Richard Kilgore
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Posts posted by Richard Kilgore
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Pleased to see you are recovering, WC.
Also had my daily matcha and am now brewing gongfu cha an shu puerh in a Yixing made for me last year, but of older (late 70s/early 80s) clay. This is a sample of a 2004 Six Famous Mountain brick from Yunnan Sourcing that I got in a tea trade some time ago.
So what teas are you folks drinking in your part of the eGullet world?
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Does anyone have a source for old porcelain Chinese or Japanese teacups?
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A Ceylon Lumbini Estate, FBOP comes with the dawn. This is the one from teasource.com the baroness mentioned in a Tea Tasting & Discussion last year that was almost as complex and good as a more expensive one. Very nice, but I am running low.
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Three sets of free Japanese Shincha green tea samples available. PM me if you are interested.
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This morning I enjoyed a Puttabong Estate Darjeeling with Bavarian Rye toast spread with cream cheese and orange marmalade. Just now had a couple of infusions of the Pai Mu Tan featured in the current Tea Tasting & Discussion. Matcha yet to come.
What's your tea today?
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Powwows happen all over Texas. Here's a link to an upcoming major event near Austin: Austin Powwow where I am sure you will find fry bread.
If you google "Texas Powwow" you will get a number of hits, including two sites that have calendars of Powwows around the country. In at least Texas, Oklahoma and the Southwest, where there is a powwow there is fry bread. That probably also extends from the Northwest into California.
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Any withdrawal symptoms?
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Yesterday began with the last of the fine Keemun Hao Ya A from teasource.com. Later that day it was my daily matcha, currently the Organic Shizuoka Matcha Sakuraka from yuuki-cha.com. Later yet, brewed more of the Yin Zhen from theculturedcup.com featured in the ongoing Tea Tasting & Discussion. Some iced tea on and off during the day, too.
This morning I am kicking off the day with the matcha. Who knows what teas the day will bring.
So what teas are you all drinking in your part of the world?
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The period giving preference to those who did not receive free samples in the last two Tea Tasting & Discussions is past. The free Japanese shincha samples are now available to all eGullet Society members. Three sets of free shincha samples are available. If you are interested, please review the first post above and PM me for details.
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Just to clarify, Chris, I have not yet brewed this gongfu style. A ratio of 2.0-2.5 g per 6-8 ounces of water is generally considered to be western style. I have brewed it at the richer version of that, 2.4 g to 6 ounces in a gaiwan, but not at a gongfu cha ratio. When I do brew it gongfu cha, it will be at a starting (guessing) ratio of about 1 g per ounce, and I'll have to figure out the timing as I go.
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My favorite place (over 100 meals), is Thai-riffic (silly name, serious food) in Dallas, Texas. Unlike most Thai restaurants, they make their curries from scratch. Makes a huge difference.
Since I can get very good Thai nearby, I don't go to the trouble of making it from scratch at home. I use Mae Ploy curry pastes (green is my favorite) at half strength so that my eyes don't cross, but I add lemon grass, galangal, fresh thai peppers...and kaffir lime leaf when I can get it.
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Just a reminder that preference will be given to members who have not received free samples for the last two Tea Tasting & Discussions. Until midnight tonight, Eastern US time zone.
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That should not be a problem, Chris. You can make creamy smooth peanut butter with either the Blend-tec or the Vita-Prep (and I assume the Vita-Mix), not to mention a great concrete block smoothie.
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You may find these white teas somewhat different when brewed 2.5 g to 6 ounces of water, cdh. I'll be interested in what you think if you decide to try that.
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Dan at yuuki-cha.com in Japan is contributing two organic 2010 shinchas for this Tea Tasting & Discussion. Yuuki-cha.com is the leading on-line purveyor of organic Japanese teas.
The two organic shinchas are the 2010 Organic Kagoshima Shincha Saemidori and the 2010 Organic Asahina Kabusecha. I will mail free samples of 15 grams of each of these shinchas to up to three eG Society members.
More information on organic shinchas from the yuuki-cha.com website. Text and photo used with permission.
Organic Kagoshima Shincha Saemidori is a deep steamed organic fukamushi shinchacomprised of the precious young leaves that appear in spring. The saemidori tea bushes used for this shincha are specially cared for and given priory by its cultivator. They are harvested only once a year and harvesting only takes place at the optimum timing in spring. In addition, a plantation area with the most suitable fertile soil, correct altitude and safest growing environment were carefully selected. Soil is managed throughout each harvest year with only natural fertilizer and with the utmost of care. As a result of all of these factors, the quality of this organic fukamushi shincha is maintained to a high standard.The flavor is sweet and smooth with very little astringency, and it's accompanied by a wonderful fresh aroma and beautiful green tea liquor. It's an organic Kagoshima deep steamed shincha of exceptional quality!
Saemidori is a hybrid offspring of Yabukita and Asatsuyu tea breeds that was developed, researched, and tested from around the 1970's. In 1990, it was finally registered, and is now successfully cultivated for the production of matcha, gyokuro, and high quality sencha in a number of tea growing regions of Japan. It is generally only cultivated by organic tea farmers that, above all, seek to cultivate superior quality green tea.
This organic kabusecha is a mid-steamed green tea, known as chumushi. It comes from Asahina which is a famous tea region of Shizuoka that cultivates many covered green teas e.g. gyokuro and kabusecha. This particular organic kabusecha is made from the high quality tea breed known as “Okuhikari” which is well known for its umami tastiness! Infused, this tea has prominent umami taste, unique fragrance, wonderful balance between sencha and gyokuro, green liquor color, and a very clean and refreshing finish!OKUHIKARI: Registered in 1987, Okuhikari is a cross between Yabukita and a Chinese tea breed known as “ShizuCY225”, it’s most suited to cultivation in the mountains making it a good choice for organic tea growers.
While the tasting is open to all members who have posted at least 25 substantive posts (simply a matter of questions, answers, comments that add to discussions) in the eG Coffee and Tea forum,preference will be given until midnight Monday July 12th, 2010 to those who have not participated in the last two tastings.The free samples are available to members who 1) will do three brewing sessions of 4 - 5 ounces each, with multiple infusions, from the sample, and 2) will report on their experience within one week of receiving the sample and participate actively in the discussion.Brewing suggestions to come.
As always, everyone who does not receive a sample is welcome and encouraged to participate in the discussion.
So, please PM me now for details if you would like to receive the free samples and participate in this Tea Tasting & Discussion.
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Teas to wake up to - a Ceylon Lumbini Estate, FBOP yesterday and a Castleton Estate Darjeeling, wiry today. Both from Tea Source.
Matcha both days. Yesterday more infusions of that wonderful Wuyi Oolong from jingteashop.com that I started two days ago, up-topic. I may try another infusion of it before today is gone.
Also this day, the deep-steamed 2010 Organic Kagoshima Magokoro Shincha from yuuki-cha.com.
I'll be posting a new Tea Tasting & Discussion tomorrow. If you subscribe to this Coffee & Tea Forum, you'll be among the first to know.
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A lovely WuYi oolong this afternoon: the 2008 Lao Cong Shui Xian from jingteashop.com. Brewed gongfu cha in an older Zi Ni Yixing teapot.
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It looks like people have two approaches to cold brewing. One is to steep the leaves in the frig for 8 hours;the other is to use a higher leaf:water ratio and steep long enough in the frig for it to get cold, and then re-steep several times (grandpa style). Some people start with cold water and some start with a little hot water to open the leaves more quickly. Do I have this right?
A few minutes ago I started some of the Ceylon Vithanakanda Estate, Extra Special cold brewing for 8 hours. I'll report back.
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Brewed early this morning the Ceylon Vithanakanda Estate, Extra Special from teasource.com that I like so much. Served with Bavarian Rye toast, spread with cream cheese and tomato preserves.
Just now had my daily bowl of matcha and am continuing to experiment with cold brewing different teas. I also plan to brew an Oolong today.
Waiting for my new thermometer to arrive so I can resume brewing Japanese and Chinese green teas.
So what teas - hot, iced or cold brewed - are you all brewing this week?
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Wholemeal Crank reported on a cold brew experiment in a recent post. I have also begun trying a little cold brewing and have a few questions.
Have you found any teas that work particularly well?Any that are a disaster?What type of container do you use to cold brew?Is it possible to over-brew?Any other tips? -
I have been using a Thermopen for daily tea making, as well as for cooking in general, for several years. It's a great thermometer - fast and accurate - but expensive. Since I bought it, Thermopen has come out with a lower cost alternative, the RT600C Superfast Waterproof Pocket Thermometer by ThermoWorks. It reads the temp within 4 - 6 seconds and is water resistant (which my original Thermopen was not). $25 vs $90 for the current model Thermopen.
I'll report back after it arrives and I have used it for a few days.
But what do you all use for a tea thermometer? Any you particularly like and recommend? Any you find don't work well for you?
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My great Thermopen thermometer died after several years of daily service, so I am somewhat restricted to Black teas and Oolongs for a few days while waiting for a replacement. So here, Deep in the Heart of Texas, it's a Konghea Estate Golden Bud from teasource.com to start the day.
What's in your tea cup? Or mug? Or jug? Or thermos?
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Fair enough, Chris. I'll look forward to reading your comments almost as much as you'll enjoy the temp dropping a bit.
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That's an attractive pot, WC. What's the capacity?
Tea Tasting: Two 2010 Japanese Shinchas
in Coffee & Tea
Posted
Free samples still available. PM me if interested.