tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72838537742215968192024-02-20T08:46:02.729-08:00cloudwalker tea blogMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-30911603725692034622010-03-17T18:29:00.001-07:002010-03-17T18:29:43.448-07:00On my discovery of tea...After a couple of years spent studying kung fu, Mark and I were now quite firmly fascinated by Qi and the many arts which held it as their guiding principle. It was perhaps inevitable then, that we should end up in a very special teashop in Miaoli County, Taiwan where, for a number of years, a group of artists and intellectuals of various disciplines had been gathering to drink strong tea and meditate on the effects it had on our respective consciousness’. A friend brought me there one afternoon, suggesting that if I were interested in Qi this place would likely be right up my alley. I remember asking, “So what’s tea really like?” To which I was told “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you - just come on and find out for yourself.” <br /> <br />This was the first real teashop I had ever really been into - apart from the English tea and cakes joints we have back in Victoria, BC. And while I still have affection for the Kipling Room and other such highly civilized institutions, this place was to be something else entirely. I still remember very clearly the first time I walked in the door - past the waterfall and through the doorway - over which hung calligraphy that read, “Only experts are permitted to know.” I couldn’t read this at the time, which is just as well as it wouldn’t have made any sense to me anyway. <br /><br />On a hot summer’s day, lightly touched by the spray from the manmade waterfall, I walked in and it was as if I was being washed over by a wave of humidity mixed with the smell of fermenting teacakes. More than this, as I stood there trying to take it all in, my whole body began to tingle as if under a very mild electric current. I had felt similar things before while practicing Qi gong, and immediately took it as a sign that I had come to the right place. It was the feeling of discovery, of finding something that you didn’t even know you were looking for. The tea only went further in confirming this initial impression. <br /><br />It was really quite magical when I realized for the first time that I had absolutely no idea what tea was. It was a wondrous realization to make this discovery; something akin to Scrooge waking up on Christmas morning and asking the young boy on the street “have I missed Christmas?” only to realize that the day is still very much before me. It was much the same for Mark as I recall, and we would often drink tea together in the evenings after work and simply laugh in amazement that this really could be true. Could tea really be this good? It was as it turns out - though at the time we were just beginning to understand how deep its currents ran. I am still in the process of discovery - the mysteries of tea ever unfolding.<br /><br />Tea is a most remarkable nectar - somehow different with each steeping. Though the difference is perhaps not so much the tea changing, as we ourselves are changing a little bit through every interaction with good tea.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-83224492025145733572010-01-28T13:25:00.000-08:002010-02-03T16:32:32.516-08:00Cloudwalker Teas: Beginnings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOpLYUOVjkpRUVn-B08pwaL11beKGOjAv3vFHcMk3xuBuyi8Spd6DLIwwrAGjpPjBaBIrowCERT3ezGCv3KsO467BJFZDStO4MbBhxzXlyPdB25TSunVw3RNc7IpnzNiO3r484Z277Hk/s1600-h/blog%231+photo+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOpLYUOVjkpRUVn-B08pwaL11beKGOjAv3vFHcMk3xuBuyi8Spd6DLIwwrAGjpPjBaBIrowCERT3ezGCv3KsO467BJFZDStO4MbBhxzXlyPdB25TSunVw3RNc7IpnzNiO3r484Z277Hk/s200/blog%231+photo+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434179597081525154" border="0" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="Body"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I first met Mark Chapeskie while practicing kung fu in a small town in northwestern Taiwan in 2004. We trained together most evenings in the home of the master, a very colorful man who had a private dojo on the top floor of an office building near the center of town. We began our study of the martial arts with the practice of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">qi gong</span></i></span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> – a meditative practice designed to stimulate and strengthen the network of energy channels that run through the body. Our experiences surrounding this were all very eye opening. As a result, our ears perked up anytime anyone would mention </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">qi.</span></i></span></p> <p class="Body"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All of the traditional Chinese arts refer to </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">qi</span></i></span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> when describing the process by which an art comes to be something more than simply the sum of its elements - when it becomes transcendent. The principle of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">qi</span></i></span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> in kung fu is the same as it is in calligraphy, medicine or even the arrangement of flowers. At first I didn’t appreciate this fully. I was respectfully curious about the other arts I encountered, though I wondered how they could ever live up to all the fuss made about them. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Flower arranging is all well and good, but what do you do if a fight breaks out</span></i></span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">?</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This was more or less my opinion on the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">impractical arts</span></i></span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> as I saw them. Tea was certainly ahead of calligraphy and flower arranging on my list of hobbies to take up, though I must admit that initially I would have probably laughed if you told me there was more to it than improving one’s health. </span></span></p> <p class="Body"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I probably wouldn’t have had anymore than a passing interest in tea were I not fortunate enough to meet with a few exceptional people and a few special teas at the right time.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Mark and I were most fortunate in this. We had our eyes opened wide with regard to the wonders of tea drinking. It boggles me to this day how much can be gained from such an apparently simple interaction of elements. Tea has become not so much a hobby as a journey of self-discovery, much like the martial arts, which at its highest level is not so much about learning how to fight as it is about learning who you truly are.</span></span></p> <p class="Body"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I had planned to write about something else in my first entry but, as I will be taking over the writing of the blog for a while, I will have other opportunities. I will try to relate some of my experiences of drinking tea in Asia in hopes that it is of interest to others who are following a similar path in other parts of the world.</span></span></p> <p class="Body"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Regards,</span></span></p> <p class="Body"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Erick</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Body"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> For more information about the company we started, visit </span><a href="http://www.cloudwalkerteas.com/ourstory"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://www.cloudwalkerteas.com/ourstory</span></a></span></p> <p class="Body"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-76780934568834974642009-04-03T14:55:00.000-07:002009-04-03T15:11:10.756-07:00Tea in LiberiaI am posting this note from overseas, at last. I travelled to Liberia for work in the development field. But that is not why I am posting here. I am posting to state an observation I made recently, or perhaps more appropriately, rediscovered. Until very recently I found myself working too much to set aside the time to drink tea as I have over the course of the past several years. As I worked I found my energy flagging mid-morning and again mid-day, so I started drinking tea again, in a cannibalized version of the gong fu cha tradition. This of course means taking time out of the busy workday to meditate over cup after warm cup of sublime tea. But I immediately noticed a difference in my energy levels, and it's been progressive. Of course I knew this would occur, so it's hard to believe I'd forgotten, however, I've since made an additional re-discovery.<br /><br />Every morning I used to wake and greet the day with a rare form of internal kung fu I was fortunate to learn while in Taiwan. Like any truly excellent Chinese martial art, it focuses on building one's chi energy, and over time this has a snowball effect on the body. Kung Fu is, I must confess, something else I had neglected of late. However, now that I've restarted kung fu and started drinking tea again my energy levels are soaring. Furthermore, my productivity has increased dramatically.<br /><br />So, a note for those whom think that drinking tea is simply about flavours and aromas: it's not. Consuming tea means to consume chi, which builds one's own inner chi. And if one practices chi kong (qi kong) or a martial art to build chi as well, the effects on the mind and body are nothing short of miraculous. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself. A note of caution though, unless you've been building your energy for some time I do not recommend pairing qi kong with tea drinking back to back, particularly vintage pu erh teas. The effects can be unpredictable on the body, and if you don't know what you're doing, potentially downright dangerous.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-69974339696682133462008-12-15T14:23:00.001-08:002008-12-15T14:36:48.131-08:00Tea and its chemical compositionI drink tea because I like the diversity of flavours, aroma and energy each tea has to offer. There is such an array! However, I am repeatedly asked to describe the caffeine content of an average cup of tea. There is no sure answer to this question. The reason is that each tea is different from the next with regard to its chemical components. The kind of tea, processing methods, growing region, soil type, climate conditions, even the time of year the tea is harvested could have an impact on any given tea. All I can say is that there is significantly less caffeine in the average cup of tea than there is in the average cup of coffee (by the way, it is also difficult to determine an exact amount in a cup of coffee for the same reasons!).<br /><br />There is one exception to this rule (and a rather nebulous rule it is!). Good, vintage, aged, sheng pu erh tea apparently has no caffeine in it. Studies in the UK have determined this to be the case. Some people suggest it has something to do with the fermentation process the tea goes through, but a fully fermented tea (i.e. black tea) still has caffeine, so this theory doesn't hold water for me.<br /><br />A note on anti-oxidents. Yes, tea is high in antioxidents. All tea of the <span style="font-style: italic;">camellia sinensis</span> tea family (basically all tea except rooibus and herbal teas) is jam packed with these little goodies. Antioxidents are excellent for maintaining good health and more and more studies indicate there are more and more health benefits to ingesting antioxidents. That said, we cannot get caught up on the nutrient/chemical composition of the tea.<br /><br />So the general rule? Enjoy your tea as the Chinese enjoy it. For the whole tea. Not just for its chemical composition and nutritional value. Yes, it's healthy for us, yes, there is some caffeine in most of it, but as with most things in life, it's better to enjoy the tea for what it is than overanalyze its individual components. Smell, drink, feel. That is the essence of good tea enjoyment.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-55702981108456851482008-10-06T21:15:00.000-07:002008-10-06T21:18:26.643-07:00Living in OttawaCheck out Cloudwalker Specialty Teas on CBC Television for several days on Oct. 7th at 3PM or online at <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/livinginottawa">www.cbc.ca/livinginottawa</a>. A great way to get an introduction to pouring Chinese tea in the gong fu cha method while describing pu erh.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-990498744035366612008-10-01T10:44:00.000-07:002008-10-01T12:46:28.318-07:00Tea AppreciationThe following narrative has been excerpted from Cha Dao (The Way of Tea), which is currently being co-translated by Cloudwalker Teas co-owner Erick Smithe. This excerpt comes from Chapter One: Tea Tasting - Come and Sample the Expert 12 Level Teas<br /><br />Tea Appreciation and the Qi of Tea<br /><br />Tasting and Tea as a Priority<br /><br />Utility Tea, Tea Appreciation and Research Tea<br /><br />“Utility tea” is good for any time and is prepared casually. All that matters is quenching one's thirst and clearing one's head. Tea appreciation requires leisure time and a calm, peaceful mind set. It places its focus on quality over quantity and for each pot only 3-5 cups are necessary. Once we have ascertained the quality of the tea then it may be put away.<br /><br />“Research tea” on the other hand must be steeped all the way to the end and for a good tea this means at least ten cups before stopping. Only in this way can one thoroughly get to know the inner qualities of each tea. As far as entertaining guests is concerned, in order not to commit offence, one may choose which of the three styles of Tea is most appropriate given the situation and the shallowness or depth of one's relationship with the party being entertained.<br /><br />The “way of tea” is primarily concerned with "tasting tea," and the teas we taste can of course only be categorized as excellent. The teas we review must meet a minimum basic standard. The minimum standard for a good tea is two-fold: the first requirement is cleanliness, the second is the Chi energy of the tea. An old tea should meet the standard of Bliss or Romance within the Expert 12 levels. With regard to new teas, there are no shortage of new teas possessing qualities of cleanliness and vitality. Teas with strong Chi and have very fine vibrational frequencies include "Cing Xan Lyu Xu" (pale light blue Mountain and green water), "Hong Lao Yin" (sacred red eagle), "Song Zhen" (pine needles), "Mung Ding Gan Lu" (nectar), "Bai Ji Guan" (White cockscomb); they are all clean and possess very subtle and fine vibrational frequencies. These teas also have excellent flavours. There are many more teas not listed here at this level or thereabouts.<br /><br />Only a good tea leaf can be the object of a tea tasting and only a good tea can make the connection for entering the Tao through tea.<br /><br />The Chinese character Pin meaning "to taste," "to sample," "to ascertain the quality of" consists of three mouths; this means that even if we are only using a small cup, it must be tasted and sipped three times and not in one gulp. With the first sip, one's mouth may not be fully clean, only with the second sip does the tea begin to reveal its true character; the third sip confirms the impression of the second sip and can simply be enjoyed.<br /><br />To calm one's heart, close one's eyes and fix one's attention when tasting tea will help one notice the subtle variations in the tea and will facilitate entrance into the inner realm.<br /><br />What makes a tea “good?” From a subjective point of view: if you yourself like it, then it is a good tea regardless of tea type, production method or vintage. However, this type of subjective favouritism will affect one's ability to appreciate and experience new tea and stunt one's development within the art of tea drinking.<br /><br />There is a slightly more objective method of tea appreciation, based upon five criteria: colour, fragrance, flavour, shape, and moistness or smoothness (feeling in the mouth); one can analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a given tea, and determine its relative superiority or inferiority. However, such "sensory appraisal," relies upon one's personal knowledge and experience, thus it is still somewhat subjective (more or less). This method is only a slightly more clear and rational approach to evaluating and understanding any given tea.<br /><br />The "scientific testing method" is one alternative, which makes use of specialized equipment and techniques, to determine a tea’s material elements, its ratio of elements and its molecular composition, all of which become part of the artist’s chemical schematic. This is a highly objective method, but it is time consuming, tiring, expensive, and fundamentally too slow. It also requires controls for special conditions and access to various specialized measurement instruments. Furthermore, even if numerical data obtained from such a test appeared to indicate the ideal tea, that doesn't necessarily mean that the measured tea will taste particularly good. <br /><br />The human body is perhaps the most sophisticated instrument of all, and it serves very well as a testing instrument. If one can fully utilize its inherent potential, sometimes the human senses can accurately measure and record the characteristics of something far more quickly and reliably than any created machine instrument. Therefore, one must train, develop and enhance this sensitivity to tea, ultimately learning to trust in one's own feelings. The one who drinks tea after all is a person, not a machine.<br /><br />There is one universal prerequisite for a good tea and that is cleanliness. At all stages the cleanliness must be maintained: the environment in which the tea grew, the picking and production, as well as the storage methods. Any tea that has been exposed to pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals, acid rain, paint or any other method of adulteration, has been contaminated and naturally does not qualify as good tea. If there is any pollution or contamination where the tea is grown, harvested, or stored, it will surely show in the tea soup, colour and aroma. Such teas will be unnaturally bitter, caustic, astringent, un-focused, too mild and will contain strange odours. Drinking such teas, or inhaling their aromas will leave bitterness in one's mouth. The lips will be puckered with astringency, the tongue can be left numb, the throat could constrict and the drinker of such tea will feel nausea and other unpleasant sensations. The experience of drinking such teas will simply leave one feeling unwell both physically and emotionally.<br /><br />Rather than drink such an unclean tea, it is better to drink a clean tea with clean water, which would be easier, less time-consuming and, more economical in terms of effort and money, and would also be better for ones health.<br /><br />We don't necessarily have to drink expensive tea, but we must drink clean tea. A clean tea will most certainly be smooth to the taste and non-repulsive. We can nourish our health with clean tea, entertain guests with a clean tea, and honey the growth of our body, heart and spirit with clean tea. Therefore, tea farms and tea merchants have an obligation to produce and sell clean tea. Teahouses and tea retailers have a duty to sell clean teas as well as to educate their consumers how to tell the difference. Tea guests and Tea people also have the right or duty to buy clean teas as well as to disseminate the correct knowledge concerning these teas.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-83903858936117536362008-08-27T15:28:00.000-07:002008-08-27T15:45:53.226-07:00The teaAs I become ever more engrossed in the gong fu cha ceremony, I sometimes forget about the importance of the tea itself. Whether it is a freshly picked and packaged oolong from one of the revered mountains in Taiwan, or a well-aged loose leaf sheng pu erh from Yunnan in China, good teas can, in and of themselves, bring about a state of meditation, inner warmth, calm and peace. There is just something about this age old beverage that comforts the soul, and the Chinese have been coming up with methods ever since tea's discovery several thousand years ago to enhance this overall feeling. Gong fu cha is one of those methods, but it means nothing if one does not honour the tea for what it is: a means by which to communicate with the divine, a path to enlightenment, a taste of nirvana. As my good friend Erick recently reminded me however, tea is merely a means by which to reach the door to enlightenment; it is up to us to open the door and move 'beyond.' Do you have the strength?<br /><br />It pays to remember that each tea has this inner quality inherent within it, but that we ourselves cannot be lazy, that we must work with the tea if we wish to achieve ultimate nirvana. All tea is not created equal however (as many of us are well aware). I'm not talking about the pre-packaged teabag (though even those have a limited comfort factor when steeped in hot water); i'm talking about fine loose leaf and cake teas. If you are fortunate enough to come across a particularly powerful tea, respect it, work with it, and then release it. I am of the firm belief that good tea was made to be appreciated and consumed, not stared at in a museum or collection (I like that: the consummation of the tea. It has a nice ring to it). Perhaps my personal bias comes from Master He Zai Bing, whom first introduced me to tea and would happily pour a vintage, endangered pu erh as he would a more recent variety. For him, the greatest honour is found in drinking the teas and not only in possessing them. Perhaps this is one of the greatest tests for all of us: to best honour the greatest of teas is to drink them and appreciate them until they are no more, and we must in the end, let them go. But the memory, ah the memory of that moment shared with the tea, is oh-so-sweet.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-56504356051756810242008-08-08T18:04:00.000-07:002008-08-08T18:11:36.760-07:00Flipping tea cupsSo the other day I was reviewing other's blogs regarding gong fu cha and discovered something regarding the smelling (yang) and drinking (yin) cups I'd not come across before. There is an alternative method (at least one anyway) to simply pouring the tea from the yang cup to the yin. And it actually leads to a more aromatic flavour in the yang cup when done with this alternate method.<br /><br />The host pours the tea from the tea pitcher into the yang cups as he/she normally would. Then, each person takes his/her yin cup and inverts it overtop of the yang cup so that the pair look like a mushroom. Then, with the tea drinker's hand palm up place the index and middle fingers on either side of the yang cup and the thumb on top of the yin cup holding all securely together. When ready, flip. The yin cup should now be on the bottom with the yang cup upside down sitting inside. Slowly lift the yang cup so that it gradually allows air to enter the cup through the tea and lift the cup to your nose and inhale. You'll find there is much more tea aroma by using this method than simply pouring from one cup to the other. It is particularly good for teas that change significantly from the first pour to the last or even within one pour such as Tie Guan Yin or 40 year old oolong. The aromas linger to be enjoyed just that little bit longer!Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-68783134501830253122008-07-21T17:04:00.000-07:002008-07-22T16:05:58.271-07:00On the importance of waterThe water with which you brew your tea is at least as important, if not more-so, than the tea itself. We could introduce the most elaborate of tea ceremonies with the highest Imperial grade Chinese tea, but it could still be ruined if we have water of poor quality.<br /><br />Generally, town water supplies are not very good because they've been over-filtered (taking out all of the wonderful nutrients inherent within naturally occurring water) and have elements such as chlorine and fluoride added. These chemicals can often be tasted in a glass of town water, and in tea they'll often give the tea a flat, chemical flavour, and can ruin good earthenware, unglazed teaware if you're not careful!<br /><br />The other thing to be extremely careful of is minimizing the amount of contact your water has with metals other than silver (this goes for your teas as well). Metal tends to impart some of its flavour to the things it touches, giving water and tea a slightly metalic taste. So try to avoid your water's contact with metal. The only exception to this rule is silver, being a pure and natural mineral. Often tea connoisseurs will have silver teaware to store teas and even teapots to pour from! An expensive hobby to be sure... Occasionally, if the teapot or other teaware has been blessed, it can also impart positive, uplifting chi upon the owner and drinker. Again, this contributes to the overall affect of the tea. Think of the positive effect of chi as the power of positive thinking, projection, etc. as there has been much written and demonstrated on this subject. The same notion applies. But getting back to water...<br /><br />Fresh well water isn't bad, as long as it doesn't go through a process whereby chemicals are added or over-filtered and treated. The best water though, by far, is natural spring water. I've heard rumours there are specific mountains in China where the glaciers offer the finest, purest, sweetest waters for brewing the most perfect teas. It is to these waters the rare, specialty Chinese teas truly respond. Chinese mythology suggests some masters of tea in China used to send people for these waters to be brought back to them for their own tea brewing in stone containers. I would not be overly surprised to learn if this still occurs.<br /><br />For those who believe, these waters contain the most chi energy. Have you ever drunk from a fresh, unadulterated mountain stream? It is instantly refreshing, energizing and rejuvenating when on a long hike, unlike bottled water which will merely quench your thirst (maybe). That ability of natural spring water to have such an affect is believed to be the chi energy inherent in it. Imagine brewing a cup of high energy tea, in a high energy teapot with high energy spring water! The effect is indescribable. If you ever have the opportunity, I highly recommmend taking your favourite teapot and Chinese tea with you to a naturally fed spring on a little used mountain trail, heat the water to boiling (just in case there are parasites or other nasties in it) and allow it to cool as you normally would, and proceed to have the finest cup of tea you've ever encountered. To me, there truly is no comparison. Natural spring water makes any good tea simply fantastic.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-43341601141871849082008-07-19T06:37:00.000-07:002008-07-22T16:07:20.882-07:00The TeapotThe teapot you choose depends very much on the tea you are drinking. What you use for a fresh green, oolong or white tea is different from that of an aged pu erh or aged oolong. For a fresh tea, I personally prefer a ceramic teapot, and I'm particularly partial to a gaiwan (three pieces: saucer, cup and lid). The ceramic doesn't retain the tea essences over time, but I find it allows the tea to more fully open both in flavour and aroma than a glass teapot which could also be used. I find the thinner the ceramic the nicer the final beverage (my favourite teacups are nearly paper-thin and almost translucent). That said, with finer ceramic the heat transmits very quickly making it difficult on the fingertips of some. The gaiwan takes practice to learn to pour from as well, but with time you'll burn your fingers far less!<br /><br />For an aged oolong or pu erh I would use an unfinished fired clay teapot. These are particularly special. Depending on your own special interests, some people reserve a single teapot of this kind to drink only with a specific tea (i.e. a particularly special aged sheng pu erh). Personally I reserve one for my oolongs and one for my pu erhs, though I have my preferences as well. Part of the reason for using the unglazed teapot for these teas is that you actually want them to retain the tea's essences over time because those essences contribute to the flavour of future pours, giving future teas an even richer, fuller flavour.<br /><br />No two teapots are the same or created equal either. Hand-thrown pots are far superior to slip-cast teapots and the clay of Yixing in China is superior to almost any other; it is certainly the best known in Chinese tea drinking circles. Because the clay is so thick and porous it better retains the tea essences faster than clay for finished teapots from other places. In addition, the artisans in Yixing produce masterful work. These teapots are easily distinguishable from others. That said, the artisanship in places like Yinge in Taiwan cannot be discounted either: but the clay is not AS good for the final product. However, there have been some real teapot innovations coming out of Taiwan such as the bottom pour! One of the reasons for selecting a hand-crafted teapot are its chi properties, which are far superior to a slipcast model. As your teapot retains tea essences, it melds the chi of the teas held and poured from it, growing its own chi further.<br /><br />When selecting your teapot you also don't want one too big or too small for the number of people you are serving. With practice you'll know the size that is right. I find it's nice to have a 1-2 person teapot, 3-4 person teapot and 5-6 person teapot. Any more people than that and you can double steep in the gong fu tradition pouring from the tea pitcher only every two times you pour from the teapot. The 1-2 person teapot is perfect for enjoying tea by yourself and is also nice to reach a degree of meditation you may not otherwise experience with a larger group of people to distract. That said, sharing tea is an age-old tradition, particularly in China and drinking it in this fashion is perhaps unique for many outside of Asia.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-73296268373585813712008-07-18T10:14:00.000-07:002008-07-18T11:58:30.363-07:00Gong Fu Cha instructions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwp4x35OfnUTaQa1GPXVUUyvSrtPkZYKfPQq113Ia2GGre57FJ5Cr6cv8QWkdUureT5m2rdMc790cUi4AeJ8fhZ6EwnTySIt-c6v9_ZMRY2Q1VQbrtHgbRIkhJnt2sdtBVqVEPs90bJnw/s1600-h/100_2733b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwp4x35OfnUTaQa1GPXVUUyvSrtPkZYKfPQq113Ia2GGre57FJ5Cr6cv8QWkdUureT5m2rdMc790cUi4AeJ8fhZ6EwnTySIt-c6v9_ZMRY2Q1VQbrtHgbRIkhJnt2sdtBVqVEPs90bJnw/s320/100_2733b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224429493259685458" border="0" /></a>Tea appreciation in China has, over the past several thousand years, evolved into a multiplicity of tea cultures across the vast country. From north to south, east to west, region to region, each place appreciates tea in a slightly different manner from the next. That said they all share one common thread: their appreciation for a truly magnificent cup of tea. Gong Fu Cha, traditionally from Fujian province in China and modified slightly in Taiwan (formerly Isla Formosa), is one method by which to truly appreciate a gourmet, specialty tea.<br /><br />Included below I have outlined a common method by which to enjoy Gong Fu Cha. The reason I include this here is because drinking tea is not just a comfort drink at three in the afternoon sipped from a teacup and saucer. Tea, when experienced fully, is enlightening, revitalizing and up-lifting. However, the ritual involved in the pouring of tea is as important as the tea itself. To follow Gong Fu Cha, means setting time aside in your day, to sit and meditate over a cup of tea. The health benefits of the tea are therefore increased as the tea and the meditation complement one another to let the stress of the average North American day just melt away.<br /><br />There are several components most commonly utilized to drink in the Gong Fu Cha tradition. A tea sink, whether made of stone, fired clay, bamboo, teak or even plastic (not recommended), catches the excess water and tea poured off. A small teapot (often of unfinished, fired clay) contains the leaves to be steeped. For pu erh and some oolongs the unfinished pot actually begins to take on the essences of the teas over time adding to the already wonderful flavours inherent in each great tea. If such a teapot has only been used for great teas it will, over time, actually begin to shine a little and increase in value!<br /><br />The Taiwanese tend to employ a tea pitcher and separate strainer to filter out any loose particles, which contributes to an even clearer cup of tea. And in addition, if a glass tea pitcher is used, one can easily see the clarity and colour of the tea as it is prepared. Other necessary components also include a heat source of some kind and a kettle or glass hot water carafe to keep water constantly hot/warm. The best heat source is one that can be adjusted so that the water temperature is reduced for white and green teas, and progressively warmer for oolong and pu erhs (in that order!). A pair of cups for each person participating is the final touch for enjoying tea in this tradition. The pair of cups includes a flat, wide mouthed drinking cup (cha bei) and a taller, small mouthed smelling cup (shiang bei). Because the senses of smell and taste are so closely connected, having two separate cups to experience each tea is a wonderful way to more fully appreciate and understand the different flavours and aromas. Sometimes a tea will have a markedly different aroma to taste!<br /><br />And now, the methodology: heat the water to the desired temperature. White teas the water is warm, green warmer, oolong warmer still (dependingon oxidation of the leaves), pu erh nearly boiling. With experience you will be able to tell the temperature of the water by the way bubbles form on the bottom of the container you are heating it in. Smaller bubbles generally mean a lower temperature and as they get larger and start to release from the bottom the water is heating. Eventually it reaches a rolling boil which is really too hot for any Chinese tea.<br /><br />Select a teapot to match your tea leaves and place enough tea leaves inside to match the number of infusions you wish to drink and the number of people enjoying with you. Larger teapots generally serve more people but also require more leaves, because you have a pitcher, you can always do two infusions back to back and serve from the pitcher afterwards. Remember, tea leaves expand considerably, so don't put more than enough to about half fill your teapot. Once you've achieved the desired temperature of your water, pour enough into your teapot to cover the leaves and let steep long enough to rid the leaves of any impurities they may have collected. An interesting aside: this will also rid you of most of the caffeine as caffeine is water soluble. Pour off the first infusion, perhaps warm your cups with it. Once your cups have been warmed, distribute one pair to each guest, keeping one pair for yourself to enjoy your beverage!<br /><br />For the next infusion, fill the teapot and pour through your strainer and into your glass tea pitcher. Examine the colour and clarity of the tea so you know if it has been steeped long enough and you can then adjust the next infusion accordingly. Lay the strainer aside on your tea sink and pour the tea into each person's taller shiang bei, finishing with your own. Then demonstrate for everyone present how to pour from shiang bei to the cha bei and inhale nature's aromas by placing the shiang bei near your nose. When you've smelled enough, place the cha bei to your lips and slurp (just a bit) as this will help bring out the flavours of your tea. Repeat the pouring process until the tea leaves have been 'poured out.'<br /><br />When you are ready, retrieve all of your cups to the tea sink and rinse thoroughly with the remaining hot water before wiping dry and putting them away. The same applies to the teapot, strainer and tea pitcher as well as the tea sink (last). Because tea is organic and not oily, there is no need to use soap, and in fact avoid it at all costs. The hot water is enough to sterilize the cups for the next use, just make sure your wiping cloth is clean (again, avoid using soap).<br /><br />The final thing I will say about the teaware you employ is to avoid the use of metals other than silver. Metals tend to change the composition of the water you use and thus the flavour of the teas. I shall expound upon this further in a later message.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7283853774221596819.post-82074711608846995442008-07-17T21:49:00.000-07:002008-07-22T16:08:58.382-07:00Tea Chi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QiOH2R0rz7-N8owlpAPD5q1726nsqE-CHoFjuZ_2v1ogGEh-e54gACnmpqgsW0K3m6UVJxdiYBurHRBWPnNtCpJ_qQ-PVBtIyRggA4h1AqcYi2coZJi_bPHFeMbpbioK0SmCpVvfKfw/s1600-h/opt+yixing+pot.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224431845553968002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 223px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 142px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QiOH2R0rz7-N8owlpAPD5q1726nsqE-CHoFjuZ_2v1ogGEh-e54gACnmpqgsW0K3m6UVJxdiYBurHRBWPnNtCpJ_qQ-PVBtIyRggA4h1AqcYi2coZJi_bPHFeMbpbioK0SmCpVvfKfw/s200/opt+yixing+pot.jpg" border="0" /></a>Unknown to many outside of Asia, premium grade, loose leaf Chinese teas actually have, and grow their own chi energy. Considered hokus pokus or nonesense to some, the rare, aged pu erh and oolong teas that have been traditionally produced in the ancient art of tea growing and processing are truly unique. When the British took tea from China to India, Sri Lanka and Africa, they did not preserve the quality with which it was being produced in China. Interestingly however, some tea plantations in the "tea transplant" zones have begun to recognize the importance of the handling of tea leaves from growth to picking to processing and consequently their own teas have improved dramatically! But I digress.<br /><br />For families that have been growing tea for generations, growing and processing tea is not a science measured with the requisite instruments, but an art-form requiring a keen intuition and deep understanding of mother nature's seasonal cycles, weather patterns and other quirks of growing/processing influence. Some tea trees are fondly named by the family on the estate they are grown. And it is this familiarity and careful handling of the tea that contributes to its chi. For fresh teas, such as the white, green and lightly oxidized oolong varietals, the chi tends to be lighter as there is less processing and no aging. These teas are best consumed fresh for the most flavour and best aromas, as well as chi. But it is the aged teas, the oxidized oolongs and the pu erhs, particularly those aged for decades, that are truly special and spiritual. Smooth, often sweet and rich on the palate, these teas can leave one in a deep state of meditation, or if the mind is not quieted, perhaps contemplation. And in many highly spiritual societies of East Asia, tea has been used for just this purpose!<br /><br />Cha Dao, or the way of tea, is considered to be one of the means, ways or paths to ultimate enlightenment, a state of being so pure and true as to suggest nirvana. I do not propose that this is 'the way' for all, but I do suggest that drinking tea can be much, much more than an afternoon past-time involving Earl Grey and some delicious scones. No, tea appreciation in China, Japan, Taiwan and other societies in the region can best be described as a culture, and yes, in many cases a way of life. If you can, try a great multi-decade aged pu erh or oolong and discover just what I'm talking about. They are powerful, and will leave you wondering when your next cup will be.<br /><br />Cloudwalker Specialty Teas offers only these kinds of teas and are very particular about this as we work with a Taiwanese tea master. Check out our website at <a href="http://www.cloudwalkerteas.com/">http://www.cloudwalkerteas.com/</a>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031702042980450346noreply@blogger.com0