Bat Brew

I was brewing some tea with friends in a park last evening, in a quiet clearing circled by tall pine trees.  It was dusk and the light was fading. (The mosquitoes were making themselves known.)  My fellow tea fanatics and I heard this rustling noise above us and spotted bats flying overhead.  Soon, we could hear their clicking sounds (they were using "echo location") and an occasional squeak. It was so cool!  After about 5-10 minutes of this other-worldly show, they disappeared.  As my DH recently said, "Nature participates."  Yes, and in very cool ways!

The photo above is of the brewing session.  We're drinking a tea from Global Tea Hut.  It's a "Kingfisher Jade" - Tsiu Yu - hybrid that was developed in Taiwan, one of the "Three Daughters of Taiwan." I liked it very much. It's a lighter oolong, on the greener side but not without some depth.

My Brew This Morning

I have a mix of folks who read this blog...first, of course, there's Mom and other family and friends.  :-)  Then there are people who enjoy Afternoon Tea.  In addition,  some readers  are interested in Chinese or Japanese style tea.  And then there are the "all of the above" readers.  I try to write about a mix of topics, to hit on something interesting for everybody now and again.  

Today's article is for those of you who are interested in dipping your teapot in the water of "small pot" or "gong fu" style brewing.  I wanted to show how easy it is to get started. This is how I brewed this morning. (Here's another similar posting.)  I'm brewing an Alishan tea (a high mountain oolong, very aromatic).  I pre-warmed this small little porcelain pot in a bowl and poured out the liquid into the bowl so that the pot could sit in the bath and stay warm while it brewed.  The towel is used to blot the bottom of the teapot before I pour.  I'm not using a serving pot here (also called a "fairness pot") because I'm pouring straight into my cup.  That's it!

And then again, there's always more. A few tips:
* This style of brewing uses a lot more tea and less water (in proportion) than a typical large teapot.  That means the steeping happens fast and you'll want to pour off quickly.  I typically pour off the first brew between 30 seconds and 1 minute, depending on the tea.

* These little pots each have their own pouring quirks.  Play around until you know how to minimize drips.  And keep a towel handy.  Drips happen.

* For a starter pot, I suggest glass or porcelain.  That way, you can use it with a variety of teas.  

* In the brewing style above, I will generate a fair bit of water in my small bowl quickly and need to dump it into the sink or a larger container.

* Be sure to look at the leaf - both dry and wet.  And smell the tea.  These things will enhance your enjoyment.  

* Try to brew in this style when you can focus on the experience.

* Just Go For It!  The spirit of gong fu brewing is to practice,  learn and improve.

What other questions do you have or what other tips would you give?

Great Video on Chinese Tea Brewing

This is a really great video about Chinese Tea brewing.  Stay with it after the Food Curated logo.  At 9 minutes in, he talks about bowl style tea brewing.  Click the image below to launch the video.  Enjoy and let me know what you think!!

The Stronger Pull

"Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love."

~Rumi, 1207-1273

I could have cleaned the office, folded the laundry or washed the dishes.  Instead, I made tea.  A far-away but near-in-heart  friend had sent some Fenghuang Shuixian.  I wanted time to taste this tea, sit alone with it and write a long letter to this friend. 

Delicious tea made exquisite by the moment.

Though I drank alone, I poured two cups: One for me and one for my friend.  I love that tea can connect us at the heart level when we open to it.

PS - Happy National Poetry Month!  Each post this month will include a poem.

Meet Buddy, My Tea Pet

Buddy

Meet Buddy.  He's my tea pet.  He reigns over my tea tray when I'm brewing Gong Fu style.  From time to time, I will anoint him with hot tea, and he loves that.  Buddy is an Ox (my Chinese astrological sign).  He enjoys listening to the laughter of those sipping tea.  If we're sad, he'll quietly bear witness.  He's a faithful friend and doesn't mind what type of tea we drink (or don't drink).  His sweet, happy little face never fails to make me smile.

I found Buddy at New Century Teas in Seattle.  My blogging friend Brett inspired this post.  Check out his blog for a picture of several different types of tea pets.