It's All About Tea

Chinese vs. Taiwanese oolong. This is a tricky topic. And for the most part, it will depend on the specific type of oolong. Of course, oolong originated in China, but the growing conditions and skills of the farmers' skills allowed Taiwanese oolong to quickly catch up to China’s quality within a couple of centuries. (Read more)

...It wasn’t until much later on, in the year 1191 that tea really started growing as a culture after being reintroduced by the Zen priest Eisai, who brought the seeds to Kyoto - the capital and cultural center of Japan at the time. (Read more)

Although Lu Yu is regarded by many current day tea masters as "the Sage of Tea" or even “the God of tea”, he is not the first person to discover it. Specifically, Lu Yu was known for his detailed account of tea written in his book The Classic of Tea or Cha Jing, and for perfecting the craft. The Cha Jing is known to be the first written account on tea culture in the world. (Read more)

Phoenix Dan Cong – Fenghuang Dancong (凤凰单枞) – is one of China's most celebrated oolong teas, grown in the Phoenix Mountains of Guangdong province. What makes it unique: each named variety is propagated from a single mother tree, with its own distinct aroma – from gardenia and honey orchid to almond and osmanthus. (Read more)

The use of tea leaves began in southwest China more than 3,000 years ago and was originally used for chewing or eating.  Over time, the use of tea leaves expanded as people began to use them in cooking and to flavor their water. (Read more)