Richard Kilgore

I agree. When I wrote "artisinal" I was referring to bakery hearth breads from the two or three such bakers here and my occassional home baked bread -- not the pseudo-artisinal bread found in many grocery stores. The 12 inch cheapie Dexter Russel Sani-Safe slices through large, crusty round loaves with ease.

I have come to prefer an inexpensive (about $20) long slicer, meant for meat but great for large, crusty artisinal loaves. I think it was andisenjie who suggested that a few years ago here in the forums. (Thanks, Andie!) I have not needed to sharpen it, but consider it to be my only disposible knife. I have not used by German made 8 inch bread knife since.

Check out World Market stores for Chinese double-lidded tins on sale at 50% off. They are located in most states in the US, except for the northeast. I picked up two large ones, roughly 3/4 and 1 lb capacity (maybe larger) for less than $10 for both. Most of these have a small ding in the lid. While I don't store that much of any one tea, I will use them for storing samples and smaller quantities that come vacuum packed or in air/light tight zip bags. They also have smaller ones at a reasonable price.

If asked by friends for a recommendation of one book on tea, I currently send them to The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss. I discovered in the back of the book a brief but helpful guide to the typical aroma and taste characteristics of the major classes of tea. There are subtlties and individual differences beyond this guide, of course, but it is a terrific starting point. Buy this book! I can't say enough good about it.

While we're getting the second tea tasting organized, I wondered if anyone has had a chance to brew this TGY more than once? Did you vary the leaf: water ratio? The time or temperature? If so, what differences did you notice, if any?

I agree. Sometimes I don't notice something unless I read it or someone else mentions it. Then, "aha!". And since our life experiences with smells is different, the associations that components of a tea aroma or taste will trigger may also be different...and positive or negative, just depending.

Starting out enjoying a red/black tea from China, a Keemun Mao Feng...from The Cultured Cup. Brewed Western style in a Yixing teapot. The directions from TCC say one tsp per 8 ounces water, but I used two tsps and prefer the richer brew. So what are you guys drinking today?

Lucky you! I have had tangerine pu-erh and liked it very much. Bamboo pu can also be a smooth alternative.

I know I am not the only one who has a favorite coffee cup or who has accumulated a few for a variety of reasons. So show us your coffee cups. One or a hundred. (I am truly afraid that someone out there has a collection of 1,000 in their garage.) I'll take some pics and post some of mine in a few days.

I'm afraid that I am stupid like you. But I'm trainable so there's hope.

In the New York Times, an interesting article by Eric Asimov on South African wines. In recent years I have been drinking mostly Spanish and French wine, as well as some Italian, American, Australian and South American. But have yet to open a bottle of any South African wine. Anyone here have experience with the cabs? Recommendations?

I'll kick it off with a couple. Are some lessor known -- in the US -- regions now making it into the US? How is the global financial situation influencing Spanish wine makers and export to other countries, and thus availability to us?

What Spanish wines are you drinking this year? Tasting notes or not. Favorite regions and vineyards. Questions and discussion.

I don't have any experience with the Bunn, but have heard good things about the Capresso. If I was looking for a drip-machine the Capresso probably would be it. Holding water at 200 degrees should not be a problem. The tea bar at The Cultured Cup uses Zori water heaters that can hold the temp at one of three settings, including 208 F and they do a great job brewing black and red teas at 208. If you run a full boil for a minute or two past reaching 212, however, it will indeed boil the life out of the water.

I have found W-S to provide consistently great service on returns. Call a shop nearby to check and then take it in for an exchange or credit.

Can you tell us any more about the chili? Flavorful in any specific type of way? If you recall the name of the restaurant, someone here even may know exactly what bowl of chili you ate.

Late note for this past Thursday. I did a tasting with a couple of people to explore three teas from jingteashop.com in China. a red tea - Anhui Gift Grade Keemun Gongfu: brewed western style a green tea - Dong Ting Pre-Hing Bi Luo Cha A - brewed western style an Oolong - 2003 Anxi - Aged Tie Guan Yin - brewed gongfu style I don't think we got the best out of the red tea, but a couple of attempts with the green paid off - with a 1'30" first infusion and subsequent infusions doing very, very nicely. The aged TGY was incredible! We had five infusions and stopped, but I expect it would go for at least 10 total.

That's wonderful! I'm impressed that you're moving at all.

From members' experiences, I would go with first seeing how much to get the older one working. There are a lot of old Hobart made KAs still running. That's where I would put my money.

On a whim yesterday I risked picking up this Chilean Cab - Atacama 2007, a mere $3.49 on clearance at World Market. I think it was originally about $9. I was not even looking for wine when I walked in the door. Somewhat better wines available in many places for $9, but for $3.49 it's a drinkable everyday bargain.

Article by Andrew Jacobs in the New York Times on the speculative bubble in Pu-erh tea and the impact on farmers, manufacturers and merchants in Menghai China. The article notes that at least 1,000 of the 3,000 tea manufacturers and merchants have gone out of business, and farmers have begun planting more profitable crops like rice and corn. The article is uneven. A mixture of interesting reporting, weak research and what appears to be a marginal understanding of tea in general, not saved by what is either a marginal understanding of wine or a wine dis-afficianado attitude. There also is a not too subtly disparaging attiude toward the idea of medicinal and health benefits of pu-ehr, while ignoring the possibility that there might be research available, but the bulk of it just might be in Chinese rather than English. The writer also compares Pu-ehr to "the Western fetishization of wine" and then goes on to list various factors that "enthusiasts" consider in Pu-ehr tea: older plants vs younger, "wild "trees, oxidations levels, loose-leaf vs compacted, spring vs fall harvest. The idea that knowledgeable wine and tea producers and consumers think that differences in types of plants make a difference, that differences in proccessing make a difference, that time of harvest makes a difference is reflective of "fetishization"? Curiously, the paper reports that "From 1999 to 2007, the price of Pu’er, a fermented brew invented by Tang Dynasty traders, increased tenfold, to a high of $150 a pound for the finest aged Pu’er, before tumbling far below its preboom levels." And then a little later in the piece, "Prized vintages from the 19th century have sold for thousands of dollars a wedge." If I am not too far off, I think it was (and still may be) in four and perhaps even five figures per pound for the finest aged Pu-ehr. Perhaps an editor will clean it up before you read this.

Please tell us more about these teas, Naftal.

What's everyone drinking for an everyday, inexpensive, $10 US and under wine this year? I'll post mine later, so go ahead and jump in.

This TGY tasting appears to be winding down. Thanks to Greg Glancy for providing the tea and to everyone for participating in the discussion. The next tasting is of an Imperial Dian Hong, a Chinese red tea (called black tea in the West).

This is the second tea tasting of 2009 thanks to eGullet Society member Greg Glancy of Norbutea.com. This time we will be tasting and discussing an Imperial Dian Hong -- a Chinese red tea. Greg has provided five samples of 10 grams each that I will mail to the five eG Society members participating in this tasting. While the tasting is open to all members who have posted at least five substantive posts in the Coffee and Tea forum, preference will be given until midnight next Monday to those who did not participate in the last tasting of TGY Oolong. Please PM me if you would like to participate in the tasting and discussion. Here is some background information on Imperial Dian Hong from Norbutea.com. (Copyright Norbutea. Used with permission.)