Dr. Carl

grown - thanks to you, too - I'll give her a try!

Blether - thanks. The post you referred me to is a great education. At least now I know what I'm looking for. Katsuwonus pelamis aka Skipjack. I hope I can find someone in the US who processes katsuo in the proper/traditional way. I'm profoundly saddened by the continuing disaster there. I wonder how you can remain in Tokyo. Even in Tokyo, if your shoes were brought to the US after walking around outside, they would qualify for special handling as hazardous waste. Where you are is just too close for comfort (in other words: insane) considering the continued readings which are hidden from the mainstream. Regardless, thank you for the link! Love the database and other info. I hope you have miso every day since it's proven SO effective as being radio-protective, a cancer fighter, blood sugar normalizer, and SO much more. Best, Sir Chef Dr. Carl, DC, OCD, ADHD, PTSD, ETC, WTF, OMG, LOL

I am seeking an Atlantic? source for Katsuobushi (dried smoked bonito shavings for dashi/stock) for Miso Soup. Wondering what I am REALLY looking for, I see this online: In Japan, Skipjack tuna = Katsuwonus pelamis. ALSO KNOWN AS: Tuna, Ocean Bonito, Lesser Tuna, Aku ATLANTIC SOURCE: U.S. wild-caught from New York to Florida (I wonder if this is at all related to Atlantic bonito = Sarda sarda....some say these are "a type of mackerel"; now I am confused.) What AM I looking for? In Japan they call it "Katsuo"! Here in Seattle, I use Katsuo-bushi (dried, smoked, Bonito/mackerel shavings) to make dashi (broth) for my miso soup every day. My miso is made in North Carolina and that's pretty far from Japan. After reading some other posts here, I see that I really should try to find a brick of smoked bonito and make the shavings myself, yet, I don't have the contraption that makes the shavings...anyway.... I am looking for a source for the smoked fish shavings (or brick) that is as far away from Fukushima as possible. It may not be wise to consume Japanese sea foods at this time even though the governments and power companies say "everything is A.O.K." Perhaps someone on the East Coast of the USA who is using fish from the Atlantic could be found. That's what I am after. I am also looking for Atlantic sources for kombu, wakame and nori. Still, without the bonito/mackerel, I'm lost...(what else could I use? prawns?) [skipjack tuna = Katsuwonus pelamis; Atlantic bonito = Sarda sarda] Help? Thank you in advance, ~drcarl

WC, or Dear Ms. Crank, woo! Nice reply. Shame on me for not reading it sooner! It appears that you are about 7 years ahead of my real tea-tasting experience. (We've a lot in common: quick-read thermometer, digital scale, love of capturing photographs, clinics?, coffee and now tea) First I had to look up what gongfu cha is and learned [Wikipedia] that tea masters in China and other Asian tea cultures study for years to perfect this method. YEARS!?! I'm in my 5th decade and don't have the patience or the time! What is a man to do? Imagine this: I have never tasted a puh-er! (Though you can bet I will) When I look into something (some call it research) I tend to get good at it and wonder why it took me so damn long to make the discovery. For example, buffalo, beefalo and grass-fed beef is SO much remarkably better tasting, and have health-supporting instead of health-robbing fat structures. Since it costs twice as much, I now prefer a half-portion of quality rather than a larger portion of tasteless grease and chemical tissue. The other day I was wondering what I'll discover in a couple of years. What will I achieve a new level of appreciation for? Maybe I could get to it now instead of later. I bet it won't be rap music. Maybe cheese appreciation, or yogurt making, or, well, something in the kitchen... Spent a few hours reading, searching, bookmarking, learning. It seems your multiple infusion experiment was (I assume) 1 min each infusion, then a 4 minute infusion...what I have been doing with a Ti Quan Yin are infusions with successively increased steep times lasting 3, 4, 5, 6, and sometimes a 5th infusion for 6 or 7 minutes. I usually combine two infusions at a time. Sometimes for the 3rd and 4th I add a half teaspoon (or a little more) of "fresh," so it's technically a big 3rd and 4th infusion with a small amount of 1st and 2nd - lol. I steep in a 4 cup pyrex pitcher and strain either into individual cups and individual thermoses, or into a stainless pan to mix 2 infusions before serving and thermos-filling. I learned a great deal reading your posts and following links. Thank you Initially I got the idea to find some Yixing pots at garage sales, but now I remember that each pot should be dedicated to one kind of tea. Just might be forced to buy new. Andiesenji - thanks for your reflections. JimmyD - according to what I have read all over the internet (I read the whole thing), you are probably experiencing joys with your black teas (and herbals) steeped in boiling water...yet, for other teas I suggest that you might find interesting tastes revealed steeping with water that is far below the boiling point. Of course tastes vary, and some people even like beef well-done. Someone else said they enjoy the aromas as much or better than the drink. I heard that of the distance receptors (sight, sound and olfactory) that smelling is "taste at a distance." I also heard that there are something like 400 tastes in coffee, and that ALL of them need the olfactory sense to appreciate them. Amazing and it might even be true!?! Thank you (to all here) for giving my understanding such a quick boost! Internet: gotta love it. I know good booze-drinking toasts; whats a good one for tea? Toast! "Noroc" (Good luck) (Romania, Moldova "Prost," "Prosit" (Germany and Austria) from Latin prosit – "may it be good, i.e., for you" "Skål" (Scandinavia) means "bowl," referring to older drinking vessels "Salute" (Health) (Italy) "Salud" (Health) (Spain and Mexico) "L'Chayim" (to life) (a Jewish toast) "Kanpai" (a toast) (Japanese) "Ganbei" (a toast) (Mandarin Chinese)

AWEsome answer. Just what I am looking for, and yes, I do tent to approach it like a lab project though I appreciate the artistic levels as well...that's part of the science, too! lol. I am loving being at the ignorance is bliss stage (like I used to be with coffee) and know that once I know something, I don't like to go back. When I make multiple infusions one right after another, I set out a row of small, thick, pre-heated sake cups so that I can sample each of the 4 infusions separately. Today was my first experience with Republic of Tea's Acai Green tea. This is probably like saying I ate a Big Mac to a real Foodie. (I don't pay real money for pretend food, btw). Sipping the first infusion, I thought it too fruity and was disappointed, but on the second and third sip I found myself not wanting to put the cup down. I LIKED it. I bet that'd be good iced! Like black teas, Acai has good (anti-oxidant) properties to battle fallout, too! (Not sure if black tea is rich in anti-oxidants, though it IS supposedly radio-protective.) So I made 4, 1-quart infusions and mixed them all up. Made a big cup and filled a small thermos for both me and my partner. I hope the day doesn't come TOO soon that I can taste the difference of fresh-brewed, though it's inevitable. As to Q #4 - I was referring to reheating already brewed and (mixed infusion) tea. I know that coffee turns bad if reheated to too high a temp. I hate to waste tea to find out...though the scientist/artist part of me probably will. Anyway, thank you for the informed answer. I invite more! Best regards, Dr Carl PS - yes, I was asking about how already brewed tea holds-up to reheating...Also, since I am using loose tea, there seem to be WAY too many leaves floating to drink without straining. (<--take it both ways if you want - lol)

Greetings, Prepare for a long post. I have been searching all over the internet for an answer to a question and it's starting to appear that I may have to do my own experimenting. Still, I thought to ask someone (you all) who have MUCH more experience with tea than me. I have a doctorate in chiropractic and always got an A in Lab which, like cooking, I love. I also have the equivalent of a doctorate in coffee, yet not for tea....yet. For coffee I use a digital scale, a digital thermometer, stellar water (properly mineralized), make single variations every day over many weeks and record data on a spreadsheet, and incorporate my partner's opinion as well as occasional "outsider's" who say things like "this may be the best cup of coffee I have ever had!" So, here's the tea question, Question #1: Does tea taste better when "fresh brewed" like coffee does? It's well known that coffee that's more than 15 minutes old (20 tops) after brewing is not the same, and is not as good as fresh-brewed. Of course, and as you probably know, there is a LOT more going on than the post brew-time issue (water quality, grind size, type of grinder/mill, brew temp, type of roast, type of roaster, age of roast, weather patterns, dried on earth or wood, wet-dry-hot-cold processes, etc.), still I wonder if the post-brew time is similar with tea? Having just switched to tea from coffee, and while being amazed that I'm not missing coffee, I am learning a lot. How could I have almost 5 decades under my belt and be so clueless about the worlds of tea? I shudder to think of all the tea I have wasted over the decades not having any idea that a second, third or more infusions were possible. My current daily, all-day tea is Ti Kuan Yin. It does not take a Rocket Surgeon to taste the difference between infusion #1 and #5. I lengthen the steep time from the first to last infusions. Aside: I heard that tea gets cloudy when stored in a refrigerator - have not observed that yet. I read that it's a great growth media for micro-organisms. I am not trying to make kombucha - lol. My #1 priority is taste. Since the first infusion has a far fuller taste (some even recommend tossing it and using the first infusion only as a wash), and since the last infusion (#5) is quite thin in the taste department (though still good, just not as...), it occurs to me to mix the five infusions together, and heat what we want as needed over 1-2 days time. Question #2: Is mixing five infusions a good idea? (comments invited) I am mixing infusions now: I am make five infusions of 16 oz, or 2 cups each in an uncovered 4 cup Pyrex pitcher/measuring cup. Since I am using an oolong, my awesome water is heated to between 185 and 190. I am using close to 4 rounded teaspoons of tea, slightly more (a teaspoon) than most recommend. Steep times for each infusion in minutes are 2.5, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This yields a total of 10 cups steeped in 4 teaspoons tea for 20.5 minutes. Question #3: What is the difference between performing five infusions as noted above, or steeping the same amount of tea in 10 cups of water kept at 185 for 20 minutes? {?more tannins released because the tea leaves didn't get a smoke break?} Question #4: What is the effect of over-heating already brewed tea? Asked differently, what effect does taking a couple of cups of the mixed infusion up to 200, or 205, or even 212 degrees have? I'd love to find these answers, and of course, I'd love your input. Thanks in advance, Dr Carl Sir Dr. Carl, DC, OCD, ADD, PTSD, LOL