Ostfriesischer Sonntagstee

What's that?

Ostfriesischer Sonntagstee?

Well, although Germany's primarily a coffee-drinking culture, there are pockets of the country that're are hotbeds of tea drinking. One of those places is the region in Germany on the northernmost part of the Dutch border called Ostfriesland.

I've talked about them before on this blog and I continue to find the tea that the people in Ostfriesland drink, as well as the way they drink it, to be fascinating. For example, there's an Ostfriesland Teezeremonie (tea ceremony) that really needs to be written about.

What a perfect opportunity for a teablogger such as yours truly. I'll write about that at some point in the future. Anyone interested in a German tea ceremony?

Ok, I'll get to that as soon as I'm able.

middle of the road blend

Am up in the mountains this week, so I thought there wouldn't be much to blog about. Man, was I wrong. Got a ton of traffic and some very positive responses from my German teabloggers post from a few days ago. Better than that, I've connected with tea lovers closer to home. The thought of meeting some of these German teabloggers is much more feasible than some of the ones who're farther away. We'll see. They're certainly passionate, these local/regional tea enthusiasts.



Brought some books on tea with me, but I can't put down David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest, so there's no tea literature for me to review till now.

To continue on my German tea theme this week, I've happened upon some very unassuming supermarket tea that I was very curious to try. I talked about my ridiculous desire to find decent, inexpensive supermarket tea a few weeks ago in drinking while unwell.

As much as I love tea shops and rare tea, I'm always on the hunt for an excellent tea that is economical. It's probably a mix of the Holy Grail and a fool's errand, but there you have it.

I've written about blending black tea in general and blends from Ostfriesland in particular here: You can have any colour you want...as long as it's black. This is a well-known tea in Germany, and probably considered pretty questionable to tea snobs.

But like I say, I'm on a quest to find quality tea at bargain prices. Wish I could say this was such a tea. It's certainly not a bad tea, but I have to try their tea in the higher price range. Strange as it may sound, I might use this tea as a blend with another tea.

To be fair, there is a freshness to the taste. It's neither too dark nor completely flavourless. It's exactly what one might expect of a middle of the road black tea blend. And the price really is remarkable.

The little statue in the photo above is clearly drinking something a bit stronger than tea. Welcome to Upper Bavaria.

Oh, one other thing. At this point in my reading, there've been two fleeting references to tea in Infinite Jest. I've seriously considered blogging about each of them, but thought it'd only irritate whoever's still reading. But I'm desperately searching for any reason to talk about this book and tea. You've been warned.

Rock Sugar before you pour

Had a client in my office yesterday and served a tea that I've talked about before, but is not one I love. It's a simple Ceylon mixed with dried roses and pieces of peach, and I serve it primarily because some people really like scented/flavoured tea. The rose/peach Ceylon was a hit, as it often is, and I'd like to defend it a bit. Despite the fact that I like pure tea, I know this sort of thing makes tea more palatable for some.

The other thing I rarely add to my tea is any sort of sugar, but several years ago I was invited to a friend's for tea and as a result changed my sugar policy. The friend was originally from Ostfriesland, which is a region between Hamburg and the Netherlands. Every country has a region that is the butt of their jokes. In Canada, it's people from Newfoundland. In Texas it's Aggies (people who went to Texas A & M University). Well, in Germany, it's Ostfriesland. Tons of jokes about these people.

But the thing is that the most avowed tea drinkers are from Ostfriesland. If you're ever in Northern Germany and have the chance to buy an Ostfriesen Blend, definitely go for it. Fantastic blends of black tea. Some of the best I've had.

But the thing is, they serve tea with what the Germans call Kandis, which I'd call Rock Sugar. I'm not saying I always drink tea with Rock Sugar, but every once in a while, especially when the afternoon tea is really strong, I'll put a few pieces in the bottom of my cup before I pour the tea in. Which is exactly what I did with the rose/peach Ceylon.

Not something I'd enjoy everyday, but was a nice change. The spice of life and all that.

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.