Richard Kilgore

The Keemun Hao Ya A from TeaSource.com to start the day off well. Later had my daily bowl of organic matcha from yuuki-cha.com...and we're discussing, well, everything - matcha, chawan and other matcha making equipment, in the Everything about Matcha topic. Followed by an Organic Uji Tokusen Sencha, also from yuuki-cha.com. Tasty!

Tonight I did one trimmed to about 2 1/2 pounds so that it would fit in a pre-heated 12 inch cast iron skillet. It had been marinating in OJ for about 3 hours. 20 minutes at 450 F, then left in the oven turned down to 225 F, last 20 minutes up to 350 F with veggies added. Then veggies finished after the loin was resting. Tender, tasty, not dry despite juggling the temp around to get it right. Finished temp was well above 160 F. Total time about 3 hours. I think that as long as you hit it with high heat at the beginning, it may be a fairly forgiving method. I'll do this again and keep more accurate time and temp notes.

Continuing making a bowl or two of matcha most days and learning more about matcha, the bowls (chawan) you make it in, and the whisking technique. Today two bowls and the best I have made with my current tin of matcha. More in the Everything About Matcha topic. This evening more infusions from the aged shu pu-erh I started earlier.

A couple of years ago I put a loin in the Weber and let it get hotter than I intended. Caught it well into 45 minutes or so - at over 400 degrees if I remember correctly - and then cut the heat back. Total time was about 90 minutes. I thought it would be ruined, but it was one of the best I have ever smoked. The high heat apparently seald in the juices. So in the interests of pork loin science, I will try that in the oven and report back.

Should have tried to go. Oh well. I think the article says they have been losing a half million Euros per year, not that it's the operating cost.

Three free samples available. PM if interested.

Adventures in Making Matcha My current efforts at learning more about matcha involve working my way through the organic matchas at yuuki-cha.com. I'll eventually try other matchas, but for now it makes sense to me to focus on these organics as a way of having some kind of cohesive experience. And the fast shipping and customer service at yuuki-cha.com have been great. I first tried the Organic Yame Matcha as an inexpensive way to get started and to learn how to use a whisk properly. I really liked this matcha; it was much smoother and tastier than I anticipated, and I would gladly drink it daily. Now I am making the Organic Uji Matcha Yuuki Midori. A small step up in price and a little richer taste. Interestingly, the first time I made it I did not care for it and was concerned I was not going to like it at all. But each time I have whisked up a bowl it has gotten better. This could be due to several factors, including me simply learning how to make it with the right amount of matcha. But I have also made it in a different chawan each day - different shapes, different clays, different glazes. And other teas have needed a week or two rest after arriving from Asia to brew well for whatever reason, so that's a possibility, too. In a few weeks, I'll be ready for the next one. In the meantime, I'll try to figure out what makes the taste somewhat different from day to day.

Deep in snow, brewing an aged (late 90s) shu pu-erh from yunnansourcing.com in a Yixing made of 70's/80's clay. Very smooth.

A sommelier with a great position recently told me that he could do what he does without his CIA degree, and without his sommelier certification, because there is no paucity of good wine out there. But his MBA is what makes the difference in his effectiveness as a buyer for a company that wants to give good value to their customers and make a profit. Something to consider.

I am curious as to who else here drinks matcha - even occasionally.

This has been a fascinating Tea Tasting & Discussion so far. cdh has stated a favorite out of the three Wuyi Olongs. Wholemeal Crank and baroness may have some tasting yet to do, but when you have finished tasting and comparing, I would be interested in knowing if you two have a favorite also.

Still available.

While the snow piles up, have also had two bowls of organic matcha and brewed a couple of aged TGY Oolongs to season a Yixing tea pot. So, what teas are you all brewing today?

I don't think you can still find the deal that Cris got anywhere, but Sitram is on Amazon. I have not been following it closely for a few years, but in the past it appeared that the prices for Sitram on Amazon varied hugely during the course of any month. For anyone that's interested in picking up some pieces of sitram, it may be worth your time to monitor Amazon closely. Great stuff. I have a number of pieces in both the Profiserie line and the Catering line.

Started this snowy Texas day with the fine Vitnanakanda Estate Ceylon, FOP from Tea Source.

Hang in there. Real food is nigh.

If you have not read through the eG Culinary Institute (eGCI) course and follow up Q&A on selecting cookware, it's worth spending some significant time on. Sets typically have items you will seldom or never use and your dollars are usually better spent matching the cookware and its construction to the task (and to your cook top - gas vs electric).

I also had five very good infusions of the Organic Uji Gyokuro Gokou from yuuki-cha.com. More on this in the Japanese Green Tea topic soon.

I have been improving my whisking technique lately. The goal is to produce very small bubbles for a sweeter taste - smaller than the ones in the photo up-topic. Start out whisking as rapidly as possible for at least 60 seconds, until the surface is covered with bubbles, some large, some smaller. Then gradually whisk slower and slower, which reduces the size of the bubbles. This works very well for me. Anyone else have a whisking technique to share?

Today greeted a cup of the Ceylon Lumbini Estate, FBOP from Tea Source, a very good Ceylon for everyday drinking. Since then I have whisked two bowls of organic matcha from yuuki-cha.com.

Okay, I know which thingy you are referring to. I gave one as a gift recently, but have not used one myself. A serious tea you are brewing in it.

Rooibos is also called "red bush" and "red tea" (not to be confused with Chinese red tea).

Brewing the Long Jing in a gaiwan?

Had a Yellow Tea at The Cultured Cup today. Now continuing a gong fu session with the Shui Jin Gui that I started earlier. This is one of the Wuyi Oolongs from norbutea.com featured in the current Tea Tasting & Discussion.

It was a comment here a few years ago that got me to clean my wood knife block the first time. I was skeptical. I always hand wash my knives and dry them before putting them back in the block, and I could not see anything down in the slots. But when I flushed the slots with shower water I was amazed at the gray-oily-debris that came out from 20 years of counter service. This was clearly just kitchen air dust and oil accumulation. If dust falls everywhere else in the house, why would I think it would not find its way into knife slots over the course of many years?