tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3675929797899304102024-03-13T01:27:47.144-07:00lahikmajoedrinksteaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger416125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-22088169860320706622014-05-30T19:55:00.001-07:002014-05-30T19:55:10.696-07:00Tea with mustard? What manner of sorcery is this?<br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-F31DaEfUZjY/U4lEipGuvuI/AAAAAAAACgg/xosNxh3FPOU/s640/blogger-image-145070308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-F31DaEfUZjY/U4lEipGuvuI/AAAAAAAACgg/xosNxh3FPOU/s640/blogger-image-145070308.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Tea with mustard? What manner of sorcery is this?</span><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Well, a friend who's recently been galavanting round Finland and other locations oop north has brought me some mustard. Good mustard, even. </div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Which begs the question: </div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">What sort of tea goes best with mustard?</div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Who would ask such a question?</div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">And one more question: </div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Did you miss me?</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-1133747605616243812012-12-23T04:14:00.001-08:002012-12-23T04:14:47.160-08:00bah humbug...give me a white monkey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">monkeys and tea? what's the deal, yo?</td></tr>
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It's almost <b>Christmas</b>, which means I should probably be writing a <b>holiday-themed blogpost</b>, but that'll simply have to wait. This is NOT a <b>holiday-themed blogpost</b>. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm irritable and frustrated and don't want much to do with either the holidays or humanity in general. So, how am I going to spend the next little while? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With a bit of <b>White Monkey tea</b> that I got from <b>Claus Kröger</b> in <i>Hamburg</i>. Why?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Because I'm assuming that monkeys enjoy themselves even when the going gets rough. And I'm curious why there are so many monkey-related things when it comes to tea. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Oolong-picking monkeys</b> have already played a very central role on this blog when <b>Lisa Galaviz</b> went to the <b>Galleria</b> in hopes of setting the monkeys at the tea shop free. Here's <a href="http://lahikmajoedrinkstea.blogspot.de/2011/10/dont-tell-her-its-not-tea.html" target="_blank">Don't tell her it's not tea</a> for your reading pleasure.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And here's Lisa's update on the topic in <a href="http://lgalaviz.wordpress.com/tag/teashops/" target="_blank">How can they still be out of monkeys?</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Just rereading her gem of a blogpost and even a few moments of mine have put me in a bit better mood. Maybe this tea lark isn't so bad, after all.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-56877320371504590462012-12-10T00:16:00.001-08:002012-12-10T00:16:26.438-08:00drinking tea that I can reach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe I'll live here for a while</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Am living out of suitcases right now while I search for a new flat, which means the contents of my tea cupboard is in my rucksack and in various boxes that're either strewn about the hotel room I'm in or in my friend <b>Wolfgang's</b> extra room.<br />
<br />
Under normal circumstances, I think a lot about what the ideal tea is for this or that situation. Lately, I've simply grabbed the nearest sack of tea and brewed up. Sometimes, it's been the dregs of a shipment of <b>Assam Mangalam</b>, which is one of my favourite teas to drink in the morning or other times it's been the <b>Ambagastowa Ceylon</b>, which I got from a new supplier in <i>Reutlingen</i> (<a href="http://www.spezcom.de/" target="_blank">Spezialitäten-Compagnie</a>).<br />
<br />
However, what I've been a bit surprised at is that I keep reaching for really excellent <b>Darjeeling</b>. I should blog about each of these teas in detail, but I don't have the time for that at the moment. As it is, I found in the past that when the weather was cold and snowy, I didn't avoid tea from <b>Darjeeling</b>, but I didn't gravitate toward it, either.<br />
<br />
While I was in Hamburg a few months ago, I got a few really nice <b>Darjeelings</b> from both <b>Teehaus Shila</b> and the first tea shop I used when I got into drinking this stuff in earnest - <b>Claus Kröger</b>.<br />
<br />
It's very unlikely that I'll do a traditional tea review of any of these teas (I've simply decided not to waste my time with that ridiculousness anymore), but I do hope one of my upcoming posts can go into more detail about these particular teas. If I'd like to get back into the habit of posting here on my teablog, I could do with a topic or two that I'm passionate about.<br />
<br />
<b>Darjeeling tea</b> has never done me wrong on that front. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-4988592467296443712012-11-24T05:06:00.000-08:002012-11-24T05:06:12.179-08:00tea in my hiking rucksack <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Oy!<br />
<br />
This has not been the easiest of months. I've been very busy, and there's not much time for anything except for the most essential daily functions.<br />
<br />
I go to work and I read the paper and I try to be relatively nice to the people around me, but it's not always easy. The last few weeks has included a lot of apologising for being a jerk. By me.<br />
<br />
It's been me. I've been a jerk.<br />
<br />
Although I could blame the stress in my life, I'm not going to. I'm going to take responsibility and simply say that I'm frazzled.<br />
<br />
What helps in the middle of a particularly overwhelming moment?<br />
<br />
Tea, of course.<br />
<br />
Normally, when I'm living in a stable environment, I've got a tea cabinet. However these days I'm living out of suitcases, so presently I've got a tea rucksack. It's my hiking pack and the best use I had for it when I was packing was to cram in all the books and all the tea paraphernalia, as well as much of the tea that I've got, into the said hiking pack.<br />
<br />
So, until further notice I've decided to make myself very mobile. On the run, if you will. Have no idea where I'll be living next year...much less next month.<br />
<br />
I'll be ok. Don't want to cause you and concern. Really.<br />
<br />
No need for a photo of said rucksack. You know what one looks like. Imagine mine brimming to the surface with tea and tea-related stuff. It's a rather practical way to transport one's tea.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-91136958358142343872012-11-05T13:39:00.001-08:002012-11-05T13:41:20.656-08:00Pot of Fresh Mint Tea at Le Pain Quotidien<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-GQz1xtCr4O8/UJgyEwfCWFI/AAAAAAAACYA/qzaP7MthWNg/s640/blogger-image--1510586432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-GQz1xtCr4O8/UJgyEwfCWFI/AAAAAAAACYA/qzaP7MthWNg/s640/blogger-image--1510586432.jpg" /></a></div>
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Late in the evening in Notting Hill, some friends took me to Le Pain Quotidien for tea. <br />
The waitress listed Earl Grey, English Breakfast and Rooibus as black tea, and I quickly decided on the Pot of Fresh Mint Tea. <br />
<br />
It was delicious. And so late in the evening, it was nice to know that the natural lack of caffeine wouldn't interfere with my drifting off to sleep. <br />
<br />
Actually, I'm doing that right now. <br />
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H917H90UOQc/UJgyGEcj1PI/AAAAAAAACYE/J1PqTzqqpzM/s640/blogger-image-1853078336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H917H90UOQc/UJgyGEcj1PI/AAAAAAAACYE/J1PqTzqqpzM/s640/blogger-image-1853078336.jpg" /></a></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-91715385961837713822012-10-14T00:35:00.002-07:002012-10-22T02:27:38.883-07:00Ostfriesischer Sonntagstee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">What's that?<br />
<br />
<b>Ostfriesischer Sonntagstee</b>?<br />
<br />
Well, although <i>Germany</i>'s primarily a <b>coffee-drinking culture</b>, there are pockets of the country that're are <b>hotbeds of tea drinking</b>. One of those places is the region in <i>Germany</i> on the northernmost part of the Dutch border called <i>Ostfriesland</i>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.botschaft-ostfriesland.de/pics/Ostfriesland_Staatsgebiet_430x330.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://www.botschaft-ostfriesland.de/pics/Ostfriesland_Staatsgebiet_430x330.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
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?<br />
<br />
Ok, I'll get to that as soon as I'm able. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-29247772929067311012012-10-11T13:20:00.001-07:002012-10-11T13:20:47.866-07:00tea with lemon and catching up with a good friend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First Annual International Tea Trade Convention summer 2011</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Xavier</b> and I haven't known one another for such a long time, but we're fast friends. Not sure where that term comes from, but I don't know of any faster friends.<br />
<br />
We met last year in the summer when he came to <i>Munich</i> for the <b>First Annual Tea Trade Convention</b>, and I saw him at <b>New Year's</b> when he and <b>Sabine</b> came to <i>Nice</i> at the same time my wife and I were there.<br />
<br />
I've documented all of this here on my <b>teablog</b>, but I thought I'd give you a quick synopsis of our backstory. <b>Xavier</b> and I have spent much of our time together either drinking or talking about tea. He's one of the many <b>tea people</b> I've found as a result of teablogging, and he quite possibly might be the most important.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
He's <b>just some French dude</b>, right? Not exactly. He's one of the best <b>teabloggers</b> I know, because he does a niche thing that no-one does quite the way he does.<br />
<br />
<b>Xavier</b> writes about tea and business. It's intriguing what he writes about. Every single time I read one of his posts, I learn something I'd never even considered before. Every. Single. Time.<br />
<br />
If you don't know <a href="http://teaconomics.teatra.de/" target="_blank">TeaConomics</a>, you should.<br />
<br />
What'd we drink when we met yesterday? Here:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-un5ygjjOmQc/UHZ13yfUvNI/AAAAAAAACXc/QEafDkV7YNg/s1600/IMG_1416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-un5ygjjOmQc/UHZ13yfUvNI/AAAAAAAACXc/QEafDkV7YNg/s320/IMG_1416.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'll write about the tea another time, but I can tell you that it's going to be available soon. If you like the things that they do over at the <b>Le Palais des Thés</b>, you're going to love what I have to tell you soon. It's an entirely new line of<b> tea blend</b>. Four blends this year and then two more next year and two more the next. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That means that by 2014, you can get one of eight exceptional <b>tea blends</b> from <b>Le Palais des Thés</b>. I'll review the four that're coming out this year as soon as they're available. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Xavier</b> and I had <b>le Citron</b> yesterday, and we both liked it quite a lot. More on that soon.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-35545313842454884102012-10-09T04:42:00.001-07:002012-10-09T18:32:23.343-07:00Hamburger Schietwetter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
Upon arriving in Hamburg last week, it looked like it'd rain and rain for the entire trip. Luckily, the sun came out, but only for a little while. <br />
<br />
One day the weather report said it'd be clear skies all day, so I didn't even bother taking any rain gear as I left the flat in the early morning sunlight. A decision for which I paid dearly when the skies opened up only half an hour later. <br />
<br />
No-one's complaining, mind you. This is one of the most beautiful places in all of Germany and the best part of a day in Hamburg?<br />
<br />
Unlike other parts of this coffee drinking land, people really drink tea here. It's a passion even. <br />
<br />
One of my closest friends who I met through Tea Trade is coming to town tomorrow. Xavier and I spent time together at New Year's and now we're going to explore the world of norddeutschen Tee. <br />
<br />
I assure you - blogging about out adventures is imminent. <br />
<br />
Hamburger Schietwetter? Well, this is Plattdeutsch, which is an old form of German (heavily influenced by Dutch and English, even) that the northerners used to speak. <br />
<br />
Many associate Platt with the sailors, as well. My mother-in-law used to teach me phrases in Platt. Wish I could remember some of it. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BPvGXM3_v9c/UHTQImXRNAI/AAAAAAAACW4/PsCqONZR7-c/s640/blogger-image--141545549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BPvGXM3_v9c/UHTQImXRNAI/AAAAAAAACW4/PsCqONZR7-c/s640/blogger-image--141545549.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-22770054093504573592012-10-03T23:35:00.000-07:002012-10-03T23:35:01.835-07:00mixing green and black tea<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I'm not a tea blender, so for me that entire art is a kind of alchemy. The people who do it well have my respect and I often wonder if it's something I'll eventually get into.<br />
<br />
For the longest time, I've been particularly fascinated with the <b>blending of green and black tea</b>. Perhaps because I brew the two sorts of tea at different temperatures and perhaps just because they have such distinct tastes, but the vegetal sometimes grassy taste of a green seems to be in conflict with the malty character of a good <b>Assam</b>. Or the smoky taste of a <b>Yunnan</b>.<br />
<br />
That being said, when I'm in a <b>tea shop</b> and I see a blend of green and black tea, I almost always get it. With varying results to be fair. Often the green tea might as well not even be in the blend. The black tea overpowers whatever character the green had. Watered down black tea isn't my idea of a good time, so I'm often less than pleased at my recent purchase.<br />
<br />
<i>Why is it so difficult to blend green and black tea?</i><br />
<br />
<i>If it is so daunting, why do people continue to do it?</i><br />
<br />
My favourite <b>green/black tea blends</b>?<br />
<br />
<b><i>Buen Dia</i></b> from <b>La Tetería</b> and <b><i>Michel Strogoff</i></b> from<b> Le Palais des Thés</b>. How about you?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-756607385777817672012-09-22T20:04:00.001-07:002012-09-22T20:04:05.726-07:00Tea on the runAny of you who've been reading this teablog for a while will remember my trusted orange flask. Displayed in many of my posts, it was a sad day when I had to retire that piece of tea gear. <br />
<br />
The truth is that I've actually gone a bit off on carrying already-brewed tea around with me. If you know me, that'll surprise you. See, I've nearly always got a flask in my hand or buried deep within my rucksack. <br />
<br />
Not anymore, though. <br />
<br />
Many tea friends have asked me over the years, 'Why do you do that? You know the tea just tastes like the flask, right?'<br />
<br />
Well, it's true. Not always, but often enough it's really easier to carry leaves with you and to arrange for hot water. <br />
<br />
To be perfectly honest, that's much easier to lug around, anyway. Don't you think?<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qpkTUK4cuqU/UF58HgnQWoI/AAAAAAAACWU/OxV1M0vi3hs/s640/blogger-image--1448286330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qpkTUK4cuqU/UF58HgnQWoI/AAAAAAAACWU/OxV1M0vi3hs/s640/blogger-image--1448286330.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-65686470516990689992012-09-18T14:41:00.001-07:002012-09-18T14:42:59.722-07:00The people between the grass and the tea tree<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Learned <b>how to write '<i>tea</i>' in Chinese</b> today. It's actually rather easy. Maybe if I were better at technology, I'd show you my half-arsed attempts. Stay tuned. Maybe by the end of this post, I can make a screen shot of my scribbling.<br />
<br />
Went back to <b>Laifufu Teesalon</b> today, when I was really quite fed up with everything. I knew I could go home and drink tea. I certainly have plenty in my cupboard. However, I wanted someone else to be <b>tea mother</b>, so I went to <b>my favourite local</b>.<br />
<br />
You know about Laifufu, right? Here, I talked about them earlier this year when Ya Ya came to visit:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lahikmajoedrinkstea.blogspot.de/2012/03/tea-drunk-at-laifufu.html" target="_blank">tea drunk at Laifufu</a><br />
<br />
She had some interesting things to say, as she often does, and I met another <b>tea drinker called Felix</b>, who was quite nice and friendly. As <b>tea drinkers</b> often are, ya know?<br />
<br />
Then she showed me how '<i>tea</i>' in <b>Chinese</b> is a little story. That's the way to learn this language. As if every character is a narrative.<br />
<br />
The story is, as she told it, '<i>First you have "</i><b>grass</b><i>" up above.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>'Then the symbol for "</i><b>men</b><i>" and underneath that is the "</i><b>tea plant</b><i>" or "</i><b>tea tree</b><i>".</i>'<br />
<br />
So in <b>Chinese</b>, tea is '<i>The people between the grass and the tea tree</i>'.<br />
<br />
This made me smile. I'm <b>smiling</b> more and more often these days. Must be doing something right.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fQQtKlSi_vs/UFjqhjXP_3I/AAAAAAAACV0/JsiRI0WLLGM/s1600/Tea+character+(how+to+write+'tea'+in+Chinese).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fQQtKlSi_vs/UFjqhjXP_3I/AAAAAAAACV0/JsiRI0WLLGM/s400/Tea+character+(how+to+write+'tea'+in+Chinese).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-25984588789011842922012-09-15T20:22:00.001-07:002012-09-15T20:38:46.180-07:00Bloom Tea
<br />
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QOVX3Wb4t1U/UFVF6g5d73I/AAAAAAAACVU/1wznVw9KkOY/s640/blogger-image-1588155844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QOVX3Wb4t1U/UFVF6g5d73I/AAAAAAAACVU/1wznVw9KkOY/s640/blogger-image-1588155844.jpg" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Any of you heard of this brand of tea?<br />
<br />
Step 1 - ideal at breakfast<br />
<br />
good for Metabolism<br />
<br />
Step 2 - ideal for morning<br />
<br />
good for De-Stressing<br />
<br />
Step 3 - ideal at noon<br />
<br />
good for Digestion<br />
<br />
Step 4 - ideal for afternoon<br />
<br />
good for Concentration<br />
<br />
Step 5 - ideal for evening<br />
<br />
good for Relaxation<br />
<br />
I'm trying these teas now, and I'll soon let you know what I thought. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-8360947431545069672012-09-15T00:49:00.001-07:002012-09-15T16:54:59.395-07:00Meeting The Devotea<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">What an experience.<br />
<br />
Twas an experience, I tell you.<br />
<br />
Meeting Robert and his lovely wife. One of the high points of my visit, and I'm not even done yet.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U_D0oC7Jo1k/UFUVUFGZFhI/AAAAAAAACU0/OBKJJacQ1lQ/s640/blogger-image-1300382802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U_D0oC7Jo1k/UFUVUFGZFhI/AAAAAAAACU0/OBKJJacQ1lQ/s640/blogger-image-1300382802.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-90970672174682721372012-09-09T05:31:00.001-07:002012-09-12T21:56:03.594-07:00Second Annual International Tea Trade Convention in London<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London bound for the Convention</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Last year we had the <b>First Annual International Tea Trade Convention</b> in <i>Munich</i> when the founders and administrators of the site visited me, while on a whirlwind tour through <i>Germany</i>. <b>Xavier</b> also met us, as well as his girlfriend who we met for the first time (and really liked).<br />
<br />
So, although the founders can't be there, I'll be visiting <b>Robert Godden</b> in <i>London</i> next weekend, and we've decided to hold the <b>2nd Annual International Tea Trade Convention</b>. Might sound like we're blowing a small gathering out of proportion and making it sound much more important than it really is.<br />
<br />
Who? Us?<br />
<br />
Like <b>Robert</b> and I'd ever do such a thing. I'm almost offended at the very thought.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing, my <b>little tea drinking friends</b>: we need a venue. Like, desperately. <b>Robert</b> has some favourite tea salons in <b>England's capital</b>, and I know some <b>quirky cafés</b> that may or may not serve decent tea. Those aren't nearly good enough for such an event. Hardly.<br />
<br />
We need a place <b><i>with wifi</i></b>, so we can have a bit of virtual <b>tea drankin'</b> with whomever shows the slightest interest in taking part in such an astoundingly important event. And it'd be nice if the place actually <b>served tea</b>.<br />
<br />
However, now that I think about it I realise <b>The Devotea</b> and I probably carry around enough tea that we could have our convention anywhere that'd let us plug in our travel kettle and give us space enough to brew up. My taste buds are perking up at the very thought.<br />
<br />
You're probably asking yourself, <i>'How might one take part in the virtual</i><b> tea drankin'</b><i> and more importantly will there be </i><b>teablogging</b><i> of the </i><b>2nd Annual International Tea Trade Convention</b><i>?'</i><br />
<br />
For the former, contact <b>Robert</b> or me on <b>twitter</b> or <b>Feckbook</b>. And the answer to the latter is, '<i>Most definitely yes! There will be teablogging.'</i><br />
<br />
It has been decreed.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-82388160555238006722012-09-07T17:47:00.001-07:002012-09-07T17:51:55.138-07:00Tushita Teehaus in the morning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vFdNXtzLanY/UEqVomPNQPI/AAAAAAAACT0/Y0MUT6HDDt8/s640/blogger-image-670743190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vFdNXtzLanY/UEqVomPNQPI/AAAAAAAACT0/Y0MUT6HDDt8/s640/blogger-image-670743190.jpg" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
What a wonderful way to start the longest day of my week. Most people call it a day early on Friday, but not me. If anything, I find that if I want a lighter workday, it's best for me to schedule that earlier in the week. <br />
<br />
The weekend is prime time for my new job. We're not only an online paper, but the goal is that we go back into print this month as a weekly newspaper serving not only Munich but all of the English-speaking community in Bavaria. <br />
<br />
How stressful is that? Well, it's a marathon rather than a sprint. So starting out my busiest day at one of my favourite tea salons was really a stroke of genius. <br />
<br />
Wish I could say it'd been mine, but that wouldn't be accurate. It was my client who came up with the idea. <br />
<br />
Not that I spent much time arguing with her. Jumping at the opportunity, we met just as the Tushita Teehaus was opening their doors and setting tables out on the street. <br />
<br />
I had a Sheng Pu-erh, and because my client had a bit of a cold, the friendly tea seller suggested an herbal tisane that'd soothe her throat. My tea was quite good. A great way to start the morning. <br />
<br />
The cakes of Pu-erh pictured below made me very envious of people who drink this sort of thing all the time. <br />
<br />
One day, eh? Well, I certainly hope so. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-6815424638614619102012-09-01T00:13:00.000-07:002012-09-01T00:13:02.659-07:00drinking tea Gangnam style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/60MQ3AG1c8o" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
'<i>What does this have to do with tea drinking?</i>' you ask.<br />
<br />
Well, clearly you've never been <b>teadrunk</b>. Like I am now.<br />
<br />
Several months ago, I wanted to include <b>Mr Rogers singing over a funky beat</b> before it went viral. If you're on <b>social media</b>, you often see things when they're first big, and then the <b>major news sources</b> find out about them days if not weeks later.<br />
<br />
If you really want this to be <b>somehow tangentially related to tea</b>, then I'll tell you what I'm drinking right now.<br />
<br />
Are you ready?<br />
<br />
I'm drinking tea.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-16444072088903260352012-08-27T11:58:00.000-07:002012-08-27T11:58:13.228-07:00tasting the Darjeeling and not yet ready for the Nepalese...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three amigos of questionable tea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Did a tea tasting this weekend. With the lady who sleeps next to me.<br />
<br />
She didn't like either tea, and I wasn't much more impressed. Oh well. Can't win them all, eh?<br />
<br />
To be fair, these are not top-shelf Darjeelings. I knew that when the samples arrived.<br />
<br />
Not going to do a tea review. Other than to say I wouldn't buy these. I suppose that's a review of sorts. I'll hold my tongue rather than go any further.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ktxCeN1gFys/UDvA1hJC14I/AAAAAAAACPA/7czjtgPdbek/s640/blogger-image--1323872705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ktxCeN1gFys/UDvA1hJC14I/AAAAAAAACPA/7czjtgPdbek/s640/blogger-image--1323872705.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tumsong Darjeeling was the only one I'd drink again...under duress</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-79684214726865287672012-08-22T18:29:00.001-07:002012-08-22T18:29:58.657-07:00Reviewing tea on the dark sideWhat tea is this? <br />
<br />
I don't read Chinese, so I can't tell you. One of my clients found out I was into tea, which is an understatement, and brought me this. It was ok, not great. However, now I really want to know what it was. <br />
<br />
All I know is that it's a green tea and tastes weirdly burnt. Actually, if she hadn't told me it was green, I'd have never guessed it. <br />
<br />
That means it might not be. She doesn't read Chinese either. Anyone have any idea what this package says? <br />
<br />
I can make it larger if that helps. <br />
<br />
Oh, big news over here at the Lahikmajoe Drinks Tea blog. Hasn't been big news here in ages. I've neglected my tea blog for long enough. All that's about to change. <br />
<br />
Turns out one of my favourite tea companies is interested in doing something with me. <br />
<br />
Exciting, eh?<br />
<br />
I've been very careful with such things in the past. Several times, I've had companies approach me who wanted me to write glowing reviews in return for tea. <br />
<br />
As Robert Godden says, if your review can be bought then your review isn't worth much. I realise this isn't the standard position on this by many/most tea bloggers. I know for a fact that some tea bloggers will write scathing reviews if a tea is bad. <br />
<br />
Those reviewers are the only ones I trust. Really. <br />
<br />
If you can find something positive to say about every tea, then you and I are on opposing sides. Think about it. <br />
<br />
There are some teas that really are a crime against humanity. If your policy is to never say anything bad about a tea, then you're essentially working for the dark side. <br />
<br />
An exaggeration? <br />
<br />
I've been known to exaggerate. <br />
<br />
So, about the tea company with whom I'm talking. Who could Lahikmajoe possibly be talking about? Hold your horses, bub. <br />
<br />
There'll be time enough for that in a future post. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zdzY7HWF4pg/UDWHlGqdx7I/AAAAAAAACOU/3cEc8CMt9lg/s640/blogger-image-262755385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zdzY7HWF4pg/UDWHlGqdx7I/AAAAAAAACOU/3cEc8CMt9lg/s640/blogger-image-262755385.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-3387662000152933142012-08-15T04:48:00.000-07:002012-08-18T11:43:51.013-07:00tea for the revolution<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Twas a bit <b>cryptic</b> over here for a few days, wasn't it?<br />
<br />
Planned a blogpost about <b>Revolution Tea</b>, and quickly provided the link and thought I pressed '<i>save</i>', so that I could write the post at a later time.<br />
<br />
And here's what showed up instead:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.revolutiontea.com/" target="_blank">Revolution Tea</a><br />
<br />
That's it. A post with two words and if you clicked on it, it would've taken you to their website.<br />
<br />
Pretty <b>minimalist</b>, don't you think?<br />
<br />
I agree.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-12373978837154833942012-08-12T15:26:00.001-07:002012-08-12T15:26:18.560-07:00wet leaves and drier leaves<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VKJevoW84b8/UCgtFW3YhlI/AAAAAAAACNs/0VMOd34is40/s1600/IMG_5180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VKJevoW84b8/UCgtFW3YhlI/AAAAAAAACNs/0VMOd34is40/s320/IMG_5180.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in Hamburg looking through the windows at Messmer Momentum's Darjeeling boxes </td></tr>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Why are most <b>Monsoon tea flush</b> <b>Darjeelings</b> not normally sold outside of their region? Aren't all flushes worth drinking. I've had something called <b>Autumn Flush</b> from at least one company, and it was tasty enough. Certainly not bad. Anything but bad.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Then while I was talking to <b>Michael J. Coffey</b> and <b>Geoff Norman</b>, we got to talking about wet leaves versus drier leaves. Michael was talking about about Taiwanese tea rather than Indian tea, but he made an interesting point.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Apparently, the wetter the leaf is when it's been picked, the lesser quality the resulting tea will be. Now, I'm not a grower. Clearly. Sitting here in my flat in <i>Germany</i>, anything I say about growing tea is based upon very limited information. I read and I listen to tea people more knowledgeable than I, but I'm passing this onto you the way I heard it. My retelling is hopefully accurate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I found the next thing <b>Michael</b> said to be the most intriguing. Here's what it was:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><i>'There’s a
tension between the farmers and the pluckers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pluckers want to work early in the morning, because the dew
is still on the leaves and they’re plumper. They’ll be paid more for the same
amount of work.</i></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><i>Farmers
know that higher quality tea results from plucking late in the morning.<br /> </i></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><i>Some farmers
will make a compromise, and they’ll do both an early and late morning plucking.
Afterwards, they’ll sell the two different batches separately; the late morning
one being of lesser quality.'</i></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><b>Michael Coffey</b> said that this was true of <i>Taiwan</i> in general, so this doesn't directly relate to <b>Darjeeling tea</b>. The reason I even mentioned my favourite tea growing region of <i>India</i>, is I've often wondered how the rainy season affects the tea grown at that time.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There you have it. Wet leaves = ok, but not necessarily the best. Waiting until later in the morning to pick the leaves makes the resulting tea even better. Well, that's great because I was hoping to sleep in anyway.</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-31413858779191860402012-08-07T06:50:00.002-07:002012-08-07T06:53:06.352-07:00a turtle and a strawberry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<br />
Welcome back to the new and improved <b>Lahikmajoe Drinks Tea</b>.<br />
<br />
Have had a bit of a break due to my day job, but hopefully that's settling down so I can devote more time to <b>teablogging</b>. After all, that's what really matter, right?<br />
<br />
Some have asked me if I'll ever blog again? Well, I suppose this is an answer to that.<br />
<br />
Want to see a photo of a turtle and a strawberry?<br />
<br />
Really?<br />
<br />
What other <b>teablog </b>offers you something like this? None! None, I tell you.<br />
<br />
As a matter of fact, this is the first I've ever seen such a photo on a <b>teablog</b>. What does it have to do with tea, you ask?<br />
<br />
My answer?<br />
<br />
What doesn't it have to do with tea? Strawberry tea. Turtle tea.<br />
<br />
My friend Diana, when we were touring in <i>Japan</i> in the early nineties, compared the taste of <b>green tea </b>to <b>turtle pee</b>. After the obvious enquiry as to whether she had personal experience with drinking the <b>urine of the testudo</b>, we agreed that the tea we'd been served by our host actually smelled like<b> turtle urine</b> must taste...to someone who had actually tasted turtle pee, which we hadn't...not us.<br />
<br />
What?<br />
<br />
Oh, you still want the photo, don't you?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Well, here it is:</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-25734357816979871492012-07-10T15:55:00.000-07:002012-07-10T16:03:15.123-07:00tea kills (maybe)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is the longest I've gone without blogging since I started this <b>teablog</b> a few years ago, and I have to apologise. Really, it wasn't intentional.<br />
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I could make up a lot of excuses, but the truth is you don't come here for my problems. You come here for <b>teablogging goodness</b>, and that's what I intend to give you. Is this the prettiest <b>teablog</b> you've ever seen? It is not. Am I an expert on the topic of tea? Nope. Far from it.<br />
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The whole point of this <b>teablogging lark</b> was to document my 'learning about tea' journey, as well as to display my writing. I already had made a few stabs at other blogs, and there was something missing. I read some things about <b>bliss and passion</b>, and then I wondered what mine were.<br />
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A while back, in the midst of one of the busiest times I've had in years, I saw an article that would shock and astound you. Well, it would if I could find it. It was in a German paper, which I set aside in order to use it for a future <b>blogpost</b>.<br />
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When I went hunting for it earlier today, it'd disappeared. Gone. What to do? Not sure.<br />
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It was a scientific article that made a dramatic and terrifying claim. For any of you men who drink a lot of tea, as well as for the people who love them, this was worrying stuff. But can I write about it if I don't have the source? If I only have a very vague idea of what the article even said?<br />
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Of course I can. I can do nearly anything I want here. This is all fun and games, right? <b>Teablogging</b> fun and games.<br />
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So, I'm going to pass on an unsubstantiated story...you've been warned. Hold onto your hats, because you're not going to like this.<br />
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If you drink <b>eight cups of tea</b>, or more, per day and are of the male persuasion, there's a higher likelihood that you'll get <b>prostate cancer</b>. You heard me. All you people who tout the <b>health benefits</b> of tea can stick that where the sun don't shine.<br />
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That tea you love so much...the tea you swill from dawn to dusk...your tea is killing you. And I can't think of a better reason to break my <b>teablogging</b> silence. As one of the Beasts of Brewdom, I feel it's the very least I could do.<br />
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For the good everyone.<br />
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Be careful out there gentlemen. It's not easy being a<b> tea drinker</b>.<br />
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-46162625069439755672012-06-17T10:37:00.000-07:002012-06-17T10:37:08.469-07:00we've no time to wash the things between whiles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>`<i>Yes, that's it,</i>' said the Hatter with a sigh: `<i>it's always tea-time, and we've no time to wash the things between whiles.</i>' </b></div>
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Howdy, lahikmajoe's <b>teabloggians</b>. Lahikmajoe has been kind enough to let me <b>guest-blog</b> today. This is always a treat because then I get to be goofy elsewhere, other than <a href="http://lucysfootball.com/"><span class="s1">my home</span></a>. I’ve been here before. <a href="http://lahikmajoe.com/2012/04/08/a-hundred-visions-and-revisions-before-the-taking-of-toast-and-tea/"><span class="s1">You might remember me</span></a>. I’m the one who knows very little about tea and is very willing to try it, but hasn’t found anything to make her want to drink it on a regular basis yet.</div>
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Today I went on a very grand <b>adventure</b>. This <b>adventure</b> was a few months in the making, so it’s exciting that it actually finally happened. Yes, it was a <b>tea adventure</b>. It would be a odd if I was here and it wasn’t a <b>tea-related adventure</b>, now wouldn’t it? Yes. Yes, it would.</div>
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A few months ago, I noticed a sign go up in a field that I drive past on my way to work. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2oTq9FlsYTc/T94N1PyMz0I/AAAAAAAACLA/mjCxJszS3ws/s1600/ttlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2oTq9FlsYTc/T94N1PyMz0I/AAAAAAAACLA/mjCxJszS3ws/s320/ttlogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is kind of what the sign looked like. ANYWAY, I was all, “<i>Hey, lahikmajoe, I think we’re getting <a href="http://thetailoredtea.com/"><span class="s1">a tea place</span></a>, or maybe a sewing shop, when it opens, I should check that out, yeah?</i>”</div>
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Then I kind of totally forgot about it completely because life got in the way. It happens.</div>
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Then a couple of weeks ago, <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/living/article/Charming-spot-for-tea-and-more-3602058.php#ixzz1wjn4I8BV"><span class="s1">the local paper reviewed the place I’d completely forgotten about</span></a>, and I thought, oh, oh, crap, I totally forgot about that place. I guess it opened. Whoops!</div>
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So I went to the website and I brought up <a href="http://thetailoredtea.com/our-menu/tea-menu/"><span class="s1">the tea menu</span></a> and I asked lahikmajoe if it looked any good and if I should go there. He said there were plenty of <b>decaf options</b> for me (I’m not supposed to have <b>caffeine</b>, because one of my cadre of doctors - yep, I have a cadre of them, I’m a whole medical miracle - told me that <b>caffeine</b> was a <b>migraine</b> trigger, and it seems to be the case, because when I cut the <b>caffeine</b> out, my <b>migraines</b> mostly stopped, too) but here’s the thing - I didn’t want to go to a <b>fancy tearoom</b> and have <b>decaf</b>, because the <b>decaf options</b> were mostly <b>herbal</b>, and it seemed like going to a tea place for tea that doesn’t really have tea in it would be like going to an amusement park for the people watching. It seems like a waste. You’re THERE, you really need to participate in what’s going ON. </div>
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Plus, I really, really, REALLY wanted to try <b>Oolong</b>. Lahikmajoe talks about it all the time and makes it sound wonderful. Even if I tried it and hated it, I wanted to see what it tasted like. And they had <b>Wu Yi Oolong</b>. Doesn’t that even SOUND fancy and like you’re going on an exotic vacation? It totally does.</div>
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So I decided, let’s try something with <b>caffeine</b>, and see what happens. It’s probably been 12 years since the “<i>don’t have anymore caffeine</i>” edict, and I’ve changed a lot since then, so who knows what will happen.</div>
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So this morning! I got up at 6:45am. ON A SUNDAY. I know. I’m very dedicated. Oh, last night, lahikmajoe gave me <a href="http://storify.com/lucysfootball/learning-about-tea-oxidation-with-ken"><span class="s1">a tutorial on Oolong and oxidation and such</span></a>, which was nice. It was like going to the tea place with prior knowledge. Like I was a secret agent.</div>
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I got to <b>The Tailored Tea</b> at a little after 8am. I had lahikmajoe on call. I think it’s important to have a <b>tea expert </b>on call for situations like this, don’t you? Sure it is, come on.</div>
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<b>The Tailored Tea</b> looks like this. I am stealing this photo from the <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/"><span class="s1">Albany Times Union</span></a> website, because the photo I took...well, here’s their photo:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r1mXHzx_ung/T94ORrOjghI/AAAAAAAACLI/RH1FIaxpwD4/s1600/tailoredtea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r1mXHzx_ung/T94ORrOjghI/AAAAAAAACLI/RH1FIaxpwD4/s1600/tailoredtea.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">inviting, eh? you'd go there for some tea, wouldn't you?</td></tr>
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And here’s MINE, because I felt like a weirdo standing in the street to take a good photo, so I stood off to the side and it looks terrible.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wKgChuNUDDs/T94O8v_6XjI/AAAAAAAACLQ/anb-Pjz2LXk/s1600/TERRIBLE+photo+of+the+sign+out+front+(and+the+Dunkin'+Donuts+across+the+street)-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wKgChuNUDDs/T94O8v_6XjI/AAAAAAAACLQ/anb-Pjz2LXk/s320/TERRIBLE+photo+of+the+sign+out+front+(and+the+Dunkin'+Donuts+across+the+street)-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">incognito photography</td></tr>
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I’ll never be mistaken for a professional photographer, that’s for sure. Also, there’s the <b>Midas Brake Center</b> and the <b>Dunkin’ Donuts</b>. Hi, chain establishments!</div>
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So I was the first person there. That’s a little worrisome. The staff pays a LOT of attention to you when you’re the first person there.</div>
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Now, most of you probably already read the review <a href="http://wifeywoman.teatra.de/2012/06/03/review-the-tailored-tea/"><span class="s1">The Purrfect Cup</span></a> did of the same place? She’s more knowledgeable than I am. So, if you didn’t, here. This is a much less scatterbrained review of the same place.</div>
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Lahikmajoe said I should ask the waitress if they do <b>multiple infusions</b>, and if they did, tell him, because that was the way to go. And that they would know what he was talking about. He’s the<b> tea expert</b>. I said I would.</div>
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I was seated at the TINIEST TABLE EVER. So, so tiny. I was immediately sure I was going to break something. I am a total <b>bull in a china shop</b>. Oh, also? There was a LOT of <b>china</b>. This had utter disaster written all over it. I immediately tucked in my elbows and prayed I would be coordinated, just for an hour or so.</div>
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The table settings were pretty. All classic linen and mismatched <b>china</b>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-klaguVcsaEU/T94PcpEf-4I/AAAAAAAACLc/I-zlt8HsYH8/s1600/teacup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-klaguVcsaEU/T94PcpEf-4I/AAAAAAAACLc/I-zlt8HsYH8/s320/teacup.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">doesn't the china look nervous?</td></tr>
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The waitress was young and seemed very sweet. So I was kind of nervous asking her about the infusion thing. But lahikmajoe said to. So I did.</div>
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“<i>Um...infusions...I don’t...do you want to know how we brew our tea?</i>” she asked.</div>
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I explained that no, I was pretty sure that wasn’t what it meant - it was more about how many times you used the leaves. (Sheesh, lahikmajoe, I hope that’s right. I didn’t know there would be a quiz.)</div>
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“<i>Oh. We steep the <b>teabags</b> for three minutes,</i>” she said, very happy she knew the answer this weird person was wanting.</div>
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<b>Teabags</b>? Oh. Um. I don’t think a <b>fancy tearoom</b> is supposed to have <b>teabags</b>. That’s a worry. (And actually really confusing, because before I left, the owner came and talked to me, and you can buy any of the teas they sell there <b>loose-leaf</b>. So why do they have them in <b>teabags</b>? Do they put them in teabags themselves? Or was the waitress just ill-informed? She was utterly adorable. I don’t want to get her in trouble.)</div>
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So I told her whatever they did would be fine and got a half-pot of <b>Oolong</b>, which is supposed to be 2.5 cups. She asked if I wanted her to leave the teabag in or out. She said if she left it in, it would get very strong. “<i>Out, out, please out</i>,” I said. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like strong tea.</div>
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I also ordered a big old omelette because it had ham and cheese in it. Yum.</div>
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She brought out the tea. The teapot was bigger than I expected. She poured me a cup in my tiny, very delicate-looking teacup. Oh, please don’t let me break this, I thought. That’d be so embarrassing.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tzVH0rpa5J0/T94P2ABwLAI/AAAAAAAACLk/nggB2y7ldv0/s1600/first+cup+of+oolong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tzVH0rpa5J0/T94P2ABwLAI/AAAAAAAACLk/nggB2y7ldv0/s320/first+cup+of+oolong.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">first cup of <b>Oolong</b></td></tr>
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I looked around the table. No cream. No Splenda. I’m sure they HAD such things, but I’d have to ask for them, and the poor waitress was busy by then. Three other parties had come in. And they were old, and they were demanding. (More on these <b>shenanigans</b> later.)</div>
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I wanted to try it without anything in it first anyway. It’s not fair to try something to see if you like it with a bunch of add-ons. That’s like salting a meal before you even taste it to see if it needs salt.</div>
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My take on <b>Oolong</b>...<i>it tastes like flowers.</i> And it doesn’t taste as tea-like as the other types of tea lahikmajoe has encouraged me to try. He wanted to know if it tasted like anything else. My answer is? Probably, but I’m not the person to ask. I don’t have a fancy palate. My favorite meal is honestly chicken fingers. All I tasted (and smelled) was flowers.</div>
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And I drank an entire half-pot (without cream or Splenda) all by myself. Without even a grimace. I actually liked it quite a lot. It was smooth, it didn’t have that weird aftertaste, and it made me feel like a fancy lady to be drinking it out of a nice <b>teacup</b> at a table with a tablecloth on it.</div>
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And and AND, it’s been a couple of hours, and no <b>migraine</b>. Not even a headache. It could still be coming, I suppose, but the only after-effects I’ve experienced so far are I’m hyped up like a crazy person (listen, YOU try not having any caffeine for 12 years and then having a half-pot of tea, which was supposed to be 2.5 cups but was really 3.5 cups!) and all the peeing.<i> ALL THE PEEING</i>.</div>
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Oh, the other people in the <b>teashop</b>? Ok, so there were three other tables of people.</div>
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Table one: crotchety demanding couple. They complained about everything to one another. “<i>I don’t LIKE bacon. Why don’t they have TURKEY bacon.</i>” Blah blah blah. (Also, turkey bacon is an abomination of nature, lady. Get with the program.) When the waitress cleared their table, they waited for about .0005 seconds, then the wife went LOOKING for her, out by the KITCHEN, for the check. I could hear her haranguing the staff, “<i>We’re ready for our BILL now!</i>” (Granted, the wait for my bill was interminable, too, but I was nicer about it. I had my phone to entertain me.)</div>
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Table two and table three: Old people who knew each other from a billion years ago. Table two said to table three, "<i>Hey, is that you, Mary Alice? We used to volunteer at the church together!</i>" And they were off, reminiscing about old times. The best thing though? The best thing? Table two was telling table three about a diner she liked to go to, and table three said - actually said - “<i>Are there HIPPIES there?</i>” And table two said, “<i>Um. Hippies?</i>” And table three said, “<i>Every time I drive by, there are ALL THE HIPPIES hanging around outside.</i>” Table two laughed uncomfortably and said, “<i>We go very early, so there are no...um...hippies there. Then. No.</i>” I was trying VERY HARD not to laugh out loud. THOSE DAMN DIRTY DINER-RUINING HIPPIES.</div>
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(I promise I wasn’t being openly eavesdroppy. The people didn’t know I was listening to them. I can listen and look like I’m not. I’m very good at it.)</div>
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Also, and I just kept thinking, “<i>This would make lahikmajoe so sad,</i>” because all three tables, the MINUTE they sat down, said a variant of “<i>You DO have coffee here, RIGHT?</i>” I think a couple of the ladies might have gotten tea, but mostly the men they were with were all TEA IS BAD NEWS WE DISTRUST THIS TEA NONSENSE. One guy actually said, “<i>I’ll have coffee. And KEEP IT COMIN’</i>.” OK, Hopalong Cassidy.</div>
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When I was done, the owner came and checked in with me about how I liked my food and my beverages (I did! Very much!) and then I went home. Oh, this is their <b>backyard</b>:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the backyard, which is really the airport</td></tr>
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The <b>backyard</b> is the airport. Some people really dig watching planes lift off and land. I’m not as charmed. They’re just planes. </div>
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So. <b>The Tailored Tea</b> in <i>Latham, New York</i>. I’m all-systems-go on this place. It’s cute and it’s fancy (so tuck in those elbows, people as clumsy as me) and the food is good and priced reasonably. You will probably be the youngest person in the room by about 40 years if you are my age.</div>
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And...<b>Oolong</b>. Well, so far I have tried <b>black tea</b> (in chai), <b>Rooibos</b> (<i>NOT REAL TEA!</i>),<b> green tea</b>, and a weird licorice herbal thing. <b>Oolong</b> wins hands-down.</div>
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What’s next, lahikmajoe?</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-32468403687525410222012-06-13T10:30:00.000-07:002012-06-13T10:30:00.618-07:00and you thought Bubble Tea couldn't get any worse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You probably already know that I don't have good things to say about <b>Bubble Tea</b>. Despite people assuring me that there are versions that aren't obscenely packed with <b>sugar</b>, I haven't found one. And the ridiculous price that one pays for a huge cup of <b>sugar water</b> makes it all that much easier to walk right past any <b>Bubble Tea</b> establishment.<br />
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However, there's been a bit of a <b>Bubble Tea renaissance</b> here in <i>Germany</i>, and in <i>Munich</i> in particular. So much so that McDonald's is getting in on the act. Take a look for yourself:<br />
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<b>Chan McTi</b>, eh? Mc <b style="font-style: italic;">TEA</b>, get it?<br />
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That's not at all racist, is it? He's supposedly <b>Chinese</b>, but he screams out '<i>Bubblezaiiiii</i>...', which is a play on the Japanese <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banzai_charge" target="_blank">Banzai Charge</a>. So not only are McDonald's being insensitive, but they can't keep their inane stereotypes straight.<br />
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Nice.<br />
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I know it's easy to get self-righteous about this organisation. The <b>Golden Arches</b> really do make themselves an easy target. If I ever do find a tolerable example of <b>Bubble Tea</b>, it won't be at <b>McDonald's</b>. I know they have plenty of customers, but I'm most certainly not one of them.<br />
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367592979789930410.post-68804495971367774152012-06-08T09:15:00.001-07:002012-06-08T09:15:26.781-07:00trashing the tea competition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">left a withered, rotten taste in my mouth</td></tr>
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Was in the midst of my whirlwind tour through <i>Texas</i>, when I sat down to write a blogpost about a certain tea that I'd picked up during my travels. I'd never heard of this tea before, so I did a quick internet search to see if there were any curious stories about the <b>tea plantation</b> or the <b>tea growing region</b>. Instead I found a <b>tea forum</b> that ridiculed this specific tea and anyone who might have ever enjoyed it.<br />
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The ugliness of the language in this <b>tea forum</b> so appalled me that the little time since then that I've had thinking about tea blogging was spent wondering how I was going to handle this.<br />
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First of all, I hate to admit it, but my first response was to question my taste. Maybe me being this candid about my self-consciousness will be seen as a weakness by some, but so be it. Immediately, I thought, '<i>Wait, this tea tastes like crap and I liked this tea. Ergo, my taste is crap</i>.'<br />
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Luckily, I have enough confidence in both my taste in tea and my knowledge of decent tea that I didn't entertain that prospect for very long. This <b>tea blogging lark</b> isn't a contest to see who can be snobbiest about this delicious, mostly brown liquid. Well, it certainly isn't for me.<br />
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However, the whole experience with this site was off putting. And oddly a bit of a culture shock. See, I've been in <i>Germany</i> long enough that negative comparative selling now rubs me the wrong way. When my <b>German friends</b> visit the <i>United States</i>, they can't believe that it's acceptable to promote your product by trashing the competition.<br />
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From what I understand, it's even illegal here to do that. But even if it weren't, it's considered bad form. I've asked quite a few people I know, and they insist that they'd avoid something that was marketed in such an agressive manner.<br />
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Let me be clear: writing something negative about a tea on a <b>tea forum</b> is <b><i>not</i></b> the same thing as a company trashing its competitor. Sometimes you don't like a tea, and you say it directly. That's something I completely understand and support. <b>Tea reviews</b> lose any meaning if they're all glowing and positive.<br />
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But if your<b> tea company</b> has a tea forum where other companies' tea is shamelessly trashed, I begin to wonder about your class (or lack thereof). Is that really how you want to play this game? Good luck to you on that one.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2