tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272525432012-01-27T22:58:06.041-08:00on tea, wine & other (mis)adventures~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.comBlogger2081100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-40666780463086447202008-09-13T23:38:00.000-07:002008-09-14T23:46:59.537-07:00

On the 11th day (Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008), I ended my tasting of a well-crafted 2004 Wuyi Shuixian oolong that was harvested from a 200+ years old tea bush. If my notes are correct, this prolonged session yielded 21 infusions in the first three days, using gongfu brewing method. And 16 additional lovely cups were extracted through long steepings (9 - 12 hours each) over the next 8 days. That

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-45052016497410585612008-09-08T18:20:00.000-07:002008-09-19T10:35:27.967-07:00

The use of wine terms and allusions for tea has become more popular in the past few years. While I'm not a linguist, my guess is wine terms are increasingly adopted in tea talk because they have a higher likelihood of being understood by those uninitiated in tea but are more familiar with the wine culture (I'll refer to them as "wine-people" for the sake of brevity). Also, perhaps, wine terms

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-60353959172603040632008-09-06T01:09:00.000-07:002008-09-06T01:10:06.028-07:00

Last night, after drinking Toki's yancha oolong brew du nuit (steeped from 9am to 9pm), I decided to look for another yancha tea among my stash to do a comparison tasting, sort of. Aha! I found a pack of vintage 2007 Baishuixiang (100 years fragrance -- BSX) oolong, still vacuum-sealed in its little mylar bag.This tea, among others, was generously given to me by Will and Louise, two of my LA Tea

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-75292952480241556292008-09-05T00:19:00.001-07:002008-09-05T11:27:45.349-07:00

Today, I enter into my 6th day of tasting Toki's Wuyi oolong, which according to his blog was harvested from a 200+ years old Shui Xian bush, and then fired 4 times between May and September of 2004 by a talented tea master in Wuyishan, Fujian Province, China.For the first 3 days (Sunday to Tuesday), I brewed this tea with regular gongfu methods until such point that I had to infuse the tea for

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-27482648096311152272008-09-04T07:59:00.000-07:002008-09-16T10:57:51.150-07:00

All this monkey business ought to stop.Chinese tea factories and companies that produce "monkey-picked" teas would do well from not referring to their employees as monkeys. Ask any business consultant, and they will confirm that it’s an effective policy to boost workers’ morale. It is a right step in the direction of reducing or eliminating employee harassment lawsuits. It is also highly

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-48870802330483392952008-09-03T09:25:00.000-07:002008-09-05T18:11:02.956-07:00

I always welcome with delight the latest quarterly catalog from Upton Tea Imports when it arrives in my mailbox. Even though I rarely order from them, the catalog itself is a good read. It is written like a gazette on tea history accompanied with a broad list of tea and accessory selections.What caught my attention in the Fall 2008 catalog is the short note to the customers on page 3. As a

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-67925928879227170592008-09-02T11:41:00.000-07:002008-09-02T16:14:40.981-07:00

We'll be right back after these messages. Do change your channel around in the mean time.● The Leaf issue no. 3 has been published online. Check out the articles!● What is Ddok tea? Find out here.● Jason Fasi (aka: bearsbearsbears) is well on his way to become a master potter. All the best, Jason!● Winexiles is conducting an online tasting of German rieslings (and everything else from Germany

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-23797262957788801332008-09-01T22:03:00.000-07:002008-09-02T08:35:09.179-07:00

Parameter: dry leaves 3/4 pot full , compacted by tapping the pot gently to settle the leaves down. Flash rinse. Gentle stream of boiling-hot water (99-100' C). All time measurement is an approximation, decided by the previous cup's taste and strength.Day 1: brew # 1 - 4 flash steeped. Brew #5 +2 sec. Brew #6-7 +5 sec.Day 2: brew # 8 (flash steeped to heat leaves). Brew #9 +5 sec. Brew #10-11 +7

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-73253097946906645862008-08-31T22:38:00.001-07:002008-09-01T21:46:18.097-07:00

...a tea tasting marathon session, that is.I am conducting my first drawn out, detailed tasting session, which may last for weeks (one tea) if I do it correctly. The tea is a vintage 2004 high-roast Wuyi oolong of undoubtedly top pedigree.Today I brewed the tea for 7 times. It was lovely and full of energy! The vibrancy of the 7th cup left me with little doubt that this tea can endure the long

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-61247736328481457822008-08-30T16:24:00.000-07:002008-08-31T16:16:07.600-07:00

While reading the woes of the world and the bleak financial news on the papers this morning (not to mention Sen. John McCain's puzzling choice for VP), I sipped on what most likely the 20th infusion of 2005 Yichanghao "Ji Pin" sheng pu'er (Houde). Maybe it was the 19th or the 21st brew...I lost count. This last cup was steeped for a good 12 to 13 hours from the evening before. Its aroma and taste

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-4620466481996387832008-08-29T10:45:00.000-07:002008-08-29T13:15:14.720-07:00

I make it a point to obtain some freshly produced Oriental Beauty oolong every summer. This seductive tea is one of my favorite seasonal indulgences. It's quite easy to fall in love with it. The best example that I ever tried made me swoon in adoration as she sang all the low, mid and high notes in symphony.I think the mark of a superior Oriental Beauty oolong is the presence of acidic nose /

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-49954931241956206892008-08-27T10:27:00.000-07:002008-08-27T10:56:59.173-07:00

The Yeoman Warder (a.k.a. Beefeater gin) from last night played a drum in my head. It was imperative that he left immediately before I leave for office. So I resorted to the fresh Baozhong (spring 2008 harvest, Pinglin township, Taiwan), which was generously included by Guang among my recent purchases.Floral and silky smooth. A wonderful morning refreshment. The Yeoman still lingered, though

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-52699597125780957792008-08-26T23:10:00.001-07:002008-08-28T13:47:28.289-07:00

Note: Besakih Temple, Bali, Indonesia. Ngaben (cremation) ceremony per the Balinese Hindu religion. Ending procession began from the restricted upper area of the temple passing into the public area. Quite fortunate to witness it as this doesn't happen every day (such solemn ceremony is not staged or open to outsiders).

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-70076168240932487272008-08-25T17:04:00.000-07:002008-09-05T18:05:45.506-07:00

Drinking tea in a Guangzhou (Canton) teashop, one is bound to be shown many novelty teas by the shopkeeper. I was a newbie at Pu'er back in 2005 (still am today). It was in November of that year during a visit to the old city when I first got introduced to Crab's Feet Pu'er at a teashop on Yue Hwa Road.I was a soft target: a tourist, even though I wear the skin of a Chinese man. Furthermore, my

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-55691596402905182912008-08-25T01:07:00.000-07:002008-08-25T09:08:24.375-07:00

(Light, shadow, and a girl running)Note: taken at the J. Paul Getty museum on Sunday, August 24th, 2008. About 5pm. The running child: Sophia, my ever hyper daughter.

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-71522765089798307762008-08-14T15:27:00.000-07:002008-08-14T15:49:05.234-07:00

Caught this NBC segment today of Al Roker and Chef Ming Tsai snacking in Beijing. Makes me think that I should be on a strict centipede diet in order to lose a few unwanted pounds...because I wouldn't eat any of it! I'd chew down most of the stuff there without a second thought, although I'm a bit hesitant about the scorpions. Not the centipedes, though...uh uh, no thanks. *shaking my head*

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-42227703280266629472008-08-12T22:18:00.001-07:002008-08-12T22:54:57.566-07:00

The one tea that I've been drinking quite often lately is the 2001 Shuangjiang Mengku Yuanyexiang (YYX), thin paper version. It is now 7 years of age, which supposedly marks the end of the 1st and the beginning of the 2nd stage of its fermentation process. At least that's what they say, although I haven't really grasped the theory behind this concept.The more I drink the YYX, the more I feel how

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-20379156249892574362008-08-06T18:26:00.000-07:002008-08-06T18:33:08.906-07:00

I would like to thank everyone who wrote and gave encouraging thoughts in response to my post below about Misha’s condition. After about one month of investigation, tests, more tests and consultations with various doctors, the result was that the cancer has not spread to any other area of the body. That is a relief for everyone, especially for Misha and his parents.Today morning, Misha

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-92075602575928461512008-07-09T19:42:00.000-07:002008-07-16T16:26:49.478-07:00

So, how is one supposed to feel and react when one learns that someone who one dearly loves has been diagnosed with a despicable affliction: cancer?I am truly shocked and saddened to learn just a few hours ago that my dearest friends' son, Misha, who has literally grown in front of our eyes from boyhood to a strapping, talented, smart and ambitious 13-year old teenager that he is now, has been

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-18071459187550324882008-07-05T17:46:00.000-07:002008-07-06T15:27:38.279-07:00

Whipped Caviar Tarama, Yogurt Tzatziki, Eggplant Melitzanisalata, Fassolia Beans, Manestra Pasta, Kalamaria, Dolmathes, Keftethes, Spanakopita, Pastitsio,…These were some of the wonderful Greek dishes I had with my family in the later half of yesterday. Not exactly a traditional Independence Day fares, which usually involve lots of BBQ’s, beers and red Californian zinfandel. Let's just say we

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-64461323978878547712008-07-04T22:02:00.000-07:002008-07-04T22:35:11.264-07:00

Happy 4th!Something special deserves its own moment. When it comes to a unique tea, it means finding a calm and casual window of time to savor it. The morning of July 4th was such that I decided to open a small package from The Tea Gallery containing 25gr of 1950’s Shui Xian oolong. I’ve been meaning to try this old tea out since it arrived 2 weeks ago, but a calm enough morning has been a rarity

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-52863091258539652022008-06-29T23:26:00.000-07:002008-06-30T17:37:48.037-07:00

First off, Olé España!!! Finally!!!This tea sample came from The Tea Gallery in New York City, a brick-and-mortar tea store which only recently inaugurated its online store. Congratulations! We in the tea blogosphere have known about this establishment for quite some time as the quasi-headquarter of New York City's teaheads, such as Toki.I must generously give my thanks to Dae, of The Tea Gallery

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-21332842714315211792008-06-28T01:47:00.000-07:002008-06-30T18:39:55.009-07:00

Just returned from George Michael's concert in Anaheim. Great show! He is in perfect form, commands a great stage presence, and his voice carries its timeless charm, as if unaffected by years gone by and drugs. In fact, he sounds much better in person than on the records. Not many artists can do that. Bravo! Personal favorite song of the night: Praying for Time.Some pictures from the concert (

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-6041217150716732532008-06-25T22:25:00.000-07:002008-06-25T23:07:56.621-07:00

(click to enlarge picture)

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-49649830190058999112008-06-25T11:54:00.000-07:002008-06-25T19:05:35.142-07:00

I think most bumper stickers say stupid things. But once in a while I see some funny and witty ones, like this one that I saw this morning on the 405 FWY on my way to work -- stuck on the butt of a beat up Toyota.[Update] Which reminds me (in fairness to both parties) of another one that I saw quite a while ago:

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-34229871302173908342008-06-24T00:32:00.000-07:002008-06-24T01:00:21.624-07:00

(Click picture to enlarge. L - R: Dry leaves ; Dry -- close up; Wet leaves)What could you tell me about this tea...its origin, its original name, its tradition, its production method, its brewing method, etc.? The only information I have is where this tea was grown (Mirik, India) and that it is classified as a white tea. I would very much love to know more beyond the mere basics.For now, all I

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-44489066558335476042008-06-22T23:28:00.000-07:002008-06-22T23:58:53.994-07:00

(Santa Monica Beach, about 5:45pm)Yeah, we went to the beach again to cool down. Lots of people today.Afterwards, we rented The Golden Compass, the one with Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and other big names in it. I decided to uncork the 2004 Semler Merlot from Malibu to go with the movie. This is one of the bottles that I purchased while visiting Malibu Family Wines' tasting bar a few weeks ago.TN

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-38983833118001979992008-06-22T14:01:00.000-07:002008-07-14T15:25:25.174-07:00

Going to a dim sum usually means a time out with the family, lots of dumplings, chicken feet (love 'em!), and light conversation over many cups of tea. Whenever we do that, I prefer to bring my own tea leaves from home to be brewed in lieu of the restaurant's, which is more often than not lower in quality (passable, but...).This morning, I brought along 2 tea samples that I received from The

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-63873962024247333062008-06-21T14:12:00.000-07:002008-06-21T14:15:07.752-07:00

News and accounts of the U.C. Berkeley Pu'er Tea Event held on Thursday, June 19th have started to trickle in. Regretfully I couldn't make the journey, but my tea tray and one of my Yixing pots were there. Lucky them. (Brian S. Kirbis, the researcher - host of the event. Photo by Will Yardley, posted with permission.)Blogs that have chronicled the event:Tea Nerd -- by Brent HughesLJ Puerh

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-71486111435565558492008-06-21T13:18:00.000-07:002008-06-21T14:16:02.683-07:00

This is a Dancong oolong that is different -- in appearance and taste -- than all Dancong's that I have tried in the past. If I didn't regard Guang, the proprietor of Houde Fine Tea, as trustworthy, I would have thought that he is trying to profit from the fallen leaves in his yard. Such is the appearance of the leaves as you can see in the pictures below (with 25¢ coin as a rough scale). They

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-7906982080644573272008-06-20T22:50:00.000-07:002008-06-21T12:54:29.927-07:00

The heat today during the daytime was incapacitating. The digital thermometer inside my car clocked in at 113' F (45' C)! As I'm writing this (11pm), the weather.com has my area at 91'F (33' C). Too much of a good thing.... And there is going to be more of it since today is the first official day of summer season for Southern California.There was no mood whatsoever for any tea or red wine (I ran

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-32896379850842575442008-06-20T01:55:00.000-07:002008-06-21T12:07:46.428-07:00

Purchased when released (~2004, $21). Cellared at constant 57' F (offsite).Muted, almost absent of any nose, and acidic tasting immediately after being uncorked. Suspected that wine was defective or dead, but decided to decant. Improved over 3+ hours of time in the decanter and in the glass through airing. Looks like it was "sleeping" or going through an awkward period. Black and blue berries

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-48724973809785355642008-06-19T11:52:00.000-07:002008-06-19T23:25:56.885-07:00

My stomach and sides have been hurting lately. It's from laughing too much, thanks to David Sedaris and his new book "When You Are Engulfed in Flames". I'm still reading it...and enjoying it tremendously.Here's a joke in a Russian gazetta, translated for me by my bro-in-law. A lesson in optimism.A man came into an E.R. with a big knife stuck in his bloody back. Everyone gasped in horror and

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-72002959908845398342008-06-18T19:03:00.000-07:002008-06-18T22:46:44.937-07:00

Had a pleasant lunch today with a couple of friends at the Coast, one of the restaurants inside the charming Shutters on the Beach Hotel in Santa Monica. The weather was perfect! I ordered the fish and chips, probably because I've been rambling about everything British ad nauseam in my previous post. Since we had to return to our respective offices rather shortly, we didn't drink any

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-3509527760713814942008-06-18T10:51:00.001-07:002008-06-18T11:20:12.852-07:00

A few tea friends I know (some from the L.A. Tea Affair group) will be at tomorrow's Pu'er event at the U.C. Berkeley's Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Too bad the event is happening on a week-day and I can't leave work and family. Hopefully we will get to read the account of the day, the people, the teas and the overall reception from one or more participants. Some pictures would be

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-8938968375316915552008-06-17T13:08:00.000-07:002008-06-17T23:58:09.777-07:00

My wife and I were at the Patina restaurant again at the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, and we were reasonably disappointed with the wine selections and the cheese service. (Patina was awarded Michelin 1-star and it is a member of Relais & Châteaux).With the wine, it’s not that they don't have an expansive list. They do. In fact, their Bordeaux and Burgundy selections are in the

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-29283502562039635492008-06-14T23:32:00.000-07:002008-06-17T18:03:19.273-07:00

Got this news off of Jamie Goode's excellent wine blog.It looks like Chateau Montelena, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and probably the California wine industry in general is about to be in the limelight with the upcoming release of a wine-themed movie titled "Bottle Shock". It's based on the 1976 "Judgment of Paris" taste-off that brought Californian wines head-to-head with the heavyweights of the

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-19033542677562202252008-06-14T18:13:00.000-07:002008-06-14T19:44:56.872-07:00

I remember thinking what a nice shu pu'er the 2005 Menghai Dayi V93 was. That was about a year ago. As of this morning, I only had about 10gr of it left, and now it's all gone. The precursor that lead to the finishing of that last bit was the arrival of several tuo's of its younger sibling, the 2006 Dayi V93 (batch # 602).It was a harsh lesson learned once more. Never assume just because last

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-48279931581756733512008-06-10T22:52:00.001-07:002008-06-11T12:15:17.286-07:00

It's been a rather long time since I last met my LA tea friends and MarshalN. My nearly year-long absence from the tea (and wine) blogospheres and various tea meetings placed me in a role of one who tries to catch up. There were news and events of personal and tea-related nature that I only learned from these folks last Sunday. I felt a certain sense of reconnection from seeing them again. So to

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-45307021508786587662008-06-07T22:56:00.001-07:002008-06-09T10:53:31.303-07:00

The two greatest natural assets that Southern California has are, to me, its weather and the Pacific coast. And today was a great day to enjoy them with my wife and our princess. To combat the slight late afternoon wind chill, I brought along my tea set and a canister of high-fired Taiwanese Dong Ding oolong1.The romantic notion of having a peaceful and enjoyable tea session at the beach, however

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-5423248229925394652008-06-03T12:27:00.000-07:002008-06-04T07:50:29.153-07:00

I had a business phone call this morning with someone in Worcester, Massachusetts. Throughout our 15-minute conversation, I kept pronouncing the name of the city as wor-chess-ter (the business entity we were discussing about adopted the name of the city as part of its name, and so it had to be mentioned many times). Towards the end of the call, the guy on the other side sheepishly told me: "Well,

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-26779064356629646622008-06-02T22:42:00.000-07:002008-06-06T09:14:48.333-07:00

I've been finding myself in the mood for Taiwanese Dong Ding oolongs these past few days. Rummaging through my tea canisters at home, I found a few Dong Ding oolongs from Stéphane Erler of Tea Masters that are long overdue for revisitations. Tonight, I decided to brew the Summer 2006 Guei Fei (Concubine) oolong from Fenghuang, Dong Ding, Taiwan, which I have never noted before in this

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-29746429572399686732008-06-02T19:52:00.000-07:002008-06-09T10:54:12.679-07:00

Hobbes -- Tea Blogger of NoteJune 2, 2008Congratulations to Hobbes on earning a well-deserved recognition in the Hall of Blogs of Note for his The Half-Dipper! Those of us who follow Hobbes' blog know too well that he pens a tea blog extraordinaire (and that it's not about a cartoon tiger who likes to dip itself halfway in a bathtub full of tea). Hobbes...I salute you and thank you for your

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-2970812932022177192008-06-01T23:11:00.000-07:002008-06-12T19:44:14.640-07:00

The weather was glorious this past weekend. I spent Sunday morning and afternoon in the Malibu / Santa Monica Mountains with my wife and daughter attending a company picnic at a huge ranch. As we drove near the ranch’s entrance, I noticed trellises of grape vines strewn about the surrounding hills. I asked some of the ranch employees about the vineyards and the possible existence of a winery

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-9713481659263812472007-09-02T11:57:00.000-07:002007-09-02T13:50:20.735-07:00

Hot! The weather has been sizzling these past few days, managing to reach 110˚F / 43˚C in San Fernando Valley where I live. So yesterday we spent the whole afternoon at the beach in Santa Monica, where it was around 80˚F and lightly breezy. Sweet! Our Sophia had a great time playing in the sand and water.The heat practically melted any desire to brew heavier teas. So I opted for last year's

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-33518610896541788142007-09-01T00:57:00.001-07:002007-09-05T16:46:21.515-07:00

The following is a side-by-side comparison of the popular 2001 Mengku Shuang Jiang Factory's "Yuanyexiang" (also spelled "Yuan Yieh Xiang" or simply “YYX”). The leaves of this compressed tea came from the Mengsa Mtn. Proper (Mengsa Zhengshan) in Yunnan Province.Yuanyexiang is another successful project by a well-known Hong Kong tea merchant, Mr. Chan Kwok-yee of Best Tea House, who popularized

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com206tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-935092286831806262007-08-31T22:58:00.000-07:002007-08-31T23:12:47.103-07:00

When my wife and I have guests at our home, serving tea is a part of our customs and something that requires a bit of thinking ahead. As overzealous hosts we often prepare meals in courses (and always too much). It is usually right before desserts that a mini dilemma would set in: What tea to serve and how?In our home, desserts are almost always accompanied with tea. I generally am not in the

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com127tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-1748767090324306962007-08-30T15:31:00.001-07:002007-08-31T14:46:06.733-07:00

Doke Tea FarmWhile I enjoy subtler teas occasionally, I often find myself shying away from most white teas because I find them to be too delicate for my taste. So when T Ching featured this Indian white tea as part of its August online tasting, I reserved my opinion until I tasted it.From Doke Tea in Darjeeling comes this 2nd flush white tea from the Kishanganj district of north eastern Bihar.

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-11694387750135702992007-08-30T13:46:00.000-07:002007-08-30T14:11:33.285-07:00

[The below is posted by the request of Mr. Aaron Fisher, Senior Editor of the Art of Tea Magazine. The article solicits for your kind opinion on the use of the Chinese Pinyin vs. the standardized English language when it comes to tea-related nomenclatures. It is a poll. Your opinion, therefore, will have bearing on the future content of the Art of Tea magazine. Mr. Fisher also requests for your

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-91752021837846204172007-08-07T03:10:00.000-07:002007-08-07T08:47:34.541-07:00

Harken and rejoice, tea lovers in Los Angeles! Our tap water seems to have outdone itself. It was judged to be as good as bottled water.As good as Aquafina? : ) "L.A. tap water came out on top in a 2006 blind tasting, beating water from New York and Seattle, among others. One judge called L.A.'s water 'exceptional. Like a bottled water.'"Read the full commentary by Tom Standage here on the

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-53259488241010450832007-08-07T02:27:00.000-07:002007-08-07T08:21:00.503-07:00

Once in a while I come across wine articles that transcend mere hedonism and clichéd enthusiasm for certain wineries or wine-growing regions. In this case, the article goes into the realm of racism, sexism, stereotype and the inexhaustible spirit and talent of one Zulu woman who struggles with those barriers as she became the first black female winemaker in South Africa.Deservingly so, this

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-444222356745613022007-08-02T21:23:00.000-07:002007-08-03T08:40:52.175-07:00

This is an entry long overdue. Many things happened after the June 16th Pasadena Pu'er event until Mr. Chen Chi-Tong left Los Angeles on June 20th. I had a great time with the entire Wu Shing team (Mr. Liang, his wife, Chen Zhi-Tong, and Aaron Fisher), Guang, Mary and Bob Heiss (authors of the upcoming The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide), and the LA Tea Group. I'll summarize

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-70412085683070045562007-07-31T19:56:00.001-07:002007-08-02T00:30:34.861-07:00

Ah, summer lull seems to be affecting my blog lately. Please pardon the extended absence of any update. A week ago I returned from my S.E. Asian trip on a family visit and to attend various familial events (1 year ceremony of my mother's passing was one of them). Since returning to the States, I have only caught up with the blogging world.[Announcement: T Ching is currently conducting an online

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-8314862261825614532007-06-27T08:48:00.000-07:002007-06-27T10:55:53.772-07:00

While I am drafting Part V (post-event happenings) for the next installment, I thought I'd share with you some pictures of the 1950's Hongyin pu'er. A 10 gr sample of this very tea is now available at Houde for a decent sum of $355.At the Event, we were only able to brew 6 or 7 infusions of the Hongyin as we ran out of time. This tea should be durable enough to last 15 to 20 infusions, depending

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-42921152688158310782007-06-25T18:20:00.000-07:002007-06-26T08:41:01.434-07:00

PART IV: More about the PartyI thought I’d delve a bit more into the details of the party, from my own point of view.The guests were made up of individuals from different backgrounds, professions, ethnicities and age groups. There were authors, academics, bankers, students, IT professionals, movie and TV producers, teashop owners, tea business owners (IM-EX), service professionals, booksellers,

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-44391761071866558972007-06-23T05:12:00.001-07:002007-06-23T14:05:40.971-07:00

Part III: Party time!On the 16th of June, to say that my morning was hectic would be a gross understatement. I was fortunate that none of my arteries burst. The day started early enough to make sure that the posters were re-printed and the freshest berries, fruits and orchids were obtained. The big items were easy to handle. The small details, on the other hand, were murderous.I am glad that my

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-50242539324216589652007-06-22T01:14:00.001-07:002007-06-23T04:34:44.981-07:00

Part II: Prior to the EventOn February 27, I received an email from Guang titled “Need Your Opinion”, in which he asked for my recommendation on places to host the first USA Pu’er Tasting Event at. I told Guang that the better place to hold such a cultural event, in my honest opinion, is in San Francisco for many obvious reasons. While uttering that, however, I also thought that Los Angeles could

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-49845980542607450612007-06-21T12:46:00.000-07:002007-06-23T04:34:15.420-07:00

Part I: Thank you! Last night I drove Chen Zhi-Tong, the tea master/maker/author, to the Los Angeles International Airport for his flight back to Taipei. This marked the end of my commitment to the pu'er event. As such, I am inclined to share with you my experiences surrounding the organization, preparation, and execution of the Pasadena Pu'er Tasting ("Event").Before delving into the details,

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-80595500278921772312007-06-17T00:39:00.000-07:002007-06-17T00:54:27.873-07:00

It's currently 12:40am on Sunday, and I just got back from dinner in Pasadena with a bunch of people, including Chen Zhi Tong, Guang, Liang Chun Chih (Executive Editor of the Art of Tea mag), Aaron Fisher (Sr. Editor) and most of the LA Tea Affair members. Drank too much great wines, too.(I am a bit tipsy as I am writing this)What an amazing day! I made acquaintances with so many great people

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-4707143722799221462007-06-10T23:04:00.001-07:002007-06-12T00:01:29.480-07:00

[Behind bar L - R: Louise, Will, yours truly, Imen and Nick; guests are seated] I had a great time at Imen's new tea lounge, Tea Habitat, on Saturday. It's located in the very upscale neighborhood of Palos Verdes. As it was the grand opening event, drinks were on the house...gongfu style! I volunteered to help with brewing the teas and serving the guests. Time passed like a blur, but I remember

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-39210485312804486362007-06-07T01:39:00.001-07:002007-06-07T21:14:33.506-07:00

PREFACEBack in October 2006, I had the pleasure of enjoying Meghma Tea Garden's autumnal oolong from the Eastern Nepal. A discussion on whether the tea was hand processed / rolled ensued under that post. The sample received and tasted then was too broken for proper observation.I have had again the pleasure of drinking this tea (recently purchased, not the same order as last October's sample). In

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-13755776632613055612007-06-03T13:28:00.000-07:002007-06-03T20:57:37.247-07:00

Folks, we may be taking things too seriously with our beverages. Barbara Holland would heartily agree with my previous sentence and offer a toast to that.I just read a provocative article in The Washington Post by Peter Carlson about his interview with the author of the recently released The Joy of Drinking (which she thinks should be sold as a package with The Joy of Cooking and The Joy of Sex).

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-30350083211062260442007-06-03T03:04:00.000-07:002007-06-03T13:21:52.017-07:00

I guess to enjoy or to dislike a tea is easy; To know a tea is harder; To understand a tea takes time; And to be indifferent is the easiest.I learned a simple yet useful lesson: tasting multiple teas side-by-side, if done hastily, may not reveal the character of each fully. If the goodness of one tea is only revealed a few moments after swallowing the liquor, then the forthcoming sensation will

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-69452963499656869222007-05-29T23:41:00.001-07:002007-05-30T08:43:28.287-07:00

Dear MarshalN:Thank you for the pu’er samples! I have tasted them side-by-side, and I hope my findings are relevant to the collective opinion of those who also received these same samples. Please find my tasting notes and comments below. As with the tea samples that you have generously shared with me in the past, you have again challenged my taste buds and knowledge. This has been a relevant

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-24024845811845589412007-05-28T23:55:00.000-07:002007-05-29T23:54:38.778-07:00

Oftentimes, the litmus test of a fine [western] restaurant is its wine service. Simply put, a knowledgeable and gracious waiter or sommelier truly makes a dining experience more sublime. Le Petit Restaurant (formerly Le Petite Bistro) excels in this regard without much pomp.Located on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, Le Petit has been one of my favorite French bistros. This semi-casual, small

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-61770932514782139022007-05-26T04:59:00.000-07:002007-05-27T15:24:58.611-07:00

Yesterday, after a simple lunch, I prepared the water to brew the 1960’s Guang Yun Gong. It was to be a handsome treat after an entire morning of running errands and shopping for groceries.With the very little sample I got, I inspected the dried leaves carefully. I have apparently received a small chunk from the rim of the beeng and some loose leaves, which were intermixed with stems and twigs. A

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-4562783959826263382007-05-14T00:31:00.000-07:002007-05-15T16:03:45.837-07:00

We celebrated Mother's Day by dining at Saladang Song, a trendy Thai restaurant in Pasadena. Its decor is uplifting, the food delicious, and best of all, the place is relatively family friendly (we had 3 naughty toddlers with us). The weather was perfect and so the 12 of us sat in the restaurant's patio. We all had a wonderful time, albeit the kids were running around being curious about

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-43347826147107969942007-05-13T02:27:00.000-07:002007-05-15T16:07:02.998-07:00

One week of agonizing respiratory infection is finally over and I can now enjoy my tea and wine properly again. I have been craving for the softness and suppleness of Pinot Noir. However, it was not meant to be.When I purchased the 2004 Adelaida Cellar Pinot Noir, somehow I missed reading the "Paso Robles" designation that comes after the "Santa Lucia Mountain Range". I feel that Paso Robles is

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-58287968250678317802007-05-05T14:53:00.000-07:002007-05-05T17:08:47.797-07:00

To the music of Tchaikovsky's Love Theme (Romeo & Juliet), I broke the beeng up using a sterilized letter opener and a pair of white cotton gloves.6 Halved and the resulting loose leaves. 6 The resulting initial pieces. Uneven sizes. To be evened out later.6 After the sample sizes have been evened out, into thick sealed mylar bags they went. 12 bags total (2 are going to some other friends --

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-76297529780498534152007-05-04T12:52:00.000-07:002007-05-07T11:20:43.987-07:00

I quickly realized that my musings on the 2001 Menghai Yiwu Zhengshan below probably has little meaning to those of you who couldn't get your hands on this tea in time before it "sold out" or simply because you didn't know it existed. I also realize that the path of tea learning which I stand on is paved with the generosity of others."The road to hell..." :)There are many teas that would have

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-73363223035000050932007-05-02T22:17:00.000-07:002007-05-04T08:13:25.292-07:00

Embarking on a memory trip, last September Davelcorp sent me a generous sample labeled simply as "Mystery Yiwu". This was soon after I tasted M. Erler's 2003 Yiwu Pu'er. The "Mystery Yiwu" turned out to be the 2001 Menghai Special Production Yiwu Zhengshan "Collectible Leaf of Precious Grade".Having enjoyed M. Erler's tea using the little-leaves-long-infusion brewing method, my 1st attempt with

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-55327505895234236952007-04-29T21:41:00.001-07:002007-04-30T01:30:55.708-07:00

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

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-13579628663588407872007-04-28T20:08:00.000-07:002007-04-28T21:00:12.729-07:00

Here they slumber stillin darkness and humid air'till the master calls(thunder, lightning and sinister laughter!)A snapshot of the offsite cellar (one of the corridors) where I keep my wine and pu'er tea. Contant temperature and humidity at 58°F and 65%, respectively.Nothing inspiring, nothing fancy. The wines and teas can not see where they are anyway.

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-22371754132759035322007-04-27T00:31:00.000-07:002007-04-27T08:45:07.986-07:00

While inventorying my stash, I found this shou pu'er tucked among the other shou I own (not much but growing). It is the same one that Scott Wilson of Yunnan Sourcing mentioned in the 1st volume of The Art of Tea. In the article, his response to the question which Puerhs of 2006 will prove to be the best investment was:".... The 2006 Menghai Yunnan to Tibet Horse Ripe Puerh cake, on the other

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-18485900123948423652007-04-26T11:44:00.001-07:002007-04-27T01:57:17.754-07:00

I finally did what I have procrastinated from doing until last Saturday. I recorded and labeled my pu’er stash. The main goal was simple: to keep track of what I have, the quantity, when I bought them, who or where from, and the price I paid.When the tea dust settled, my spreadsheet said I have about 48 kilograms (~106 lbs) of pu’er. Assuming a standard beeng weighs 357 grams, then I have the

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-82652629846472275512007-04-25T01:13:00.000-07:002007-04-25T02:27:05.413-07:00

I am pretty excited about the upcoming Pu'er event in Pasadena on June 16th. While the tea lineup is certainly something that any pu'er fanatics should not miss, it is meeting and drinking tea with fellow enthusiasts that I look most forward to out of the event. For one, I will finally meet Guang and his family in person. Most -- if not all -- of the unofficial LA tea club members will be there,

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-13238619043646282812007-04-24T17:30:00.000-07:002008-07-14T15:25:25.176-07:00

Something strange happened over Los Angeles last weekend. Tiny droplets of water fell from the sky and soaked everything wet. The TV called the phenomenon "rain" or, even scarier, "thunderstorm" on Friday. I stayed mostly inside until it was safe to go out.During this "thunderstorm", I experimented with the Japanese Sencha samples that came from T Ching. The Sencha teas are named Tenbu ("Dance in

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-68620263622372811902007-04-19T01:45:00.000-07:002008-07-14T15:25:25.178-07:00

My prayer and thoughts go out to the families and friends of those who were senselessly slain at Virginia Tech. I am particularly moved by the braveness of Professor Liviu Librescu who went towards and blocked the deadly threat in order to save many and sacrificed his own life. May they rest in peace and be remembered lovingly forever.Though my blog has been static lately, I have actually been

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-38366725802350471432007-04-08T22:03:00.000-07:002007-05-31T00:55:47.246-07:00

Just finished with watching The Sopranos (1st plug of the final season). Thought I needed a "Tony Soprano" kinda wine to match the potential intensity of the episode. So I cracked open a Napa Valley Syrah by Saxon Brown, a winery that is owned by Jeff Gardner and his wife. Jeff is the talented winemaker behind many well known CA wineries and Saxon Brown is his personal project.2002 Saxon Brown

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-90075464023444024792007-04-08T15:11:00.000-07:002007-04-08T19:21:00.516-07:00

Happy Easter!Yesterday I started the day early to visit the Chinatown with my brother-in-law to pick up the Chinese paintings that were being custom framed (I posted about them below on April 1st). The framings were beautifully done! Allow me to show them off a little here :) PeoniesBlack & White LandscapeCranesBodhidharma (Damo) Drinking Tea...and please meet the lady boss of the Chinese

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-90817067274513913602007-04-07T21:53:00.000-07:002007-04-08T13:09:27.572-07:00

In my very previous post, Silverneedles (a reader's callsign) made an astute comment that I completely agree with: "I'm still going to drink my tea for its taste."In fact, 70% of 6600+ people who voted on MSNBC.com agreed. Click on the image to go to the article (rather old)If you have followed my blog for sometime, you'd know that I am not one who preaches the health benefits of tea. I have

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-91935649473259874162007-04-05T14:54:00.001-07:002007-04-06T16:06:28.252-07:00

I met Professor Zhang Zuo-Feng, M.D., Ph.D by pure chance. We met while accompanying our toddler daughters in a sandbox.Naturally, we struck a casual conversation about our girls. That was when I learned that he came to the U.S. some 11 years ago from Shanghai and he is a professor of epidemiology at the prestigious UCLA School of Medicine (located within walking distance from the park we were at

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-31243208016124609522007-04-03T12:11:00.000-07:002007-04-04T11:34:22.037-07:00

The United States Postal Service clerk asks “Does this parcel contain anything fragile, liquid, perishable, or potentially hazardous?” Inside the parcel are some very young pu’er tea samples going to a friend. How would you answer?A) MaybeB) It’s not liquid, for sureC) Please define "potentially hazardous"D) I need a lawyerE) I assert my fifth amendment rights [against self incrimination]F) None

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-24873477351661877092007-04-01T20:46:00.001-07:002007-04-02T10:17:12.787-07:00

Today, I visited Chinatown in downtown LA (we have several “Chinatowns”). The primary objective was to custom-frame 4 Chinese paintings that I bought in Guangzhou last year for quite a song. Before knowing of this Chinatown art-and-frame shop, I, like most Americans probably would, went to Aaron Brothers to get a quote. The Brothers wanted $400+ to custom mat and frame each painting. Forget it!

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-2227009846064287632007-03-29T17:59:00.000-07:002007-03-29T18:43:27.133-07:00

Click on image to enlarge...More detailed information at Houde's blog

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-21159066369020578412007-03-29T05:36:00.000-07:002007-03-29T21:20:59.882-07:00

Sunday March 25th. I arrived late to be greeted by Danica, Jonathan, Louise and Will. They were already in mid-session of tasting a Wuyi rock oolong called the Thousand Sweet Miles. Feeling comfortable, I immediately slinked right in and joined the fun at the table. The tea was sweet smelling, floral and honey. It was also mellow and smooth with only a bit of roast. I liked it. This sample came

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-70221530842735002102007-03-28T22:13:00.000-07:002007-03-29T18:42:18.340-07:00

A short note in light of MarshalN’s recent question: whether I test tasted the Whole Foods Market (WFM) in-house brand bottled water and the Crystal Geyser (CG) bottled water to determine if they actually taste the same (hence, from the same source). I had not at the time I wrote my March 14th post, and now I have.Last night I blind tasted 4 brands of commercially available water: CG, WFM, Evian,

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-70829444816318305732007-03-26T23:56:00.000-07:002007-03-27T17:10:28.685-07:00

On Sunday, after drinking tea with Danica, Jonathan, Louise and Will again, I went to the beautiful Descanso Gardens with my family and friends (and their children) to see the wonders of spring time. It was simply lovely!And children kissing (my daughter kisses her baby cousin)Next post...a special tea tasting at Danica's.

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-19926488500385599092007-03-24T12:59:00.000-07:002007-03-24T16:57:54.804-07:00

With all due respect to the dead Czar himself, I am afraid I don't have the stomach nor the will to ingest his tea. (to readers who want to know how I got this tea, please refer to my March 18 post, last paragraph).Last week, I placed half of the tea package content into a metal can with a sheet of white paper placed on the bottom. When I was about to discard the tea this morning, Wa-Wa-Wee-Wa! (

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-11577665275103201012007-03-22T07:57:00.000-07:002007-03-22T18:23:49.149-07:00

Ongoing Winexiles wine tasting: Tonight! 2003 or 2004 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage wine from the Rhone Valley, France. (as mentioned in my March 8 post). Post away your tasting notes in this thread.Upcoming T Ching tea tasting: T Ching will be hosting the 2nd online tea tasting. The theme is going to be 2 rare Japanese sencha -- Tenbu and Tenbu Fuka. Those who participated or expressed interest in

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-28817027627298544742007-03-21T21:22:00.001-07:002007-03-22T07:36:31.197-07:00

Mr. Chen Chih Tung is a renowned tea personality, a rock star in the Asian world of Pu'er. He is, after all, the author of the authoritative compendium on Pu'er titled "The Profound World of Chi-Tse", and he has collaborated with various big name pu'er producers. Some of the teas that bear his validation (through his personal supervision of the production process) are the Chang Tai South East

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-12212705978237780822007-03-18T23:44:00.001-07:002007-03-19T11:59:33.127-07:00

Ah, spring is in the air! I’m sure you’ve noticed that tea vendors are offering the spring harvest already. Long Jing, Taiwanese oolongs, Mengding, etc. While I’m not a Japanese tea drinker, word on the street is that Shincha has already come out or about to. So much good tea…very tempting!Unlike tea plantations, however, the grape vines are only budding right about now…there is still 5 to 6

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-61476662425140804172007-03-15T23:40:00.001-07:002007-03-16T17:07:04.510-07:00

[Another quite long post]No one wore Native American costumes. Nonetheless, with the amount of tea that got "dispatched", March 11, 2007 might as well be remembered as The Los Angeles Tea Party. That Saturday, six LA tea aficionados met at Will's place for some very serious tea drinking. I (Phyll) was supposed to be there, and in the end I was only able to attend in spirit due to an unforseen

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-85929928059980570532007-03-14T21:48:00.000-07:002007-03-16T00:59:56.200-07:00

I just found out yesterday -- by scrutinizing the fine prints on the label -- that the Whole Foods Market's 365 Organic brand spring water is actually "Bottled at the CG Roxane Spring Source in Olancha, CA 93549." CG Roxane is none other than the bottler of Crystal Geyser Spring Water, which is one of my favorite water brands for brewing my teas. Apparently, CG Roxane bottles their water at 5

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-64115244704802780852007-03-14T18:27:00.000-07:002007-03-14T21:40:33.336-07:00

Tea and wine lovers seem to share one more unfortunate fact of life: fake stuff. For many fine tea collectors, the prospect of buying highly sought after and antique teas is burdened with such risk. The same goes for wine, too (and any luxury product for that matter). Let us kneel before the altars of Bacchus and Lu Yu to chant our favorite cliché together…caveat emptor, caveat emptor, caveat

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-65904754914778265912007-03-14T16:06:00.000-07:002007-03-14T16:34:29.325-07:00

Have you ever got drunk from tea? (Strong tea can make some people feel woozy, especially when taken on an empty stomach). If never, then this might. Today’s Los Angeles Times Food Section features an interesting article on gourmet “sipping” vodkas. One of the flavors is *drum roll* tea.“The tea flavor, based on a mixture of black, green and oolong teas, is surprisingly rich, with a nose more

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-26994429621645590482007-03-14T09:17:00.001-07:002007-03-22T18:12:20.064-07:00

Prior to hosting the online Darjeeling oolong tasting at T Ching (see Feb. 28 post), I purchased 2 teas of the same origin and genre. Call it a prep or research, if you will. They are named the Okayti Ivory and the Hillton Ebony.With these 2, I now have (only) tasted 5 different Darjeeling oolongs (3 with T Ching). Each one was quite different from another, which I found to be quite fascinating

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-67230827145267032782007-03-13T01:41:00.000-07:002007-03-13T02:00:05.958-07:00

A BIG thank you to V.L., the eloquent author of the highly inspired Tea Logic blog, for providing me with the code fix. Now my blog is viewable normally with Firefox as well as MS Internet Explorer (hopefully also with Linux, Safari and Opera). V.L. emailed me the codes when I literally was giving up on fiddling around with a different template.

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-21086810065030971442007-03-10T15:43:00.000-08:002007-03-10T16:34:10.510-08:00

Just a quick note to say that my blog, as it unintentionally turned out, is best viewed with MS Internet Explorer. Apparently, if viewed with Firefox, the background does not load properly and it remains gray. Not that anything is wrong if you prefer the bland gray background. Some images were designed to blend with the white background in mind, however. Thanks for reading my blog.

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27252543.post-23695527029141266562007-03-08T19:07:00.000-08:002007-03-13T12:49:12.455-07:00

Did you know that members of Winexiles hold monthly online wine tasting? The next one up is scheduled for March 22, 2007. Libbyg will be hosting the event and, as host, he has chosen the 2003 and/or 2004 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage for this cyber tasting (around $15 - 22 per bottle, depending where you are).Click on the wine label for more information and discussion.Winexiles online tasting is a

~ Phyllhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06089209028096768776noreply@blogger.com2