reference point)

When I am in London, I am going to visit two shops (4 but the other 2 are different).
The East India Company
Fortnum & Mason

I remember you said:
Fortnum & Mason' for their 'Royal Blend' and their English Breakfast Tea.'
Are these two the same or different?

They are different blends. Very different tastes.

[quote] Anything else? Ceylon, but you said that Taylors of Harrogate's Ceylon is deeper

While the Fortnum & Mason Ceylon is very good (and was a favorite of mine for a long time,) I think the Taylors of Harrogate's Ceylon has a deeper, more intense flavor. But these would be 9-10 in a row, rather than 2-10, if that makes sense.

What about The East India Company? Which ones particularly do you like?

For East India Company teas, I regularly drink their "Royal Breakfast" and "Assam." I have a feeling that I would drink more of their line if it were available locally. The East India Company is really one of the oldest of the tea merchants, (in the tea business for more than 300 years!) and have quite an extensive line of teas. This is just their Black Tea list, but it's quite complete!

In some ways I'm lucky that I only buy mostly black teas. I think I'd go broke if I wanted the greens and whites too!

Stitchawl

[ProfCrash]

OK so I am trying the Bai Beeng Moonlight White 125 gram Tea Cake, Vintage 2009, Organic Fair Trade Pu-erh Tea. I like it better then the mushroom although it is still not as strong as the Tuos that I loved from Tea Gschwendner. It has a nice smooth flavor, a bit stronger then the mushroom. Nice but I am not sure if it is something I would order again.

I think I need to play around with the two of them a bit to get a better feel for them.

[willijt]

I have been thinking about experimenting a bit - that is to say, using a gaiwan instead of my 4 oz. yixing tea pots to brew my oolongs. I have by accident discovered that they seem to be more flavourful if they have more room to open during the brewing process.

In the mid-80s I was visiting Japan and my host gave me this delightful little tea pot. Only recently have I begun to put it to use. It kind of looks like a gaiwan - but with a handle and a spout. I think it might be called a tokoname (that guess is based on some happenstance Googling). I started using it to brew my green teas and I found the results amazing. So now, I am thinking about moving to a real gaiwan. I am undecided though as to whether I should go with an yixing gaiwan or a porcelain one.

I am leaning towards yixing, but when I think about the extensive use made of the lid of the gaiwan in the brewing process, I think the yixing might be more susceptible to chipping than a porcelain on.

Please be invited to offer whatever advice you wish that may or may not be even faintly related to the topic. And in the meanwhile, Happy Valentine's Day to those for whom this event is smile-causing.

[Williamlk]

Hot Chocolate!!! YUM!

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by willijt

In the mid-80s I was visiting Japan and my host gave me this delightful little tea pot. Only recently have I begun to put it to use. It kind of looks like a gaiwan - but with a handle and a spout. I think it might be called a tokoname

Tokoname is the name of a pottery town in Aichi prefecture that is famous for brown clayware, especially bonsai pots and small teapots. Perhaps the name for your teapot would be 'kyosoo,' or perhaps 'dohbeen.' Put together it might be 'tokoname kyosoo.'

It's a really neat little village/town to wander around in. There are kilns everywhere, with retail shops in front.


Stitchawl

[kindlekitten]

sparkling mineral water

[Stitchawl]

It's snowing hard outside. Can't even think of riding... So instead I'll sit by the fire (read: radiant heater) and drink Lapsang Souchong tea in large quantities.


Stitchawl

[Latinandgreek]

Milk in my cup.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I'll have to pick up a bouquet of flowers for her, as today is also our wedding anniversary!

Awwww
Best wishes and healthy life, till 120

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I was always of the belief that one should trust... but verify. Try it for yourself and see how it works for you.

My day-to-day approach with a few exceptions where I am clueless, then I tend to trust the professionals...(like those who say headache will be gone within 24 hours top )

Originally Posted by willijt

I am undecided though as to whether I should go with an yixing gaiwan or a porcelain one.

I didn't know what it is, so I googled a bit.
Do you drink from it or do you pour a tea to a cup? If you pour the tea, is it convenient? I mean, there is no tea nose?

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

It's snowing hard outside. Can't even think of riding... So instead I'll sit by the fire (read: radiant heater) and drink Lapsang Souchong tea in large quantities.

The moment I saw It's snowing hard outside. I knew what will follow


A cup of Ahmad's Hampton Breakfast.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

For East India Company teas, I regularly drink their "Royal Breakfast" and "Assam." I have a feeling that I would drink more of their line if it were available locally. The East India Company is really one of the oldest of the tea merchants, (in the tea business for more than 300 years!) and have quite an extensive line of teas. This is just their Black Tea list, but it's quite complete!

This is the website where I found the address of the new shop in London.

Do you know any of these:

Chinese Black Tea:
The Dragon's Eye Oolong tea (confusing: oolong and black at the same time, could not they make up their mind before posting it? )
Keemun Downy Bud Tea Loose Leaf
Emperors Yunnan Tea
Tong Mu Bohea

House Blends:
Royal Breakfast Loose Leaf
The East India House Directors Blend Loose Leaf

Assam:
The First Estate Assam Loose Leaf
?

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

In some ways I'm lucky that I only buy mostly black teas. I think I'd go broke if I wanted the greens and whites too!

That is what I thought, when I saw their prices....especially white teas.
£100 for 100g? Drinking golden dust, this time literally?

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by astra

Awwww
Best wishes and healthy life, till 120

Thanks! I'll be happy if I make it to the weekend.

My day-to-day approach with a few exceptions where I am clueless, then I tend to trust the professionals...(like those who say headache will be gone within 24 hours top )

The last people I trust are the 'professionals!' They are too set in their own beliefs! I want the folks who say 'I don't know, but I'll find out!'

The moment I saw It's snowing hard outside. I knew what will follow

I'm too predictable! But my damn fool wife rode HER motorbike home from work! I think she's crazier than I am!

Stitchawl

[astra]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

wife rode HER motorbike home from work! I think she's crazier than I am!

I dare guess that is why you love her

[Latinandgreek]

Stitchawl, happy anniversary!

In my cup: Ahmad Earl Grey tea.

[maianhvk]

I'm just back home from the 1st day at school, 6:02 pm now. it's a bit late to try English breakfast tea, isn't it?

@ latinandgreek: did you try it?

or am I hesitating? avoiding the tea that astra said he didn't like?