Tea During Disney Honeymoon

I planned the wedding while the husband had the fun job of planning the honeymoon.  However, we both helped each other out at times as we are both organized people who love making plans and schedules anyways.

After much discussion we decided to honeymoon in Orlando, Florida visiting Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World.  Since I discovered my fear of flying when we flew to Miami, Florida in 2011, I thought it best to pick a destination within reasonable driving distance.  From Indiana to Florida was about 17 hours, but, even though I did all of the driving, I found that much more relaxing than having to spend three hours on a plane.

I could go on and on about our amazing trip to the magical world of Disney, but since this is a tea blog I will keep the event topics strictly to those that involve tea.

I have drunk from many teacups, but this is the first time I got to ride in one.  The Mad Tea Party ride in Magic Kingdom is incredibly cute with all of the bright colors, the giant tea pot in the middle, and the whimsical spinning teacups.  After boarding our teacup and spinning around for about 10 to 15 seconds, the ride slowed and stopped.  We knew something was wrong since we had watched a few sessions of the ride before it was our turn and saw that it normally lasted longer.  We were instructed to stay in our teacups for a moment while the crew worked out an issue.  So, we took this opportunity to snap a few pictures of each other chilling in our cup.  After a few minutes the crew instructed us to exit our teacups as the ride needed further maintenance.  Thus, our ride was cut short, but I really didn’t mind because of the pictures we were able to take while on the ride and the new perceptive I gained from inside a teacup.  Although, I can’t help but to wonder how much tea would fit into one of those cups!

I spotted several tea items/locations while in EPCOT.  We checked out the Twinnings store in the England area.  I didn’t buy anything, but it was an adorable store.  We sniffed around the Joy of Tea booth, but it seemed like an Americanized version of tea with all of their fruit flavored mixes.  Finally, we made it into the beautiful China and gorgeous Japan areas.  I think I may have spent a little too much time (and maybe a little too much money) in those two places, but the tea and tea ware displays were so pretty!

The husband, knowing my love for tea, made reservations to the Garden View Tea Room at the Grand Floridian resort.  Although we had kind of a flighty waitress who tried to serve us the same course twice and kept forgetting things, the overall experience was elegant.  I had a pot of a basic green tea and the husband sipped on a citrus flavored green tea.  We were served five small finger sandwiches, a tiny tart, and two small dessert pastries.  The manager brought out a special dessert for it being our honeymoon.  The tea was average, but the food was full of flavor.

While at Hollywood studios, we had a few minutes before we needed to head to the Fantasia light show so we ducked into a café to have a look.  It was a cute little coffee and tea shop that had comfortable seating and shelves of books, tea, coffee, and drink ware.  I ended up buying a big box of Alice in Wonderland themed teas, plus we both bought a cup of freshly made tea to go to take with us to the light show.  It was about eighty degrees outside, but the hot English breakfast tea I ordered was still refreshing.

During our shopping spree in Downtown Disney, we visited a tea and spices store.  The whole place had kind of a homey kitchen feel to it.  There were rows and rows of teas and even more spices along with utensils, plates, drink ware, aprons, etc.  At that particular time the store was quite busy so we didn’t stay long, but I bought some chocolate flavored tea and a black and white Disney mug.

Almost all of the restaurants that we went to had some sort of tea menu.  Some menus were larger and more sophisticated than others, but the overall selection was far greater than any restaurant in our home town. 

At Jiko in the Animal Kingdom resort we had a dessert that featured green tea ice cream.  Additionally, while at Artist Point in the Wilderness Lodge resort, we had a pot of a delicious gong fu style tea along side a bowl of mixed berry cobbler.  Feeling bold, I asked our waiter how much they are required to know about tea.  Being the friendly gentleman that he was, he stopped and told us all about how they have a professional tea taster come in to train them on different types of tea, the brewing process, steep times, temperatures, etc.; He sounded very knowledgeable on the subject.

Neither of us were previously into the whole Disney propaganda… until our trip.  In fact, I have never seen Alice in Wonderland or Snow White (among other movies, though I do know the plots).  However, by the time we got back into town we were already planning a return trip.

My Tea-Themed Wedding

The hours and hours (and oh my goodness the hours!) of preparation paid off.  Everything went smoothly.  Despite all of the fun this past year, I am glad it is over.

The “Soon-To-Be Tea-Themed Wedding” post discusses my ideas mid-planning.  Please enjoy pictures of the final result.

It was a little difficult to find true tea items for decoration, so I had to stretch the theme and use leaves and vines.  One detail I was very pleased about is that the carpet of the venue in which we had our ceremony was dark green with gold leaves/vines.  Additionally, our wedding colors were black, white, and green.  Notice my dress?  Yes, I couldn't help but to add my favorite color to it.

After working with the cake decorator we came up with a design for the cake to have a smooth white background with dark brown piped vines decorated with protruding fondant leaves.  The leaves are actually lemon leaves, but they were the closest thing to tea leaves that I could find.  There was no way I was putting a topper on this cake because 1) I think toppers are stupid and 2) they take away from the overall design of the cake.

I wasn't going to get custom made napkins but the husband surprised me with these.

I designed the guest tables to have a black table clover with a white table runner in the center.  On the white runner is glass teapots with green LEDs on the bottom with rocks on top of the LEDs to hide the light source but still show the light (they looked a lot better when the overhead lights were off).  I took the lid off the teapots, sat them next to the teapots, and filled the teapots with flowers.  On each side of the teapots I had glass teacups filled with green rocks with a tea light candle in the center.  At each seat sat custom made coasters (another surprise from the husband), wedding favors filled with custom made tea, bells to ring us in as we came into the reception hall, and custom made pens.  I put white covers on the chairs with a green tulle bow on each one.

These were the custom teas that were available to the guests during the reception.  These same blends were in the favor boxes on the guest tables.  I couldn't find a picture of them at the reception so I took a quick picture to show off the design of containers... which were also custom made.

A few more tea-themed items from the wedding were my necklace and earrings that had leaves/vines on them, my tiara that had flowers and leaves, and the cake knife, server, and toasting flutes that sported leaves and vines.  Furthermore, since this was a secular ceremony, I printed the ceremony wording landscape style then wrapped the printed pages around a few of the pages from "The Book of Tea" so the officiant looked like she was reading out of the book.

Now that everything is over, I have over 20 glass teapots and over 40 glass teacups that I might sell or give away soon!

Tea-Themed Bridal Shower

Amongst planning the layout of the reception tables, the order of the processional, my overall survival of the wedding day, etc., there was one wedding related event that I didn't have to plan – my bridal shower.

My bridesmaids graciously hosted an elegant tea-themed bridal shower in honor of my – at the time - upcoming nuptials.  No detail was spared; Pastel green table cloths covered five long tables – three tables for guests, one for gifts, and one for cake and punch.  Upon each guest table sat two vintage teacups with saucers, each holding a bouquet of fresh purple flowers.  Placed on the saucer were teabags filled with green tea adorning custom made tags that said “Brittiny and Kevin” one side and “The Perfect Blend” on the other side.  Additionally, each place setting had its own set of materials needed for each game.  The cake table held not only the beautiful cake, but also the delicious green punch, nuts, and handmade mints.  There were color coordinating cups, napkins, and forks for the occasion, as well. 

The games we played were surprisingly fun and resulted in loads of laughs.  Here is what the bridesmaids’ planned:

The first game lasted the entire time of the bridal shower.  Each girl started out with one clothes pin that they clipped to their shirt.  The only rule was that you could not say the groom’s name and if someone caught you saying the groom’s name then they got to steal your clothes pin.  The object was to be the person with the most clothes pins at the end of the party.

The second game was bride bingo.  Each person had a custom made bingo board that had a question about the soon-to-be wedded couple in each box.  Examples of some of the questions are, “Where did the groom propose,” “How long has the couple been dating,” and “How many dresses did the bride try on before she found the one?”  The guests were allowed time to answer each question to the best of their knowledge.  

Next, the bridesmaids read the questions and I answered them.  If the guest wrote down the correct answer, then they can mark that square.  The object was the get five squares in a row like a regular bingo card (across, up and down, or diagonal).

The third and final game involved matching each guest with their celebrity husband.  Each guest secretly wrote down their celebrity husband on a small piece of paper, folded it, and put it in a collective basket.  The bridesmaids then pulled out each name, read it aloud, and each guest had to match the celebrity with the guest whom they thought wrote it down.  To make this easier, the bridesmaids had given each guest a list of names of all of the guests at the party.  The object was to have the most correct matches.

The bridesmaids also had each guest write their name and address on a small envelope which ended up being the envelopes used for the thank you cards that I filled out later.  So thoughtful!

The prizes for the games were the beautiful teacup center pieces.  I didn't win any of the games, but I received a teacup just for being the bride!  After the games we loaded up on cake and punch while oohing, aahing, and chuckling as I unwrapped the gifts.

I am not the girly-est of girls and I only have a few girlfriends whom I hang out with on occasion, so being in a room full of the coolest ladies I know ended up being more fun than I had originally thought.

Not-So-Good Tea Pairings

I have read many books and blogs about pairing tea with other things to make a great combo – tea and chocolate, tea and almonds, tea and oatmeal, etc. However, what about things that should be avoided while drinking tea? Here is my mental list of not-so-good tea pairings that I have added to over the years (side note – in all combinations the teas were unflavored and consumed while hot):

Black Tea with Cheetos Puffs – While at work one day, I wrestled the vending machine for some cheesy poofs as a mid-morning snack. I tried washing it down with the black tea that I had brought with me to work that morning which resulted in a smoked fake-cheese aftertaste. I was dumb enough to try the same thing with green tea at a different point in time to discover that was even worse. I like cheesy poofs, okay?

Green Tea with Grapefruit – After eating a grapefruit I felt like I wanted to keep this “health food” trend going so I brewed up some green tea only to find the combination was an unpleasant grassy, acidic, bitter taste. However, black tea with grapefruit isn’t bad.

Green Tea with Original Flavor Pringles – I love them both separately, but together the salty/grassy mixture is just… weird.

Green Tea and Peanut Butter – I thought this combination was going to be okay since tea and nutty flavors go well together (I love Dragon Well!). I didn’t find the combo all too pleasant when I tried pairing green tea with peanut butter on toast. Black tea might not be so bad, but I haven’t tried it yet.

Green Tea and Nachos – Yeah… um… no. Just… no.

White Tea and Chicken Alfredo Pasta – I don’t know what I was thinking. I had finished making a cup of white tea at the same time the fiancée had finished dinner, so I brought the cup with me to the table - bad idea. I thought it would be fine considering sometimes pasta Alfredo contains broccoli (which is similar to the vegetal flavor of some white teas). Nope. The combination of white tea and Alfredo sauce doesn’t work for me.

That is all that I can think of at the moment. I am sure I will be adding to this list again soon. I think it is safe to say that I do not like the combo of tea and cheese flavors. However, I am infatuated with both separately.

Do you have any not-so-good pairings that you would like to warn about?

Oolongs and Pu Erhs will probably never make this list because I usually save those to drink only when I have time to dedicate to Gong Fu Cha. Thus, I concentrate on the tea alone and do not pair it with anything else.

Image Reference Links: Cheetos Puffs, Nachos

The First Casualty

After four years of studying, writing about and drinking tea, the unthinkable happened… for the first time I broke a piece of my teaware.

Gasp.

I feel ashamed and remorseful. It was eight o’clock on Christmas morning and I wanted to make some tea before family arrived at my place to feast and open gifts. In a rush, I grabbed my tea tray with my Tsuki teapot and Holiday mug and headed to the sink to clean them before preparing the tea. After thoroughly rinsing the teapot and giving it one last shake to remove the excess water… it happened. The teapot slipped out of my wet hands and fell into the sink. That is when I heard the ominous sound. I cursed and looked down to confirm my suspicions… yes, what was once an elegant piece of teaware was now two incomplete pieces. My heart broke equally as much.



Ok, so, the break isn’t THAT bad. It is just the handle of the teapot in which a trip to the craft store for the right epoxy will hopefully remedy my clumsiness. At the moment, I am still using the teapot by wrapping a tea towel around it to pick it up and pour.

I would hate to stop using this teapot just because the handle is missing. First of all, I use gaiwans all the time and they don’t even have handles. Second, this teapot is the perfect one cup size, especially for my small Holiday mug. Finally, I just simply like this teapot too much to give up on it even with it now having a minor inconvenience.

So why am I making such a big deal about this injured teapot? The reason is that I look at this as a reminder to slow down. I haven’t even had the time to write about tea in the last few months. Why? Oh, where is my list of excuses? I know it is around here somewhere. I have changed my list of priorities and in doing so I have become rushed, clumsy, lazy, and stressed in other aspects of my life, not just with tea.

This episode is a reminder to get myself back on track with what I do best; developing plans, lists, and structures to organize and prioritize my time so that I am not rushed/stressed and that I do not overlook the details.

I want to get back to thinking and writing about tea on a regular basis. I also have a wedding to plan and implement by the end of September (tea themed, of course!). These are the two major goals on the list for 2012. I just hope that there are no more casualties.

"Facepalm" Moments With Tea

Over the past four years that I have been studying, experimenting with, writing about, talking about, and drinking tea there have been some rather humorous moments regarding the discussion of tea with others. These particular moments would fit under the definition of "facepalm" moments.

What is a facepalm moment? According to Wiktionary (I can't believe this word has its own Wiki page either), facepalm is an action "to bring the palm of one’s hand to one’s face as an expression of mixed humor and disbelief or disgust or shame..."

Here are a few facepalm moments I have experienced so far:

We were having a carry-in at work...
Me: I thought about making a couple of pitchers of iced black tea, probably Assam, to bring in. Do you think people would like that?
Co-worker: Sure. I like McDonald's iced tea, so if it tastes like that I will drink some. But, McDonald's tea is brown, not black.
Me: *facepalm*

Talking about the different kinds of tea...
Me: ...and then there is matcha, which is powdered green tea. They use that in Japanese tea ceremonies.
Guy: What do they do with the powder? Snort it?
Me: *facepalm*

Talking about weight loss...
Girl: Yeah, green tea is good. I have been drinking it instead of Coke to lose weight. *Holds up a Lipton RTD citrus flavored green tea bottle*
Me: You know, that bottle has almost the same amount of calories and sugar as a bottle of Coke. Real green tea is better for you.
Girl: Yeah, I tried that, but I had to add, like, a ton of sugar and even then it was totally gross.
Me: *facepalm*

Classmate sees my clear travel mug full of wuyi oolong (which brews up a pale yellow color)...
Classmate: Are you drinking beer in class?
Me: No, it's tea.
Classmate: Pee?
Me: No, tea! Ugh...
Different Classmate: Is that beer?
Me: *facepalm*

Those are all I can think of at the moment. I know there several more as the concept of good tea really hasn't hit the people of Indiana yet. Because of that, I am sure there will be more comical times ahead.

So, do you have any facepalm moments that you would like to share?

Image reference link: Facepalm girl

Charleston Tea Plantation

On Sunday, May 15th I had the opportunity to visit the only tea plantation in the continental US which is located on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina near Charleston. This was also the day in which the Charleston Tea Plantation was hosting their 5th annual First Flush Festival.

The gates opened at 11am but we got there around 10:30am to get a good place in line which would insure a good seating spot. Armed with tickets in one hand, a blanket in the other, and my camera bag on my back I waited eagerly for the third party company who was hired to set up and handle parking and tickets to start checking in people.

Finally the time came to hand over my printed tickets to the young guy with the scanner. As he took my tickets I heard him utter “I hope this works” under his breath as he scanned the page. He let out a small sigh when the scanner beeped reassuringly in his hand. We were then ushered over to get paper bracelets so we could come and go as we pleased.

I wasn’t sure what to expect after this because my first complaint about this whole ordeal was that the Charleston Tea Plantation fails to say anything about the First Flush Festival other than when and where it is happening and how to get tickets. That frustrated me because it was only from one single picture of the last year’s event that I knew to bring a blanket (or chair) to sit on. I also had no idea if there was going to be any food or drinks sold at the festival other than them briefly mentioning free tea. It just really bothered me that this is only the 5th annual festival and it seemed like they expected you to know what to expect. It wouldn’t be that hard to give a description about their plans for this event on their website.











Anyways, as we walked away from the check-in booth we saw another ID verification booth off to the side of the path. I was confused about this at first until I realized they were checking ID’s for those over the age of 21 so they could strap a blue Budweiser bracelet around the wrists of beer drinkers. Fine, I thought. This IS a festival, have a beer stand along with the BBQ stand and the taco stand. That’s fine. It’s going to be all about the tea anyways… or so I thought.

I was wrong. The fact that this festival was held on a tea plantation was really the only thing “tea” about this. There were three beer vendors. Three! These were accompanied by only one tea stand which was the place to get free sweetened or unsweetened black iced tea. Further more, I saw a couple of comments on the Charleston Tea Plantation’s Facebook page that said they would like to see more beer vendors at next year’s festival. What? That is like saying, “I want to see more strawberry vendors at the blueberry festival.” It is called the First Flush Festival… it is supposed to be celebrating the first harvest of the year. If you want to drink beer, then go to a damn brewery.

So, we find a place to sit; a nice, cool, shady place amongst a few trees. Before too many people arrived I decide to walk around and take some pictures of the tea and the land. We end up making our way into the store and getting asked to join the factory tour that was about to start. I will have to say this was the best part of the whole visit. Through windows we saw the withering bed, oxidation bed, and sorting area. The aroma alone coming from the factory was worth it. This tour only took about 15 minutes then we exited through the store.

We headed back to our blanket to listen to bands that played on two stages – they switched every 30-45 minutes or so. One five dollar taco and two free cups of tea later, I was bored. The bands were okay… too soft for my kind of music and the plantation was getting crowded by the second. We ended up packing up and leaving around 4:00pm (the festival didn’t end until 8pm) and there wasn’t a bare spot on the lawn; we had to step over people as we were leaving. What’s more, there was still a line of people coming in… and three lines 20 people deep for the beer vendors.

Is the Charleston Tea Plantation worth seeing for a tea aficionado? Yes. Is it worth seeing during the First Flush Festival for a tea aficionado? No. They used the plantation tour bus to haul people from their cars to the check-in booth and, as a result, they were not giving field tours with it. I wasn’t too disappointed not to take a field tour because I’m sure they would just talk about tea information I already knew. Plus, they allowed people to walk anywhere on the plantation while at the festival anyways.

There were way too many people there. The atmosphere of the festival had nothing to do with tea; in fact I think they ruined what little it did have. Three beer vendors? I mean, come on! They could have done so much better. Instead of huge cups of one type of iced tea, why not slightly smaller cups of different types or flavors of tea? Not only would this help sales of the dry leaf stuff they sell in the store, but it would at least make the festival more about tea. For $25 a ticket (and that was the early ticket price) I was disappointed in the festivities… but at least I got a t-shirt.



Just so you know the Charleston Tea Plantation is NOT the only tea plantation in the whole United States… only the continental US. There is the Mauna Kea Tea Plantation on Hilo, Hawaii (the big island).

Making tea with a Keurig

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend invested in a Keurig (the Special Edition Brewing System) for a couple of good reasons. One, his love for coffee eclipses his love for tea and two, he noticed that the long term cost of buying a Keurig would be less than stopping at local coffee shops for the same quality beverage.

He has made several cups of coffee with it using the K-cups and so far he loves it. I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I tried a few different blends and I will say that this shiny little toy isn’t half bad.

Here is where I become skeptical: the Keurig also brews tea. I have watched it make a delicious cup of coffee in under a minute (minus the 3-4 minutes it takes the water to heat up). For coffee, that is pretty cool. However, for tea, there are strict times and temperatures to follow. Tea involves more of a patient steeping process… slightly different than that of coffee.

So, I pulled out the manual (the shopping guide that comes with the brewer is actually thicker than the user manual) and read what it had to say about tea… which isn’t much. The water temperature can be set between 187°F and 192°F in 5° increments. I want to point out that those temperatures aren’t low enough for green tea (should be around 160°F to 180°F) and aren’t high enough for black tea (should be around 195°F to 212°F)… at least for the ideal conditions anyway. However, that is the perfect range for oolongs.

The sample K-cup pack that comes with the brewer has a Celestial Seasonings English Breakfast black tea K-cup. I have been dying to try it out, but I wanted to wait until I had time to sit down and write up this review so I could note my initial thoughts and reactions.

Let’s do this!

So far I am impressed. It took less than a minute and I am holding a cup of black tea that looks and smells just like tea that has been steeped for five minutes. After eagerly taking a sip, I find the flavor severely lacking. I keep sipping, hoping to find something, anything, but all I really get is astringency. It’s flat, very flat. No body, no complexity, no life to this tea. I am sad.

Now I am not sure what to think. I am not very familiar with the Celestial Seasonings brand so I am not sure if the tea is to blame or the machine.

I went back to the machine and plucked the used black tea K-cup from the apparatuses. I ripped back the foil to confirm my suspicions… CTC grade tea leaves – what you would find in a tea bag. What was I expecting? Whole leaf goodness? No, of course not, but at least now I know that it is more plausible to blame the tea than the Keurig.

I am sure this grade of tea is what you will find in all of the tea K-cups because of the fast brewing time. Smaller leaves give you a quicker, but flavorless brew. This proves that you can’t cut corners when it comes to making good tea. The only automatic machine that I know of that makes a great cup of tea is the Breville One Touch Tea Maker.

I guess for now, when it comes to making tea, I will stick with my teapots, kyusus, and gaiwans (oh my!). That is, until I try out the “My K-Cup” accessory.

To be continued…

Image reference links: Keurig, K-cups

Reflecting with Gongfu Cha

The past six months of my life have been one hell of a ride for my normally quaint and boring life.

I bought a brand new car, the boyfriend and I both landed steadier and better paying jobs, we both survived the holidays along with one of the worst flues we have had in a while, and I have been preparing for a vacation and a move this summer. That may not sound like a lot, but after feeling like my life has been in limbo for the past four years (being either unemployed or under employed while still in college) these are major changes taking place.



It is nice that everything is finally changing for the better, but it seems like it is happening all at once. Thus, I am taking some time to slow down and reflect on everything that has happened with a Gongfu Cha session.

Filling and starting the kettle.

I can’t even remember how long it has been since I have spent some quality time with my one and only yixing pot. He is now sitting on my tea table along with my two favorite tasting cups which are accompanied by my pitcher (or fairness cup) and strainer.

The water is ready… just under a boil.

I poured the hot water in the empty yixing pot, replaced the lid, swirled it around and dumped it into the pitcher. I then poured the water from the pitcher to the cups, and then dumped the cups. After pre-heating the tea ware, I filled the yixing pot about 1/3 full of leaves; the tea of choice being the deliciously awesome Bai Lin Gongfu from Canton Tea Company. I rinsed the leaves by pouring hot water into the yixing pot, waiting a few seconds, then pouring the water out. I gave the leaves fresh hot water, let them steep for about 40 seconds, poured this brew into the pitcher, and then into the cups.

Smelling and tasting the sweet, caramel scent and flavor that is Bai Lin made me wonder why I waited so long to sit down for a gongfu cha session. Has my life really been THAT busy?

Let’s see…

I HAD to get a new car. It didn’t really have to get a brand new one, but for me it was the better route to take. This purchase gave me a car payment that I didn’t have with my old car, but it was either that or pay more than what my old car was worth to fix it. I am really not sad to see my old car go because I love my new little wintergreen Chevy Aveo5.

Pouring hot water on the leaves and steeping a second time for 40 seconds.

My boyfriend obtained a well-paying job… which changed everything for us. I can still remember the day he told me he got the job… I felt like we had just won the lottery. A couple of months later I received a better position with slightly better pay which helped us even more. We aren’t millionaires by any means, but at least we are no longer starving and struggling college grads. These opportunities are bitter sweet, though. Neither of our current jobs have anything to do with our college degrees or our long term career goals, but at least it is a start. I finally don’t feel guilty and ashamed for the next three days after impulse-buying a candy bar.

Definitely less astringency and more caramel flavor in the second steep.

I remember 2011 did not start out that great. Both the boyfriend and I had seriously bad flues with fevers, coughing, sneezing, and terrible body aches. On New Years Eve we were in bed by 11pm, incapable of staying up and joining in the festivities. However, starting out the new year like that means it can only get better – and it has!



Heating water for the third steep.

I am currently planning a vacation to Charleston, SC to visit the only tea plantation in the United States. This is something I have wanted to see, but never thought I would be capable of doing it this year. It is exciting, but it is a lot of work planning the week long visit.

The major thing on my mind is the move. After four years of dating, the boyfriend and I finally get to move in together this summer. It has taken us this long because we wanted to secure good, reliable incomes before taking this huge step. This move means that I will be on the road less and have my tea stuff with me more… which also means… you guessed it… more blog posts! I have lived in the same house since I was two years old, so I find each step of the moving process fun and fascinating.

The third steep still has a lot of body to it. Not watery at all.

I think the tea could go on, but I am done. My thirst is quenched and I am out of things to write about. Charles Dickens was right… tea does clear “my muddle of a head.”

Amigurumi Teaware

Lately, I have been combing my two loves: tea and crocheting. I have only been crocheting for almost a year now, but I have quickly picked up the techniques for amigurumi.

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals, creatures, or objects. The word is derived from a combination of the Japanese words ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll.

Through my self teaching of amigurumi I have managed to make a doll for my boyfriend’s niece, a creature resembling “Sack Boy” from the video game “Little Big Planet 2” for my boyfriend, and a candy bowl with lid for my grandma. Even though I find crocheting projects to give to others fun and rewarding, I decided to make a few things for myself.

I took the pattern from Ana Paula Rimoli's book “Amigurumi Two!” for a teapot and gave it some of my own touches. It’s not perfect, but it’s not bad for my first attempt. In the same book is a pattern for a sugar bowl that goes with the tea set. After becoming familiar with the technique of crocheting in the round, I modified the sugar bowl pattern to make a gaiwan. I thought it turned out cute.

I hope to make some cups to accompany the teapot and gaiwan. However, for now I am happy with the two sitting in their own special spots on the shelf.

The Water Experiment

No more tea bags for you. Nope. Not going to happen. You go straight to the high quality, right for the good stuff – the loose leaf stuff, nothing less than the SFTGFOP for you. You open up your box and stare at the golden floweriness of the leaves… and then drown them in chemically treated tap water full of who knows what. You take a sip and wonder why your super fine tea doesn’t taste so super. Before you blame the leaves, the company, the farmer, the crop, and the weather, you might want to take a good, hard look at your not-so-good hard water.

Roughly 98% of what is in your teacup is water. If you don’t like the taste of your water, then more than likely you are not going to like the taste of the tea. What I mean is, if your water tastes like you are licking a metal pipe – water that has a lot of heavy metals, chlorination by-products, and other pharmaceuticals – then your cup of tea is going to reflect that metallic/sulfur aftertaste.

The importance of the right kind of water for tea is not something new. For centuries, the Chinese insisted that the best water to use for Dragon Well tea was water from the Dragon Well spring in the FengHuang Mountain region of China. Although, we cannot all have access to the Dragon Well spring, we can reach for the next best thing: filtered water.

PUR, a company dedicated to water filtration systems, sent me their PUR one-click faucet mount filter to put to the test. I decided to do a blind experiment involving four different water sources: the PUR faucet mount water filter, a Brita water filter pitcher that I currently use for tea, my tap water, and my boyfriend’s apartment tap water.

First, I would like to say that installing the PUR filter was very easy. We have a fairly old faucet and I was worried if the filter would attach, but PUR includes four different washer-like attachments so you can choose the right one that fits your faucet. After screwing in the washer, the filter slides in easily to the body of the case, and the whole thing snaps on with one easy click. They really aren’t kidding about the “one-click” process. De-packaging to installation only took about five minutes.

For the procedure I lined up four mugs and four glasses labeling each pair A, B, C, D. Like I said earlier, this was a blind test so I left the room and had someone else fill each mug with a different type of water, with them keeping the key to what water was in what mug a secret. In each glass I measured out and placed 2.3 grams of Adagio’s White Peony white tea. I chose this particular tea because of its delicate taste. I also chose glasses instead of my fancy tea ware because I didn’t have four of the same tea ware pieces and I wanted each batch to be uniform. It is not the most aesthetic set up, but this way each batch was subjected to the same heat dissipation and steeping conditions.

Next, I heated the four mugs in the microwave until the water reached a temperature of 185°F, allowing for a loss of 5°F when hitting the room temperature glasses to acquire the recommended water temperature of around 180°F. Then, I poured each mug of water into the respectfully labeled glasses containing the white tea. I allowed the tea to steep for the recommended seven minutes then decanted the tea into their respected mugs. Finally, I allowed the tea to set for about five minutes in order to be cool enough to taste.





The results were very interesting. I have known for quite some time that water affects the taste of tea, which is why I invested in my Brita pitcher, but I had no idea of exactly how much water plays a role until I tasted each cup side by side. I was very surprised! Here is what I found:

Please remember that even though I have now paired my notes with the actual water source, at the time of the tasting, I had no idea as to what water was in what mug.

(A) PUR faucet mount water filter – It has a strong, full, brisk flavor for being white tea. I can taste the slight fruitiness at the end, along with a hint of sharpness. It is rather dry than the other three, but holds more complex flavors. There was hardly any residue on the side of the mug.

(B) Boyfriend’s apartment tap water – It has a strong flavor but also a harsh bite in the beginning and end. I have a hard time tasting any fruitiness that normally accompanies this type of tea. The sharpness is distracting. The color seems to be the darkest of the four. This one is astringent as well, but not as much as A. There was a lot of residue on the side of the mug.

(C) My tap water – It has a good flavor, but not as strong as A and B or as complex as A. It is crisp with no sharpness like B. I can taste way more of the fruitiness of the tea but less of the other slightly grassy, nutty flavors like in A or B. It is smoother than A and B – not as much dryness – but the finish is flat. There was a fair amount of residue on the side of the mug.

(D) Brita pitcher water filter – This is almost the same as C. This tea has the lightest color of the group. The flavor also seems faint and a little flat. It is crisp and smooth, hardly any dryness. It lacks the body and briskness that A has. There was hardly any residue on the side of the mug.

My conclusion was a hard one to make. I liked the full flavor of the PUR, but the dryness caught me off guard. However, like wine, good tea is supposed to have some dry qualities. I think I am going to avoid ever making tea with the tap water at my boyfriend’s apartment and at my place. As for my Brita pitcher, that one really stunned me. I have been making tea with this water filter for over a year now, and I didn’t see anything wrong with it. I am wondering if something went wrong with the steeping process in this batch. I want to give old faithful another chance before nixing it. For now, I think I am going to use the PUR filter. It is easier to use than my Brita pitcher (which I have to pull out of the refrigerator and refill almost every time I use it) and the PUR filter makes a decent cup of tea.

For my final thoughts, I suggest investing in a water filter of some kind if you want to enjoy delicious cups of tea or even healthier cups of water. By the way, if you are thinking about buying bottled water instead of a filter, don’t! Filters are a heck of a lot better for the environment, so I believe bottled water isn’t even an option. So I don’t have to go through my diatribe of why I think bottled water is bad, just don’t do it… or I will make you hug a tree!

Behind the Scenes

What exactly goes on during a tea review by yours truly? Well, let me show you.

This is the set up. It's not fancy by any means, but it is what works for me. A simple folding table holds my tea tray, tea towel, and fu dogs. My laptop, external hard drive (where I keep my pictures and written reviews), and cell phone (timer) sits on a folding TV tray and the other TV tray is used for the camera tripod or extra placement space. When I sit in the folding card table chair, to my right is where I store my tea, kettle, and other utensils.



I have a flexible outline in which I review tea. I try to keep the steps the same so I can review each tea the same way, but I try not to make it boring, as well. I open the bag that contains the tea and note the aroma. I pour some of the leaves into a bowl or onto a plate and give the leaves a few more sniffs for a better description of the aroma. At this time I note the recommended water temperature and prepare and start the kettle. While the kettle is doing its thing, I take pictures of the dry leaves while also writing about the appearance. By this time the water is up to temperature so I put the recommended amount of leaves into a teapot, gaiwan, kyusuu, or whatever I choose to use that day and then pour in the hot water. As it is steeping I note the aroma coming from the brewing vessel. I decant the tea when it reaches the suggested brewing time and note the color along with the aroma again. While the tea is cooling I take pictures. Then comes time for tasting. I usually go with my gut on this part and write what first comes to mind... as in what the flavors remind me of. I finish writing the review, edit the pictures, upload the pictures, put the pictures in the edited blog post, and finally post the review for all to see. After all that, I drink the rest of the tea if I like it, and then wash the tea ware.

And... that's it. It doesn't sound like much but this whole process from set up to wash up is about an hour per tea. I have always thought that it's easier to pop out tea reviews one after another if there are no pictures involved... but I think it gives something extra to the blog. You can see that I actually made the tea. You know that I didn't just throw some random descriptive words together and call it a review. I care a lot about the reviews I write and the pictures I take, so I take the time to do a good job... but, as a result, I can't get them out as fast as other bloggers can.

Unnecessary Tea Accessories

For those who are new to the wonderful world of tea and just starting a tea and tea ware collection, the vast array of options can be a bit overwhelming. Please allow me to spare you some terrible headaches. The following items are things that I deem rather unnecessary as far as tea accessories. Of course, you always have the final say on what gets added to your list of must have tea items.

First on my black list is the variety of “infusers.” It has become a reflex to automatically cringe when I see or hear that word. There are tea ball infusers, spoon infusers, stick infusers, etc. What it all comes down to is relentlessly shoving and over packing poor, innocent tea leaves into a stainless steel cage and plunging them into hot water. While you are at it, you might as well let out an evil laugh and shout “there are ways of making you talk!” A better solution is to not even spend the money on these sadistic contraptions. Remember, if you are going to use whole leaf tea, then the leaves need a whole lot of room (in order to expand and steep to their full potential). Most infusers are two small to provide the space needed for large leaves. Therefore, simply put the leaves into a teapot - minus any infuser baskets that might have come with the teapot - pour hot water over the leaves, steep, and then pour the tea through a strainer and into your teacup. If you think about it, it does not take any more or less time to clean out an infuser than it does a teapot. It would actually take longer to stop what you are doing and pack the leaves into the infuser just to have to clean them out later. Not only does this accessory not save you time, but it now gives you a weak cup of tea.

The same concept goes for “T-Sac’s” or filter bags in which to put loose tea. That is logic I have yet to understand. You break out of the normal bagged tea routine and buy loose leaf tea - awesome - then you scoop out some loose leaves and put them… into a bag. Uh… ok… moving on.

As long as we are on the subject on bags, I will mention tea bag squeezers and tea bag rests. Don’t use tea bags and you won’t have a use for these items. It really is that simple.

Finally, the last thing on the list is the tea cozy. Maybe it is because I’m not really a girly girl. Maybe it is because I am not stylish. Maybe it is because I am not the type of person who tries to make her dog wear clothes. Whatever the reason, I think tea cozies are absolutely laughable when it comes to tea accessories. Tea cozies are nothing more than clothes for your teapot. But it keeps the tea warm… oh, really? Really?? What I have found is that keeping tea warm and not letting it naturally cool makes the tea continue to cook. Even if you strain your tea with a fine, mesh strainer small particles are still going to find their way through. As a result, if you keep the water hot, it is going to continue steeping the tea which will result in a bitter brew. This is also the reason why I quit using my vacuum seal travel mug – it kept the tea so hot that it changed the flavor profile by the time I had removed the lid to let it cool enough to drink. I hate the fact that there is a small window in which tea is at the perfect temperature to drink. However, letting the tea cool naturally does not allow it to continue to steep as much, making it taste a heck of a lot better. Some have also said that they use tea cozies for storing their teapots. I say, why would you store them? Display them proudly! When I am not using my teapots, they have their own special spots on shelves to be viewed by all.

Image Reference Links: Tea Ball, Tea Stick, T-Sac, Tea Cozy

Some Advice on Tea Storage

I was reading an article on tea storage advice and did a double take when I hit the section about storing tea in the refrigerator.

Do NOT do that!

There are several things wrong with storing tea, even in an air tight container, in the refrigerator. First, refrigerators house other food odors which could be absorbed by tea leaves. It is bad enough that some teas are overly flavored and scented to begin with, would you want your tea tasting like everything else in your refrigerator, as well? Second, if you place tea in an air tight container, you are also trapping room temperature air in the container. Then you place the container in the refrigerator. A couple of days later you are craving some yummy delicious tea so you grab that container from the refrigerator, open it, scoop out what you want, and close the container. What just happened is you introduced warm air into a cold container. When you put the container back into the refrigerator this is going to produce condensation and the moisture will lead to mold.

Thus, the benefits of the slightly extended shelf life versus the potential risks are just not worth it.

Basically what tea storage comes down to is protecting it from its two enemies: light and air. Store your tea in air tight containers (or at least make the container or bag as air tight as possible) and store those containers in a cool, dry, dark place. Be careful when storing tea in kitchen cabinets because the same threat of food odors in the refrigerator can come from the spices in the cabinets, as well. The ideal place in the kitchen is in the cabinet away from spices and away from the oven as smoke and fumes from cooking could absorb into the leaves.

If you have lots of tea (like the tea freak writing this article) the best practical place to store tea is in a cabinet in another room other than the kitchen... for example, the dining room or living room. This way, the tea is safe from light thanks to the opaque bags and containers plus the doors on the cabinet and the precious leaves are far away from any food odors that it could absorb. Keeping the tea at the same temperature as the rest of the house keeps moisture from forming and developing mold. It is not the perfect set up, but it works.

Ok, if you just insist on storing tea in the refrigerator for whatever reason, allow me to suggest something else. Separate the tea leaves into individual serving sizes and place each serving into a small sealable bag. Then, place the bags into the freezer. When you want to use those tea leaves, take out as many servings as you need and use all of the tea you take out. Do NOT put those tea leaves back into the freezer once you have taken them out.