Tea Service

Raku – Tea Bowl of the Day

Robin — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:42:46 +0000

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Jasmine Downy Pearls in the garden

Robin — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:08:52 +0000

The weather here in the bay area has been truly lovely so far this year. It has given me plenty of time to sit in the garden enjoying a cup of tea while I take photos of flowers. The tea I drank today was one of my ‘regulars’ – Jasmine Downy Pearls from Peets Coffee and Tea.

This is a very smooth flavored green tea scented with Jasmine flowers. The green tea leaves are rolled into tightly wound little balls which swell and unroll when bathed in hot water, which also releases the Jasmine fragrance into the air. The tea is lovely to look at from start to finish. I definately recommend it. My favorite treats to eat while sipping this fine tea: Baklava and Kumquats. (My cats also have a nose for this particular tea. When I am finished with it, I toss the tea leaves into my small compost pile in the flower bed and one of the cats will always roll in the tea leaves.)

What Peets.com says about this tea: “This is a unique and beautiful tea from Fujian province, China. To make this tea, women selectively pluck only the youngest leaves, covered with a fine down. Three leaves are rolled together into a spherical “pearl” and then wrapped in silk mesh and dried by fire to set the form. Each pearl is streaked with the pale white down of the buds. Scenting the pearls twice with fresh jasmine flowers gives the finished tea its final character. ”

Below is a photograph I took in the garden while enjoying my cup of tea, I hope you enjoy it!

Tea Review – Mighty Leaf Mandarin Rose

Robin — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:51:21 +0000

I had tea with a neighbor the other day, and it presented the opportunity to try something new and so the tea I chose was Mighty Leaf’s Mandarin Rose.

Here is how Mighty Leaf describes it:

Mandarin Rose boasts a garden of aromatic, candy-pink petals and rich black China tea leaves that result in a delicate wine essence with hints of chocolate and rose. This exotic Mighty Leaf signature blend offers a fragrant and visually memorable experience.

Ingredients: Black tea, longan fruit, rose petals

Origin: China

My review: This is a very high quality, whole leaf, aromatic, tea with smooth body and a very unique flavor profile. The fragrance is that of honeyed rose, distinct and not perfumey as some rose teas can be. The tea is rich and full on the palate but not does not in any way diminish the subtle rose top note. I will be buying this tea for my next gathering.

L’Amyx – Bay Area Tea Bar

Robin — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:30:07 +0000

L’Amyx is my neighborhood Tea Bar. Located in the Piedmont Avenue Neighborhood of Oakland it provides a real respite for folks in the neighborhood.

The staff is very friendly and courteous, as well as highly knowledgeable about tea. The store features an assortment of seating options, a very wide variety of tea and accessories for enjoying tea at home. The store is open daily from 10:00AM until midnight, one of the few places on the avenue open late, which makes this an ideal place to sit and relax after an evening meal out or taking in a movie across the street.

In addition to a large selection of tea and other beverages, there is also a varying selection of treats to enjoy with your tea.

L’Amyx is located at 4179 Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, CA 94611.

Tea and Etiquette – Executive Tea

Robin — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:39:50 +0000

Tea is becoming the beverage of choice in boardrooms all across America, and indeed, around the world. Many executives, and aspiring executives, are unsure of the protocols and manners associated with tea – the presence of tea does often change protocol – and so for those of you who would like to be introduced to the social etiquette surrounding tea in business and more formal settings I would like to recommend “Tea and Etiquette” by Dorothea Johnson. Dorothea Johnson is the founder of The Protocol School of Washington. She served as protocol advisor to the Joint Military Attache School in Washington, D.C. Additionally, she is an active member of Protocol and Diplomacy International. Click on the image below for more information on this very readable and informative book.

Tea Video of the day – Gaiwan Ceremony

Robin — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:01:50 +0000

The video below demonstrates the Chinese Gaiwan Tea Ceremony. I hope you enjoy it.

Tea Video of the day – do kung fu pu-erh tea with yixing teapot

Robin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:57:33 +0000

Chinese Tea Preparation with Chinese yixing zisha (purple clay) teapot

Sung Dynasty Tea Technique – Mocha

Robin — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:35:39 +0000

The video below demonstrates how to make Mocha – a bowl of green tea from green tea powder using the proper “whisking” method as taught by Teaparker – a rather famous Taiwanese tea master.

I will be working on my technique!

Citron Green – Tea of the Day

Robin — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:19:04 +0000

Oolong Sampler – Tea of the Day

Robin — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:12:36 +0000

Today’s featured tea is an Oolong Sampler from Adagio. Currently the sampler features Jasmine #5 – a delicate tea infused with jasmine flowers, Oolong #8 – an oriental beauty from Taiwan, ti kuan yin – tea from the Fujian province of China, and wuyi ensemble – a smoky tea from the coastal region of China.

The sampler kit comes with 4 one ounce tins. The teas in the sampler are subject to change without notice.