One year ago today, I started this blog. I had this idea in mind that perhaps the subjects of tea and wine would compliment and contrast each other harmonically. Little did I know what started as a venue to express my musings would quickly become a portal of learning and making friends of similar passions.
It is amazing to think how tea and wine have connected me with individuals of completely different backgrounds and cultures. And yet our common interests have build pillars strong enough to endear us together. In my humble opinion, such is the true virtue of the grapes and the leaves.
If there is one person who I can blame for the genesis of Adventures in Tea & Wine, then I would heartily point my finger in compliment at MarshalN. Thanks to him, I am now equally as obsessed about blogging and tea as I am about wine.
Thank you all for your readership, friendship, kind comments, criticism and encouragement, without which this blog would have been less meaningful and my knowledge would have been only a tiny fraction of what it is today. There is still a lot more to learn, however.
In return, I sincerely hope that my musings and irreverent banter have somehow also contributed to our communal effort in exploring these noble libations. I also wish that our friendship will develop, persevere and extend towards other branches of our lives in the pursuit of a rewarding and artful journey through life.
If you have any suggestion on how I can improve this blog – from whatever angle it may be – please do not hesitate for a millisecond to let me know.
Let the adventure continue on...
With infinite gratitude and humility,
Phyll
11 comments:
Indeed, it is through tea that I've met many of my friends here in China. It is also through tea that I met you!
I just hope your wife won't kill me when we do meet now that you've pointed your finger squarely at me :)
I guess trying to bridge the worlds of tea and wine is not an easy task... but it gives another interesting facet to your already very interesting blog...
:)
-vl.
Has it really only been a year? It seems like I've been reading your blog for a lot longer!
Great work keeping your blog updated - a lot of us obviously enjoy reading your (always interesting) musings on tea and wine. Now go to your wine/tea storage cellar and crack open a bottle of wine and a pu-erh cake and celebrate! I'm sure you've been keeping a few ear-marked for special occasions :) Congratulations!
Like Nikhil, I feel like I've been reading your blog for a lot longer than a year--but it has been quite the year. I've greatly enjoyed your updates on both tea and wine (hey, you got me to stop drinking my college 'wine pong' wine) and you have largely influenced the way I approach my own notes.
Happy Anniversary, and here's to many more to come!
Congratulations on the anniversary! I wouldn't be able to start my day's work without checking in on "Adventures in Tea and Wine".
As far as suggestions, I can think of only one thing...
"Adventures in Tea and Wine and Cheese"!
...the Holy Trinity will be complete.
Keep up the good work, and Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Thank you all again!
MarshalN - Oh, my wife is quite happy that (1) I drink more tea than wine on a day-to-day basis -- she doesn't want me to be an alcoholic (2) she drinks decent teas these days -- particularly the roasted oolongs that we enjoy tremendously. Your life is not in any danger from us...yet.
VL -- it's the story of our family's life (and Hobbes' too, I presume). Our family is a union of East and West. So wine and tea are natural extensions of our way of life. And dim sum, pavlova, gefilte fish, chasiubao, borscht, etc. First and foremost, I want my kid(s) to grow up in a culturally engaging environment, in food as well as others.
Nikhil -- you opened my eyes to the wonderful world of Indian and Nepalese teas. Thank you!
Mary R -- I am flattered. Toodlepip! (does that work as well as when Hobbes does it? :)
Hobbes -- I know next to nothing about fine cheeses, though I enjoy them very much. The task of cheese shopping is primarily delegated to my better half...my job is just to gobble 'em up. No brainer on my part there.
Phyll,
Thank you for your blog. I am constantly impressed by you're willingness to share your forays into tea and wine, and I enjoy the personal side you always include.
I hope that one day I have the pleasure of meeting you outside of the blogosphere and get to enjoy a few glasses of tea and wine with you.
p.s. I'll have my wife pick out the cheese pairings.
Of my cheese books, Masui's "French Cheese" is my favourite. DK's books are always clear, well-organised, and insightful, and this is a fine example.
Though limited to French cheeses, it's a great place to start, particularly if one is choosing cheese to pair with wine. Try a roquefort with a Sauternes and their mutually-enhancing complementary natures are startling, for example.
The author is Japanese, but seems to know his affinage. :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Ooooh, that was a good try, Phyll, but I'm afraid you just don't rock the 'toodlepip' quite as well as our Hobbes. ;)
I hesitate to add that one should of course definitely take the advice of a lady (Mrs. Davelcorp, in this case) over a book!
Toodlepip*,
Hobbes
*(Heh)
I look forward to reading this for another year and more.
Post a Comment