Posted by Som
Sat, 18 Feb 2006 02:16:00 GMT
I received a shipment of Display Teas from Adagio today, so what better opportunity to use my new macro lens?
As the name implies, display teas (or "blooming teas") are meant for show. Hand-tied by Chinese artisans, the tea arrives looking like this:
(Top side)
(Bottom side)
...unfurls in hot water to reveal this:
This is Adagio's "Jasmine Bloom" variety. As quality goes, it's definitely better than most jasmine teas, but I found it to be far more bitter than the Jasmine Pearls.
Still, the show is worth the money. I'll definitely be serving this up on special occasions in lieu of wine. You can leave the leaves in the glass while you drink it, since they're tied and don't float around, and each tea-ball can be rebrewed several times.
While we had the macro lens and the tripod out, we also took some shots of my husband's home-roasted coffee beans:
This is what he calls a "fairly dark city roast." He needs his own coffee blog.
Posted in tea | Tags display_tea | no comments | no trackbacks
Posted by Som
Sat, 28 Jan 2006 14:37:00 GMT
...and when I say "from China," I mean, "directly from China." Mandy was kind enough to place an order over the phone from the merchant in Huangshan. Interestingly, she got a better price over the phone than she did in person as a tourist (80 RMB/200g, vs. 100 RMB.) Even with the cost of expedited shipping (three weeks is expedited,) I'm still paying less than half the cost of what I'd pay from Tealuxe.
The merchant is also shipping a few free samples, and I'm excited about that, too. But I'm running seriously low on the Jasmine Pearl - there's not enough left to even make a full pot - so that tea can't get here quick enough. I feel withdrawal coming on.
I also placed an order for some more Sweet Camomile Mint from Tealuxe last night, along with another herbal blend they call "Serene." I feel like I need to diversify my nightly cuppa.
On the subject of cuppa of a different sort, I ordered a set of the Tealuxe canisters for my husband. He received a coffee roaster for Christmas, and he's been roasting his own beans for the past month, so he needs some small airtight canisters for the roasted beans.
You'd think the smell of roasting coffee would be divine. And you'd be wrong. But the finished product is worth the trouble: the freshly roasted beans positively shine, and they smell incredible after they've cooled. He says it's the best coffee he's ever had. I'm just happy that he has a healthier alternative to Mountain Dew now.
Posted in tea | 1 comment | no trackbacks
Posted by Som
Wed, 18 Jan 2006 15:25:00 GMT
I've been spoiled. Alas, all good things must come to an end.
The 200-gram canister of jasmine pearl green tea sitting on my counter is almost empty. I've been drinking it exclusively since Mandy gave it to me, and it's been heavenly. Now I'm trying to branch out again, drink one of the other varieties sitting on my kitchen counter, but nothing compares to my dear, sweet jasmine pearl. Nothing. Even my old standby, Tiger Hill Nilgiri, is too bitter and tannic now.
I'm faced with having to pay $90 plus shipping for 300 grams from Tealuxe. I've got to find myself another dealer.
Edit: For those searching for a source for Jasmine Pearl tea, try the link above for Tealuxe, or search eBay. eBay has several stores selling Jasmine Pearl, but you have to pay shipping from Hong Kong, and I'm not sure about the quality, since I've never ordered tea off of an eBay seller. If you're determined to purchase high-quality tea without having to risk the hit-and-miss nature of auctions, Tealuxe is your best bet.
Posted in tea | no comments | no trackbacks
