It's All About Tea

Surely most of us know that tea originated in China. Throughout centuries, the mighty tea leaf spread across continents and established itself as the most popular beverage in the world. The world's tea history is indeed vibrant. Such that we cannot simply cover in one article. However, here we will address the most important dates of Asian tea. Specifically, in the history of tea in China, Japan, and Taiwan. (Read more)

Cloud tea is a Chinese green tea that originally comes from Mount Lu in Jiangxi Province. Tea enthusiasts call it cloud tea after the thick clouds surrounding the mountain peaks where the tea grows. Another common name for it is Clouds and Mist Tea. On the other hand, in Chinese, we refer to it as Yun Wu. The tea originated in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and became an imperial tribute tea in later dynasties, reserved exclusively for the Emperor. Now, we can all enjoy the sweet and elegant taste of Chinese cloud tea. (Read more)

Dian Hong Tea means "Yunnan Red Tea." While "dian" is an aboriginal word for Yunnan, "hong" means "red" in Chinese, as in "hong cha." In the West, we call it "Black Tea". Today, most Dian Hong Black Tea varieties are grown at high elevations, often between about 1,000 and 2,000 meters above sea level. Growing in ecologically pure areas, the finished tea has an exceptional aroma and taste. Rich, mellow, and sweet, with mouth-watering notes of fruits, honey, and sweet potatoes.  (Read more)

In the Western market, tea connoisseurs know the price of an adequately-aged pu-erh cake or white tea. However, when hearing about aged oolong, many might become perplexed. Taiwan has had the tradition of aging oolong for practically as long as oolong production itself has existed. But it never quite took off in the West the way that aged pu-erh did, perhaps because the production of aged oolongs remains pretty scarce and reserved for true enthusiasts of this tea type. So what is so special about aged oolong? (Read more)

When you want to make your matcha in the traditional Japanese style, it's essential to invest in a proper Japanese tea set. A basic tea set will include a chawan (matcha bowl), chasen (matcha whisk), and chashaku (matcha scoop). If you want a complete Japanese tea set, however, you should also get a furui (tea sift), and a kusenaoshi (chasen holder). By the way, this is only if you want to enjoy matcha at home, casually. If you're going to make matcha as per the ways of Chado, you need much more equipment. So, if you want to make a proper bowl of frothy green matcha, if nothing else, you should always have quality matcha tea powder and a chasen. So how do we take care of the matcha whisk to ensure its longevity for years of umami-rich tea bowls to come? (Read more)