No tea for you and you

Beautiful tea room but an unpleasant memory. We were politely and almost embarrassingly ejected from the queue for afternoon tea at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong. I was told that I was inappropriately dressed in nylon beach sandals akin to flip flops. Also, I was told I could have tea if I simply went back to my hotel and changed into more acceptable footwear. Never mind that I was wearing a below-the-knee skirt with a modest blouse and that my husband was wearing a button-down shirt, chinos, and loafers.

For the record, my Chacos are not nylon beach sandals. The straps are made from polyester and the "BioCentric" soles were created "with the assistance of a certified pedorthist" in order "to control pronation and maximize performance."

Gong fu lesson at Yixing Xuan Teahouse

Our visit to Yixing Xuan Teahouse in Singapore was an impromptu one. We were hoping to catch a taxi to avoid the heat and humidity of the afternoon. Walking in the shade of the sidewalk arcades, we spotted the tea house across the street. A tea break! A tea house would be air conditioned (more shops are than are not in Singapore) and tea would a nice digestif after a delicious but filling lunch.

We received an unscheduled, informal gong fu lesson from owner Vincent Low. We drank three teas: white (I think Yinzhen Baihao), green (Lung Ching or Dragon Well), and oolong (I think Ti Guan Yin). Mr. Low spoke strongly against black tea although he sells Keemum Black and Mini Tuo-Cha .

The white at 40s:

The Dragon Well at 30s:

The oolong at 20s and 30s:

Finally, watch the gong fu lesson (note: it is a large file).

Tea winnings - Andrews & Dunham

I'm one of the Tea on Tap "ID That Tea" contest winners. Technically I won a tin of Andrews & Dunham Ceylon but Jamie also included almost a full tin of the Dragonwell. Thanks Jamie!

The Ceylon and Dragonwell are part of Series 1 along with Nepal. The teas arrived in beautifully decorated tins - "unique, hand-printed label[s]."

I've prepared the Dragonwell several times and love it. The smell of the loose leaves is slightly chocolate and heady. The brew is sweet and creamy, almost like black tea with milk and sugar, but the green-ness of this tea still shines through. Stay tuned for the Ceylon review By the way, Andrews & Dunham is located in Maryland.

Bigelow teas on display

At home, I rarely drink bagged tea; it's pleasurable to prepare and drink loose tea. The bagged teas commonly served in local eateries are Numi or Stash. This Bigelow display, at a local Andronico's caught my eye several times and finally returned to the store with my camera.

Bye bye Fujian Gaoshan

The last of the Fujian Gaoshan from Serenity Art Inc., Portland, Oregon. Notice the dregs of very fine loose leaf on the bottom of the cup. A hearty oolong with a deep, heady aroma dry and steeped. Read Tea Nerd's review.

Bye bye Nokcha

Last of my sample packet of Nokcha (East Wind Tea).

New teapot from Singapore

Alas, this teapot does not belong to me. It belongs to a friend who lives in Singapore and her friends there gifted this pot to her. I think this is an YiXing (ee-shing) teapot. The optimal teas to brew in the Yixing are oolong, black, and aged Pu'erh (read the wiki entry).