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Clear cutting history
One of the highlights of moving back to Northern California has been the presence of the ancient redwoods. I think about the history of these giants and the effect that the inhabitants of the area...
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Reflecting on the future of the tea industry
Some very interesting insights and perspectives on the tea industry have been expressed in recent T Ching posts. Each person’s perspectives and areas of expertise are so unique and informative. As...
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China, Dubai, and Lipton Yellow Label
It’s been raining here for days. That means there is no hot water because the solar water-heating system hasn’t seen the sun in days. It is muddy in the tea gardens, and there is a distinct coolness –...
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A trip to Yunnan
Last month, we were welcomed by a 20 C cool breeze at 5:00 AM when we touched down at Kunming airport in Yunnan, China. Far from Calcutta’s 35 C hot winds, I felt like I had been transported back to...
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Consistent tea quality
Something that has come up quite often since I have been a supplier of Chinese and Taiwanese teas has been the issue of consistent quality. As everyone knows, the quality of tea – that is, its flavor,...
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In search of Darjeeling
I live in Darjeeling and I love Darjeeling, even without associating it with tea. I am also in search of Darjeeling outside of Darjeeling. That search has led me to wander in Yunnan, Anhui, Fujian,...
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Connecting tea and cake
My favorite memories of living in Japan involve tea and cake. I found I really connected with my friends and family in a tea-and-cake shop. The menu offered the best black, green, and oolong teas in...
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Aged oolong tea
My introduction to aged oolong tea was about six years ago when I first began drinking and appreciating tea. I moved to Taiwan to open a purchasing office / warehouse for a publications company and the...
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Tea art, tea ceremony, and chado: Part 4
This post, which focuses on Cha Dao, is the fourth in a series of posts about tea art, tea ceremony, and chado. In my opinion, tea culture is composed of three parts: material culture, rules and rites,...
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Tea wedding favors
Last month, after 20 years as a single mom, I got married to the most wonderful man. My wedding is not something I thought I’d ever blog about, but central to our celebration were our two respective...
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Pu’erh tea in the morning
Are you looking for a healthy morning coffee substitute? My customer, Kevin, substituted a 20-year-old pu’erh tea for his morning coffee. Each morning he brews two strong cups and meditates for 30...
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For the love of Phoenix Dancong
One question that tea lovers often get asked is “which is your favorite tea?” “Whatever is in my cup at the moment” I often respond. If pressed, I will narrow it down to 1 of 3- Tieguanyin (Iron...
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Lisa’s Korean tea and Seon journey – part one
The main purpose of my trip to Korea this time was to study Korean tea and Korean Seon. The only worry was that I would miss my Korean tea friends. In fact, before I visited Korea, I had no way to...
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Darjeeling tea & China
Darjeeling tea was not known in the 1850’s, when tea planting first began in the area. A lot of hard work took place through the 1900’s, when 89 gardens were running at full steam. Robert Fortune and...
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Whilst we think of it as the favourite drink of the British, tea is the national drink of China. But more than that, it is an important part of the country’s culture and tradition. More than just a...
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Happy New Year!
I am reminded of New Years’ 2013: I had resolved to lose fifteen pounds (just 18 to go)! And, I made a list of foods I would give up to achieve that goal: haggis, kimchi, and tripe topped my list....
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How to Be a Guest
Article by Dan Smith Leave your ego at the door, Wu De reminds us. Take your shoes off outside and leave your ego with them. You will be much more comfortable at the tea table without them. But do you...
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Spirals: Part 1
Article by Lindsey Goodwin, Arthurian Mythologist When you are on a spiritual path, you probably find that your route is often a circular or spiral one. You begin at one point and, after months or...
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Recognizing the Leaf
We two – India and China – have a strange relation when it comes to tea. We have nothing in common except that tea came to India from China and was established by the British on a slavery model to...
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The Economic Future of Direct Trade Tea: A Look at Chinese Quality Tea
The sustainability of the commodity tea industry is in question as the cost of production continues to grow and the global market price of tea has not changed much in the past decades. Like with the...
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