Naftal

Hello- My favorite Chinese market has an amazing 8 year-old pu'er. They buy it in bulk and you can buy the exact amount that you want.I was not able to find this tea on the website,but I have very limited computer skills.

Hello- The family that owns the Chinese Tea House I frequent import their teas directly from China.They ship their teas all over. Contact them here.Lately, I have been drinking "4 Seasons of Spring Oolong" and "Honey Phoenix Oolong".

Richard-This makes a lot of sense.Distillling takes the positive qualities out of water just like it takes the negative qualities out. That is why Lu Yu ( the tea saint) believed that the best waters came from specific parts of specific rivers.

Hello-Has anyone read "The Green Tea User's Manuel" by Helen Gustafson (forward by Alice Waters)? It as some wonderful recipes. IMHO the most interesting is Ochazuke,made from 1C hot cooked rice,2 oz sushi grade quality white-fleshed fish(raw),wasabi horseradish,1/2 sheetnori seaweed, and1C hot Japanese gree tea.

I try never to violate rule #1,but everything else is *up for grabs*.

Hello- According to my understanding:High quality leaves are often rolled,atleast Chinese green tea leaves are often/usually rolled.One gets multiple steepings as these leaves gradually unfurl.Tea bags and tea balls inhibit this unfurling process and thus effect the quality of the brew.BTW open infusion baskets ,like those that come with some tea cups/pots are fine and do not cause the problems mentioned above.So.......I use loose tea.

Hello-We are developing an index to the best tea houses/shops for the eG Coffee and Tea Forum.It will include the best of the D.C. & DelMarVa area. So tell us where do you go for a good "steeping"? And, what do you like about your favorite tea house/shop:the tea, the ambience,the service,?Do you have a favorite tea there?

Hello- we are developing an index to the best tea houses and tea shops for the eG Coffee and Tea Forum. It will include the best of the Pacific Northwest & Alaska. So, where do you go for a good "steeping". Also, what do you like about your favorite tea house or tea shop? The tea? The ambiance? The service? Do you have a favorite tea at your favorite place? [Moderator's Note: Edited at the request of the posting member.]

Hello- we are developing an index to the best tea houses and tea shops for the eG Coffee and Tea Forum. It will include the best of California. So, where do you go for a good "steeping". Also, what do you like about your favorite tea house or tea shop? The tea? The ambiance? The service? Do you have a favorite tea at your favorite place? [Moderator's Note: Edited at the request of the posting member.]

Hello- we are developing an index to the best tea houses and tea shops for the eG Coffee and Tea Forum. It will include the best of China. So, where do you go for a good "steeping" in China? Also, what do you like about your favorite tea house or tea shop? The tea? The ambiance? The service? Do you have a favorite tea at your favorite place? [Moderator's Note: Edited at the request of the posting member.]

Hello- we are developing an index to the best tea houses and tea shops for the eG Coffee and Tea Forum. It will include the best of the UK & Ireland. So, where do you go for a good "steeping". Also, what do you like about your favorite tea house or tea shop? The ambiance? The service? Do you have a favorite tea at your favorite place? [Moderator:s Note: Edited at the request of the posting member.]

Richard-I really don't know.My sources did not go into detail and I have not found one yet.But, I am still looking.

Hello-Originally, all tea was powdered. When the Chinese brought tea to Japan, they brougt over a powdered variety. This is why powdered tea "matcha" is used in the Japanese tea ceremony. Recently, I went to a store that imports stuff from Taiwan and I discovered that they had/sold a very nice powdered tea that I use the way I would use matcha.I do not have a tea-bowl. I use any nice ceramic bowl that can hold enough water. The Japanese once believed that the ideal tea bowl resembled a Korean rice-bowl.So now I am looking for a traditional Korean rice-bowl, any suggestions?

Amazing! I walked into my favorite chinese teahouse on Thursday. It seems everyone was trying a new yerba mate (does that count as tea????). I thought it tasted more like bark than grass, that is not a bad thing (really).

Hello again-There is a chinese tea called rose pouchong (or something like that) and it does have a slight rose taste. I have bought dried rose flowers/petals at my local middle east market(they use it in cooking). I add this to an inexpensive black tea. I use a lot of rose because I like the flavour, but I am sure it could be adjusted for individual tasts.Also, I have a tea canister made of cinnamon bark and tea left in it does get a slight cinnamon taste/scent.

Ah, so you're adjacent to the mall. If you go west on Big Beaver to Coolidge, south to 14 Mile, west to Greenfield, then south to almost 12 Mile (about 5 miles total -- see a map), you get to Sweet Lorraine's. Highly recommended for any and all meals. Can be crowded at peak lunch/brunch times. Turn right into the adjacent driveway and park in the back. On 13 Mile just east of Greenfield is Fiddleheads. I've never eaten there, but several posters on the Detroit Restaurants thread like it. If you're up for sushi, on Crooks Rd north of Long Lake Rd (about three miles from you), is Nobana, formerly Noble Fish House. ← I think the Vernors and Faygo suggestions are good ones. If you're buying Faygo, don't go for the standard cola, or any other standard flavors...you want Rock and Rye, Redpop, and perhaps a couple of others. These are what people think of when they think of Faygo. Vernors is a local institution, but it isn't what it once was. It's still pretty good, and it packs a relative whallop, if you're not used to such a thing. Nothing's better for you when you're sick. Leonard's right about the pizza places he mentioned, but the best pizza I've ever eaten in my entire life is available in Hazel Park at Loui's Pizza, on Dequidre just north of 9 Mile Road (about 7-8 miles from your hotel, and well worth the trip). The interior is kitschy, but the pizza is simply undeniable. I lived in Chicago for three-and-a-half years and while there was good pie there, nothing touched Loui's. Nothing. It's a deep-dish type that isn't stuffed or anything, with crust to die for. If you *did* happen to die while eating it, at least you'd die happy. Fiddleheads is good, too, as I've been there. Nice atmostphere in a place that you'll drive by without even knowing it's there. Good food. Sweet Lorraine's is consistently good as well, which is another really good suggestion. I'd recommend it for breakfast, particularly, since there are lots of other places for lunch and dinner. Frittata is also a great breakfast place, as previously mentioned. I love it there. One place I would disagree with the recommendation of is Beverly Hills Grill. I've been unimpressed with that place, which I find to be overpriced, and kind of sketchy in their ability to prepare food correctly without overcooking. It usually has a long wait to be seated at prime times, and some of the menu choices/specials do actually sound interesting, but the actual application of said items has consistently disappointed me. For the price, it isn't worth it. I'd much rather steer you in a different direction. Like sushi? Noble Fish in Clawson (not far from your hotel) is just plain the best sushi available in the area. I can't compare it to, say, California, but it's a great little place inside of a tiny Japanese grocery. You wouldn't know it was in there if you didn't know it was in there. That kind of place. Great, great stuff. I'll keep thinking, too. ← Fiddleheads is Wonderful!If they have it, get their lamb sandwitch:wub:

If you are looking for regional eats, you should have a coney island hot dog . The local version is so unique that there are states east of here (I have read) that refer to it as a "Michigan".There is ,I think, a National Coney Island in the Royal Oak/Clawson area. But most strip-malls have a coney place, too.

Hello-I was just wondering: Have you had a chance to get to China Cafe? In a more general vein: I don't know how I could have forgotten it, but I would like to add my hearty,if belated, praise of Diamond Jim Brady's ← Naftal, could you elaborate on your praise of DJB? Back in January, boagman opined that DJB was far superior to Steve and Rocky's. Boagman, if you're reading this, could you expand on that? Thanks. ← Hello- I just got in...Yes, I love DJB. And, yes, I love (devotedly) Steve and Rocky's. I do not think that one is better than the other . I have never had a bad experience at either place. When I go to Steve and Rocky's, I always get an order of oysters to accompany my meal, I love them. I also love their duck. Whenever I go to DJB, I always have dessert (usually, as a rule, I avoid dessert)So, on this Boagman and I agree. Also, DJB is th only place I know that carries splits of Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante on their wine list

Wonderful! I only got 5 out of 11, but I learned a lot

I really don't know very much about Japanese tea. I knew they did oolongs, but I never heard of black japanese teas . Tell me about them. How do they taste? How are they served? As usual, does anyone else have a favorite tea?

Thanks all - From my reading , it seems that a tea sauce begins with tea, cream and a stock. Then, it is seasoned to go with the food it is being used on. Has this been your experience? Also, for the pros out there, could I use yogurt(drained?) instead of the cream?I know this would change the tast, but would it work in other ways? Please let me know.

Hello-I was just wondering: Have you had a chance to get to China Cafe? In a more general vein: I don't know how I could have forgotten it, but I would like to add my hearty,if belated, praise of Diamond Jim Brady's

These books sound very interesting. Who are the authors? ← Just click on the links in my post to see. They are both by Joanna Pruess and John Harney (of Harney & Sons Tea) and Tea Cuisine is actually an updated version of the first book. It was my error to post both of them. I meant to include Cooking With Tea by Robert Wemischner and Diana Rosen. It is out of print but available from ABE Books From Tea Cuisine one of my favorite recipes is Peach and Ginger-Glazed Chicken Legs. A favorite side dish is Curried Potatoes, Cauliflower, and Mushrooms, which is prepared with Lapsang souchong tea. And there is a Candied Ginger and Green Tea Bread that is very easy and very tasty whether made for breakfast, lunch, tea or an evening snack. And for hot weather, there is Buttermilk-Vanilla Tea Sherbet - which requires an ice cream freezer but even the small hand-cranked ones with the bowl that is chilled in the freezer, works very well. There is a Gravlax recipe that uses Lapsang souchong tea, however I'm allergic to many seafoods so have never tried it but one of the people on the tea list did and reported it was excellent. The recipes in the books gave me ideas on how tea could be incorporated into other recipes so I experimented and found several that worked for me. There are other books on cooking with tea, cooking with green tea, but I have not examined them. ← Thanks, so much for this information. I would love to know more about your experiments.

These books sound very interesting. Who are the authors?

Amazing, tea and chocolate, what is more wonderful than that?