Ten Ren tea (and a tea question)

[IronFist]

Who likes Ten Ren (http://www.tenren.com)'s tea? They have some expensive (http://www.tenren.com/kin509darsup.html) ($128.00) tea there!! Anyway, I like their Green Tea and their Hibiscious Tea, and I was about to place an order but I thought I'd ask here to see if anyone had any recommendations first.

What's the difference between tea in a bag and like, um, the stuff that's not in a bag? How do you make the non-bag stuff? Is it better? Do you need special equipment or do you just throw it in a cup with some water? Probably not.

[joedoe]

Not sure about the brand. I have probably tried it before but it doesn't stick in my mind.

The only difference between loose leaf and a teabag is that you won't run the risk of swallowing some leaves if you use a teabag. I find that loose leaf tastes a bit better, but that is mainly because some teabags impart a bit of flavour from the paper they use.

Loose leaf can be prepared either by putting the leaves straight into your cup and adding hot water, or you can make it in a pot.

[SimonM]

Originally posted by joedoe
Not sure about the brand. I have probably tried it before but it doesn't stick in my mind.

The only difference between loose leaf and a teabag is that you won't run the risk of swallowing some leaves if you use a teabag. I find that loose leaf tastes a bit better, but that is mainly because some teabags impart a bit of flavour from the paper they use.

Loose leaf can be prepared either by putting the leaves straight into your cup and adding hot water, or you can make it in a pot.

I prefer loose leaf, I find that even relatively high quality teabags leave some flavour in the tea. That being said, don't try ripping off the top of a bag and pouring the contents into a pot to use as loose leaf, the results are horrible.

How is this about Kung Fu? :confused: :D :cool:

[joedoe]

Originally posted by SimonM
I prefer loose leaf, I find that even relatively high quality teabags leave some flavour in the tea. That being said, don't try ripping off the top of a bag and pouring the contents into a pot to use as loose leaf, the results are horrible.

How is this about Kung Fu? :confused: :D :cool:

Agreed. When it comes to Chinese tea, loose leaf is definitely the way to go, though in the office the convenience of the teabag is good.

Well, drinking tea and kung fu are very closely related :D

[Toby]

I buy Temple of Heaven loose gunpowder. I put it in a little spherical mesh clamp thingy specifically for holding tea and submerge that in the water and take it out after 3min. I'm pretty sure that you'd find the spherical thingy everywhere that tea is sold, or in department stores.

[Mr Punch]

Most of the different Chinese tea ceremonies I saw in the Tea Museum in Hong Park near Victoria Peak, HK, involve pouring hot water oin the teapot before you use it, as do the different schools of Japanese tea ceremony, and even the good Mrs Beeton (Victorian English 'tea ceremony' specialist and writer of the famous housekeeping guide... :D ) mentions warming the tea pot before you use it.

So I would say it's a good idea, but I don't do it often cos I'm usually in a hurry.

For Japanese green tea (shin cha anyway - the new fresh leaf tips in season) you should use 70 deg water, not boiling for the first brew and leave it for two-three minutes before pouring out every drop. For the second brew from the same leaves you should use boiling water and pour it immediately, and the same with the third. You should then chuck it away, or it will start tasting like overbrewed old dandelion leaves (believe me - drank them too!).

Dunno bout the different Chinese teas, but I think pu er (po lai) and what in Japanese is called genmai ('roasted rice tea'? - don't know the name in Chinese) are the same process.

Otherwise, agree with everyone else on the taste thing.

[joedoe]

From what I have seen, they put hot water in the pot to warm it first. Then they empty the pot and put the leaves in, followed by more hot water. The first brew is poured away and is called 'washing the tea'. I think traditionally it was to remove any bits of dirt that may be on the tea, and also the first brew was considered to be too bitter. More hot water is added, and the second brew onwards is drunk.

[Mr Punch]

Wassup, don't you understand 'oin'!!!???:D It was a typo for "on/in": it depends on the which tea they're using as to whether they throw away the first brew and to whether they pour the water on or in, and also on the region. There was something about that too in the Tea Museum. The more bitter green teas (like gunpowder) get the treatment you described. Don't remember any other details.

[blooming lotus]

actually, they do they pouring of hot water in cup / vessel first as a hygiene measure. They also do it with chop sticks, spoons and eating dishes;) at least in Chinese water conditions anyway....

they have so many great teas here in china and the majority are really expensive and loose leafed. There are tea ceremonies they do here with a stack of tiny cups and a pot, and they put the tiniest scoop ( and beware not to use more than a teaspoon or it just absorbs more than It'll let you drink)
into and pour, seep, pour some more seep , little half min cup for each then drain the "excess" and repeat. Folks here can sit over one brew ceremony for hours!!

I think at home though , a nice porcelin cup and half a teaspoon with hot water, seep for 3-5 mins and your good to drink.

( Ps: fyi : in most teahouses here they have buhhda / daoist stautes and the "excess " that you WILL be saving, gets poured over these sculptures for respect. and all for Aust $10 ish a 15 min round equalling 3/4 a western cup ) ........Pps : sip slowly, cause unless you want to chat, the next round's not comming anytime soon.

[Toby]

It's "steep", not "seep". ;)

[IronFist]

What is white tea? I see that there.

[Yang Fool]

White tea is picked when it is very young. It is said to have more of the medicinal quality with less caffeine. I drink Ten Ren medium grade Lung Ching green tea. It is $26.00 a pound here in L. A. and it's a big bag of tea, Lasat me about a month. I like the stainer that is like a basket that hangs down into the water. The ball works ok but if you try to make stronger tea I always wonder if the leaves in the middle are getting enough water-flow.

[IronFist]

Does white tea taste good? Should I buy any or no?

[Yang Fool]

It doesn't have much taste. Very light, maybe a slight grassy taste. It's hard to explain. It grows on you. Here it is $60.00 a pound. I buy a quarter pound at a time. I am trying to drink it more often for health benifits but I usually add a little Lung Ching with it to give it a little boost. I'd be willing to send you a little sample of each. Does this board have PMs?

[Yang Fool]

"Does this board have PMs?"

Uhhhhh like those buttons down there?

[Toby]

Yeah, we've got one of those strainers too. But the vessel I brew in doesn't work so well with the strainer so I use the ball most of the time. You do have to gently stir it a couple of times during brewing to ensure all the flavour comes out.

[Ming Yue]

at the school we use a a glass pot with the built in strainer, very easy to use... rather like this one but ours has a metal strainer:

http://www.coffee-makers-espresso-machines.com/bodum-assam-4-cup-32-oz-tea-press-tea-pot-1844-01.html

my favorite tea is LuAnGui Pian - melon seed green tea, followed closely by the gunpowder green.

water's critical too - you should filter the water before you brew with it, especially with some of the more delicate flavors.