Have had a lot of tea grown on the Pasir Nangka tea estate in Java lately.
Wrote about Java Santosa last year (Startles me awake), and I still like tea from this region. This one might even be better than the earlier one. Maybe.
This one is strong like a good Assam, but not a lot of tannic acid. So it's not at all bitter. That's why I like to use Java tea in blends of black teas. There's something fruity and spicy in the taste as well.
Did a bit of research about tea from this region, and what I learned is that they started out planting tea plants from China here in Indonesia. For some reason, they switched to tea plants from Assam at some point.
Am rather curious why tea grown from the same plant, but grown in an entirely different region, has such a dramatic difference in taste. Any thoughts on that one?
Showing posts with label Java Santosa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Java Santosa. Show all posts
Friday, 13 May 2011
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Startles me awake
I liked what Ice Hellion asked me in the comments of my last post so much that I decided to wax philosophic on what sort of tea I drink at what time of day. The simplest way to describe it is that I start my day as dark as possible and go gradually lighter.
I enjoy black teas with a lot of tannins, so I'll almost always go for a strong Assam or simple Ceylon at the outset. I've played with making my own blends and will continue to do so. Although I've heard a lot about using Keemun to soften other black teas, I haven't yet tried it. I will soon and let you know my experience as it develops.
Another goal I have is to find more black teas that were either grown in Africa or Indonesia. For a while I was drinking a Java Santosa either alone or to lighten the darker Assams I like.
Something Alex said in the comments was that he really liked the Ceylon from Nuwara. I cannot agree more. I've tried and liked many different Ceylons, but the higher elevations seem to produce the very best of Sri Lanka. The very best I've had was from the plantation called 'Lover's Leap'.
Why always start the day with black tea? Maybe it's because I'm a reformed coffee drinker, and I still associate starting the morning with as much of a kick as possible. I don't think it's only the caffeine levels either. I've read that some Oolong and green teas have as much caffeine as black. I love the effect of caffeine and my body's certainly come to expect it. Nevertheless, I think I also like the heavy, bitter taste that startles me awake.
I enjoy black teas with a lot of tannins, so I'll almost always go for a strong Assam or simple Ceylon at the outset. I've played with making my own blends and will continue to do so. Although I've heard a lot about using Keemun to soften other black teas, I haven't yet tried it. I will soon and let you know my experience as it develops.
Another goal I have is to find more black teas that were either grown in Africa or Indonesia. For a while I was drinking a Java Santosa either alone or to lighten the darker Assams I like.
Something Alex said in the comments was that he really liked the Ceylon from Nuwara. I cannot agree more. I've tried and liked many different Ceylons, but the higher elevations seem to produce the very best of Sri Lanka. The very best I've had was from the plantation called 'Lover's Leap'.
Why always start the day with black tea? Maybe it's because I'm a reformed coffee drinker, and I still associate starting the morning with as much of a kick as possible. I don't think it's only the caffeine levels either. I've read that some Oolong and green teas have as much caffeine as black. I love the effect of caffeine and my body's certainly come to expect it. Nevertheless, I think I also like the heavy, bitter taste that startles me awake.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
...coursed through my veins and warmed my extremities...
Am rereading Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea, and plan to periodically bring up things I find there. There's a quote from Sir Edmund Hillary's sherpa that begins one of the chapters, and I wanted to talk about it a bit.
Hillary asks: 'Tell us, if there were one thing we could do for your village, what would it be?'
And the sherpa responds: 'With all respect, Sahib, you have little to teach us in strength and toughness. And we don't envy your restless spirits.
Perhaps we are happier than you? But we would like our children to go to school. Of all the things you have, learning is the one we most desire for our children.'
Then Mortenson goes on to describe what led up to him promising to build a school in the village where he was treated so well. But what I thought about while I pondered this quote was the restless spirits part. I'm definitely a restless spirit, but to a different degree. I love living far from my homeland. I love that everyday is a sort of cultural adventure, but it's not like I'm a perpetual backpacker. When I go to visit a city a city in southern Europe, it's a far shorter plane ride and I nearly feel like a German in my matching socks and hat.
But I am restless. I need to see more. Even though home is endlessly comfortable, I want to experience as much of this world as I can. That's where tea comes in. Tea slows me down. I've said here before that I love how I seem to be able to do more while guzzling tea, but there's also the reality that if I take the time that carefully brewing a cup or a pot, I need to slow down a bit. Or even a lot.
So today, I rushed home, made a sauce to go with my lunch, sat down and rushed through the paper that I didn't have time to read this morning. I'd brewed a pot of Java Santosa while I was cooking, and something happened as I took the first sip. It's a strong black tea, but doesn't have the same bitterness that many Assams have. It's ok with milk, but is really just as good without any.
As I sipped and took a deep breath, I realised that I was still completely wound up. I put the paper down, looked out from the terrace onto the bustling street in the distance and watched cars whoosh by...
The tea coursed through my veins, and warmed my extremities. I wasn't even aware that I needed to slow down. But here I was letting the tea work its magic. Somehow I was relaxed and reinvigorated simultaneously.
Whatever I decide to do with the rest of my afternoon, I'll try to carry this moment with me. Won't be too difficult. I assure you it won't be difficult.
Hillary asks: 'Tell us, if there were one thing we could do for your village, what would it be?'
And the sherpa responds: 'With all respect, Sahib, you have little to teach us in strength and toughness. And we don't envy your restless spirits.
Perhaps we are happier than you? But we would like our children to go to school. Of all the things you have, learning is the one we most desire for our children.'
Then Mortenson goes on to describe what led up to him promising to build a school in the village where he was treated so well. But what I thought about while I pondered this quote was the restless spirits part. I'm definitely a restless spirit, but to a different degree. I love living far from my homeland. I love that everyday is a sort of cultural adventure, but it's not like I'm a perpetual backpacker. When I go to visit a city a city in southern Europe, it's a far shorter plane ride and I nearly feel like a German in my matching socks and hat.
But I am restless. I need to see more. Even though home is endlessly comfortable, I want to experience as much of this world as I can. That's where tea comes in. Tea slows me down. I've said here before that I love how I seem to be able to do more while guzzling tea, but there's also the reality that if I take the time that carefully brewing a cup or a pot, I need to slow down a bit. Or even a lot.
So today, I rushed home, made a sauce to go with my lunch, sat down and rushed through the paper that I didn't have time to read this morning. I'd brewed a pot of Java Santosa while I was cooking, and something happened as I took the first sip. It's a strong black tea, but doesn't have the same bitterness that many Assams have. It's ok with milk, but is really just as good without any.
As I sipped and took a deep breath, I realised that I was still completely wound up. I put the paper down, looked out from the terrace onto the bustling street in the distance and watched cars whoosh by...
The tea coursed through my veins, and warmed my extremities. I wasn't even aware that I needed to slow down. But here I was letting the tea work its magic. Somehow I was relaxed and reinvigorated simultaneously.
Whatever I decide to do with the rest of my afternoon, I'll try to carry this moment with me. Won't be too difficult. I assure you it won't be difficult.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
meditative power of tea? my ass...
The meditative power of tea drinking? My ass...
Thought about that this morning when I was trying to get everything settled/prepared for my mother's visit. Needed to make tea quickly before the dogs lost their cool. Started the day with pure Java Santosa, which I wrote about a few days ago in relation to black tea blends. The leaves of the Java Santosa are medium-sized and have little light brown tips. When I buy Darjeelings, I keep reading about the FTGFOP marking at the end of a tea's name. I wonder if this tea from Java would pass the muster in India of being called an Orange Pekoe.
I rarely try to be very educational here, but I will go ahead and impart a bit of knowledge. I assure you it happens very rarely, but you know that already. This rating (the letters after a tea's name) has to do with the quality of the tea. The Darjeeling that I usually drink has FTGFOP at the end of it, and here's what it means: Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe.
When you look at some black teas, you can see little red/light brown tips on the tips of the leaves. That's where the tippy and golden come in. Orange Pekoe is used cavalierly and is endlessly confusing what it really means. Many people in the tea industry just mean that it's a black tea with a certain size of leaf. Some people just use Orange Pekoe to describe any black tea.
When I was in school, we could order Orange Pekoe tea in the cafeteria in the dorm, and it was nothing like the loose-leaf teas I talk about here. Just because you see OP at the end of a tea label, doesn't mean it's good. The letters that precede the OP are what matter.
Enough of my attempt to teach you anything. That's why God invented wikipedia...so you could go there instead of here. I've already steamed though the above-mentioned pot of Santosa, and another pot of Margaret's Hope Darjeeling, which you must've noticed I really like. And before I packed my bag to go watch Germany play Argentina, I polished off a pot of Japan Sencha Fudji, which is certainly not the name I'd buy it under in Japan. Only for the German market. I need to find out what this Sencha is really called.
That's for another day. Hope you're enjoying the weekend wherever you are. As much as I like the sunny weather, part of me wishes I could be sitting with you Aussies through the long winter nights. Soon enough, right? Soon enough.
Thought about that this morning when I was trying to get everything settled/prepared for my mother's visit. Needed to make tea quickly before the dogs lost their cool. Started the day with pure Java Santosa, which I wrote about a few days ago in relation to black tea blends. The leaves of the Java Santosa are medium-sized and have little light brown tips. When I buy Darjeelings, I keep reading about the FTGFOP marking at the end of a tea's name. I wonder if this tea from Java would pass the muster in India of being called an Orange Pekoe.
I rarely try to be very educational here, but I will go ahead and impart a bit of knowledge. I assure you it happens very rarely, but you know that already. This rating (the letters after a tea's name) has to do with the quality of the tea. The Darjeeling that I usually drink has FTGFOP at the end of it, and here's what it means: Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe.
When you look at some black teas, you can see little red/light brown tips on the tips of the leaves. That's where the tippy and golden come in. Orange Pekoe is used cavalierly and is endlessly confusing what it really means. Many people in the tea industry just mean that it's a black tea with a certain size of leaf. Some people just use Orange Pekoe to describe any black tea.
When I was in school, we could order Orange Pekoe tea in the cafeteria in the dorm, and it was nothing like the loose-leaf teas I talk about here. Just because you see OP at the end of a tea label, doesn't mean it's good. The letters that precede the OP are what matter.
Enough of my attempt to teach you anything. That's why God invented wikipedia...so you could go there instead of here. I've already steamed though the above-mentioned pot of Santosa, and another pot of Margaret's Hope Darjeeling, which you must've noticed I really like. And before I packed my bag to go watch Germany play Argentina, I polished off a pot of Japan Sencha Fudji, which is certainly not the name I'd buy it under in Japan. Only for the German market. I need to find out what this Sencha is really called.
That's for another day. Hope you're enjoying the weekend wherever you are. As much as I like the sunny weather, part of me wishes I could be sitting with you Aussies through the long winter nights. Soon enough, right? Soon enough.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
You can have any colour you want...as long as it's black
'You can have any colour you want...as long as it's black'
-Henry Ford on the Model T
Most of my weekly travel is relatively nearby, but Thursday mornings I go to a little town about half an hour east-northeast of Munich called Poing. My clients work for an industrial printer/copier manufacturer, and although their actual business is mind-numbingly boring, the people are hilarious. Most of what I do is help people break down stereotypes of the different nationalities they work with, and help them learn to better understand other people.
Because I never know what to expect refreshment-wise when I go to companies, I always pack a thermos or two. It does take time out of my morning ritual, but when I'm sitting in a meeting sipping on an above-average Oolong or Darjeeling, it makes it worth my while. Without a doubt.
Today I had half a mug left over for the ride home, and I savoured it as we sped through the vibrant green fields back towards the city. It was a blend from different teas I picked up in Hamburg in the spring. The tea comes from a region between Hamburg and the Netherlands called Ostfriesland. Talked at length with a few tea shop owners in Hamburg when I was there and learned a bit about what makes a good blend of black teas.
The tannins in black tea are incredibly healthy, but unfortunately bitter. I've toyed with blending the bitterest of my black teas with milder ones and it seems the balance is the secret. As bitter as you can make it, but not too much so. Am always trying mixtures of different Assams and other teas I find.
One tea I don't drink on it's own, because it's just too bitter, is an Assam called Greenwood. Mixed with other teas, it's fantastic. One of the teas I've found that softens the blow is actually a tea from Java called Santosa. It has all the strength of a good Assam without the bitterness. At least that's my experience.
I'm still partial to Indian teas. I love green and white teas, and it doesn't matter to me whether they're from Japan or China or somewhere else in Asia. But I still get such a kick out of a new Darjeeling I haven't tried before. African black teas are purportedly excellent. Need to find a shop that offers them.
If you have any tips or questions about blending black teas, please leave a comment here. If I don't know the answer to your queries, I'll make every effort to find the answer out. Would love to do it.
-Henry Ford on the Model T
Most of my weekly travel is relatively nearby, but Thursday mornings I go to a little town about half an hour east-northeast of Munich called Poing. My clients work for an industrial printer/copier manufacturer, and although their actual business is mind-numbingly boring, the people are hilarious. Most of what I do is help people break down stereotypes of the different nationalities they work with, and help them learn to better understand other people.
Because I never know what to expect refreshment-wise when I go to companies, I always pack a thermos or two. It does take time out of my morning ritual, but when I'm sitting in a meeting sipping on an above-average Oolong or Darjeeling, it makes it worth my while. Without a doubt.
Today I had half a mug left over for the ride home, and I savoured it as we sped through the vibrant green fields back towards the city. It was a blend from different teas I picked up in Hamburg in the spring. The tea comes from a region between Hamburg and the Netherlands called Ostfriesland. Talked at length with a few tea shop owners in Hamburg when I was there and learned a bit about what makes a good blend of black teas.
The tannins in black tea are incredibly healthy, but unfortunately bitter. I've toyed with blending the bitterest of my black teas with milder ones and it seems the balance is the secret. As bitter as you can make it, but not too much so. Am always trying mixtures of different Assams and other teas I find.
One tea I don't drink on it's own, because it's just too bitter, is an Assam called Greenwood. Mixed with other teas, it's fantastic. One of the teas I've found that softens the blow is actually a tea from Java called Santosa. It has all the strength of a good Assam without the bitterness. At least that's my experience.
I'm still partial to Indian teas. I love green and white teas, and it doesn't matter to me whether they're from Japan or China or somewhere else in Asia. But I still get such a kick out of a new Darjeeling I haven't tried before. African black teas are purportedly excellent. Need to find a shop that offers them.
If you have any tips or questions about blending black teas, please leave a comment here. If I don't know the answer to your queries, I'll make every effort to find the answer out. Would love to do it.
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