Once a week last spring, I took the 51B line to Teance at 5 p.m. so that I could make it to TeaCal by 5:30. TeaCal is a DeCal class on tea, and last spring was the first time it…
The Time for Tea
by Mai •
Tea class
The secret to a good infusion of Anji Bai Cha
by Mai •
Contrast to its name, Bai Cha, which means “white tea”, is a green tea. And unlike other green teas, the Anji Bai Cha must be steeped for a long time to release its full potential. Anji Baicha is delicious and…
Shincha of Spring 2012
by Mai •
“Shincha” means “new tea”. It’s popular in Japan, but outside of the Japan, it’s the kind of “insider tea” that only a regular would know because the host whispers to her “hey we just got a small bag arrive in…
Phoenix Oolongs
by Mai •
When I hear charcoal fire roasted, I don’t think of light and floral. I think smoky. That certainly has to do with the Charcoal Fire Roasted Tung Ting, the first charcoal-fire-roasted tea that I ever tried, and it’s everything but…
Two fun facts about tea
by Mai •
Well, one of them is fun, the other is good to know, or you might end up throwing out really good oolongs. I learned them from the Taiwanese oolong class last week. When you put a group of avid tea…
A sure sign that you’re a tea addict
by Mai •
You give yourself a monthly allowance. $70 from that goes to a tea set. Then you have 67-cent cup noodles for dinner, the American kind. All the while marveling at the celadon color, the smooth glaze, the delicate tasting cups.…
Taiwanese Oolong Tea Class at Teance
by Mai •
Friday, Jun 17. 7 PM. Twice a year, Camellia sinensis is harvested to make oolong, but the spring yield is usually more floral than the fall. Winnie started the class with a taste test: between two oolongs, can we tell…
Teance Spring Harvest Party
by Mai •
Ten minutes before seven on a Friday night, and Teance was already half full. The guys were handing out Lavender Mint as a preface, which I suppose could make a great palate cleanser. I was focused on snatching a seat…
Sencha and yomogi mochi
by Mai •
The third pairing of mochi and Japanese green tea. Perfect! Yes, finally a mochi that goes perfectly with sencha. Yomogi (Japanese mugwort), julienned into tiny strings and mixed with the mochi dough, gives the mochi a clean, refreshing taste, which…
Wednesday 4/4 – Benefits of tea
by Mai •
Today we had a guest lecturer: John Kokko from the Turtle Island Health Clinic, who came to talk to us about the benefits of tea in scientific terms. For notekeeping purposes, the following is taken from the copy that John…