Pon Fon Cha

Enjoy Fine Oolong while you are traveling...

2012-01-30T12:55:00.000-08:00

Last October, after our 2011 Taiwan Oolongs Study Tour Program, I tried to find one travel tea set for myself. This is not for tea ceremony, simply for my own enjoyment of having fine Taiwan Oolongs in a hotel room or at the place that tea sets are not readily available. Most Oolongs are bolder leaves, so I have to get one with large chamber for the leaves to unfurl. I figure 3 oz teacup is a right size for me for each infusion. Since it is for traveling...try not to be too complicated... a 6 oz teapot that could offer two cups of tea, not to worry about extra tea is over steeped in the pot, and no need to have additional pitcher... So I got this Ivory White Porcelain Travel Tea Set, sku#TD-106 added to our stock line.

Very well designed tea pot, especially for Oolong leaf to have full chamber to unfurl during the infusion... Perfectly to make two cups of fine tea at each infusion.

Well, the plastic tea tray is not included...you can find it easily at your local grocery stores... or you can prepare a mate.

Tea cups and tea pot could be packed in separate bag, and then to be rest assured in a foam/cushion filled travel bag.

Next time while on a run again, pack this set in your luggage... make sure you have your favorite tea with you. Here is the tea list for a reminder.

Amber Oolong, the gongfu

The craftsmanship that goes into the optimal baking of an Amber Oolong tea requires continuous practice and mastery. The result can be enjoyed gongfu style infusion after infusion.

Brandy Oolong, the darling

Highly-oxidized Brandy Oolong - a pleasure for the palate of both Asian and Western tea enthusiasts regardless of age.

Jade Oolong, the classic

Most tea lovers will cherish this naturally fragrant and famous high mountain tea at their first experience. The pleasant aroma, delicate flavor and lingering finish are sealed in the semi-balled tightly rolled leaves after attentive withering, oxidation and rolling.

Oriental Beauty, the exquisite

Few teas are honored by the plethora of names that follow the elegant Oriental Beauty. White Tip Oolong, Eastern Beauty, PonFonCha and Five Color Oolong describe this unique and prominent tea. After a visit in the summer by the green leaf hopper this tea delivers a fruity and elegant floral aroma with an intense, complex and supple flavor and a rich aftertaste of honey and peaches. A true Champagne of teas – only in Taiwan.

Pouchong, the esteemed

Traditionally used to worship Gods and ancestors and as respectful gifts bestowed to elders and special friends this pure and outstanding tea requires the utmost skills in all steps of processing to create the natural and lusciously aromatic tea.

Bliss Oolong, the harmony

Whether it is a blend from various estates, crops, batches, or types; whether it is scented or mixed with herbs and tisanes the result is a bliss – a taste of harmony.

Custom Packaged Tea on call !

2012-01-25T09:44:00.000-08:00

ABC TEA is offering a new service to our dealers -
Build you own tea line with a creative Pro-Pack, tamper seal with pull-tab tea tin...

All things are ready, just have your own private label, insert or leaflet. Stuff the insert or leaflet in the tin, snap the bottom lid into tin and get tamper-sealed. Then place your tea label on the tin (*Absolutely no tool needed, easy and professionally done!)

Here is the step-by-step to explain how it works -

Step 1: Order your bulk leaf tea from our tea lists. The tea could be shipped either in bulk, packed from the origins either in 2 lbs or 5 lbs bag. (The price indicated on the list will be bulk tea per lb.)
With additional service charge, we will help you to package bulk tea into small pouch and in tin.

The leaf tea either be packed in 2 oz, 3 oz or as your desire... in a silver foil pouch (sku#PM-126SV)

Step 2. Your order will be shipped with tea in each packaged foil pouch and be placed in a Pro-Pack, tamper-seal silver tin (sku#TE-152SV) - The bottom lid will be placed separately inside each tin. (*photo below shows how we will have each unit will be individually bagged, including tea in silver pouch, silver tin's
bottom lid and cover...all in a PE bag.)

Step 3. Please prepare your own Label (*maybe you will like to have one label for the tin, one for the foil pouch...or simply just one for the tin), your own Product Insert or Leaflet with details information in regards to this particular tea.

Step 4. Remove the bottom lid from the tin first...
Place the Silver Tea Pouch, Insert or Leaflet from the bottom of the tin, make sure you will place it upside down with right direction.

Step 5. Snap the bottom lid into the tin...and the tin will be tamper-sealed now.

Step 6. Turn the tin upside down, now you can see this tin is tamper-sealed with a pull-tap.
Place your Tea Label on the tin.
This tin's cover, when turned upside down, could be a tea display cup for showing the leaf.

Let us do the packing...
You can finish it up with your personal touch !

By now, do you know how many Specialty Oolong from Taiwan ?
Here they are:

Amber Oolong, the gongfu

The craftsmanship that goes into the optimal baking of an Amber Oolong tea requires continuous practice and mastery. The result can be enjoyed gongfu style infusion after infusion.

Brandy Oolong, the darling

Highly-oxidized Brandy Oolong - a pleasure for the palate of both Asian and Western tea enthusiasts regardless of age.

Jade Oolong, the classic

Oriental Beauty, the exquisite

Pouchong, the esteemed

Bliss Oolong, the harmony

Whether it is a blend from various estates, crops, batches, or types; whether it is scented or mixed with herbs and tisanes the result is a bliss – a taste of harmony.

We will be very pleased to forward you our Taiwan Oolong tea list.

Thank you.

Osmanthus flowers greet us back to work with big smiles on 1/3/2012

2012-01-03T09:27:00.000-08:00

This morning, while walked in office after a few days' break...
So pleasantly greeted by these smiling Osmanthus blossoms in our office yard.

Have you ever tasted our Sweet Olive Flower Oolong (aka: Osmanthus Oolong)?
The elegant aroma perfectly harmonized with lightly oxidized Jinsuang...

I decided to make a pot of Osmanthus Oolong (sku#60440A) to start off our first working day in 2012...
Go Go Go!

take a good look at this Osmanthus scented Jinsuang Oolong...

I am using our Harmony Teapot (sku#TE-046) to infuse...
so I don't miss the beautiful unfurling process... see how fast the rolled leaves stretch...

Look at those steam under the lid...
a great deal of natural aroma from sweet olive flower and the fragrance of Jinsuang Oolong are kept and mixed in the steam...

Oh...for the combination...
Yes...I measured 5g of tea leaf with 300 ml of water at 200F and let it steep for 2 minutes ...

Take another look at the infused leaf floated in my cup...

Salute to all of our tea friends from ABC TEA's cupping room -

Have a wonderful 2012 !

The last cupping of 2011 on 5 Jade Oolongs

2012-01-02T19:04:00.001-08:00

Cupping two Pouchongs on 1/2/2012

2012-01-02T18:37:00.001-08:00

This morning, I open two pouches of Wenshan Pouchong tea sent by a tea farmer. Per my friend, the right one is a standard Pouchong and the left one is Chi-Chong (奇種), which is a bit more oxidized and also has gone through additional light fire baking after the tea is dried.

I always enjoy viewing the agony of tea leaf in a glass cup...

Actually, I can tell easily when the tea leaf unfurled... (although while compared the dry leaves...we already could tell the slightly difference from the appearance...yet not that much...)

A simple comparison cupping to give myself a convincing result.

After the cupping... I just keep adding leaf and enjoy my sipping, cup after cup.

Azusa Tea Club (10/22/2011) - Taiwan Tea's Next

2011-11-21T14:27:00.000-08:00

We have organized a tea meet up by Azusa Tea Club at Kuanshi, Hsinchu on 10/22/2011. The topic is "Taiwan Tea's Next" and we open this forum to local Taiwan tea elite to join with our 2011 TOST members for the discussion after visiting three tea museums in the area that used to play very important role in Taiwan's tea history. Many local tea entrepreurs have not eyewitnessed those "good old days" and hard to imagine how those "giant" tea factories were used to operate... from the photos, the films, and from the layout of old sites... it is a great opportunity for them to meet up with our visiting tea professionals...and together we can share our viewpoints on what will be our Next. Professor Lynn Lin and Mr. CS Lou, two of our advisors for Taiwan Tea Institute got chance to hear us out and also share their opinions. Marketing and production must be working well together for Taiwan tea. We do hope these members of TOST will turn out to be Ambassadors of Taiwan Tea in the Northern America. Azusa Tea Club via meetup.com can truly help orgainze some meaningful events like this one.

Azusa Tea Club (11/19/2011) - Cupping & Tasting "Yilan Charm"

2011-11-21T11:03:00.000-08:00

11/19/2011 at Baldwin Park, Ca.
We were cupping and tasting three Oolongs from Yilan, Taiwan.
I have picked a good name "Yilan Charm" for fine Taiwan oolongs grown and made our of this tea district. The Jade Oolong we select from the Chinsin Oolong cultivar., the Milk Oolong, which is Jin Suang cultivar and the baked Amber Oolong is Chinsin Oolong cultivar.
Karen helped us to prepare the three samples for our cupping and learning about these teas.
And, at the sit down session, we used our new glass cups to taste each tea that was infused with Q-Teapot made by ForLife Design.
We do enjoy a wonderful afternoon with great Yilan Charm.

(*for more details about these 3 Yilan Charm: please refer to our another link )

Cupping 3 Oriental Beauty (11/11/2011)

2011-11-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

Ready for the cupping on three Oriental Beauty - almost can tell the difference from the dry leaf. Yet, what will be your choice? when considering the cost of each tea...Tea business is that much challenge and also fun in dealing. Easy to pick better tea...but not necessary will be the right tea for your market and your customers...

Be patient...3 grams, 150 ml of rolling boiled water, and set for 5 minutes....

It is time for the journey of finding the specialty note in cup and also in the wet leaf...apparently these are not from the summer crop...

Have one more closer shot....

Thanks to my tea friend, Mo accompanies me for this cupping from Northern California...

Mo Sardella the one on the right looks promising. nice looking wet leaf...wish I could taste with you!

Thomas Shu Mo - actually the middle one has my attention...yet these 3 all fail to offer the Honey touch I am looking for...and the wet leaf of each just proves the answer to me. Oriental Beauty should have a precise remark on the season, and also on the fresh leaf that selected for the tea to be processed. These will be okay to be marketed as White Tip Oolongs, yet definitely not Oriental Beauty or PON FON CHA.

20110911 Taiwan Tea @ Lawerenceville, NJ

2011-09-17T00:38:00.001-07:00

It is always so nice to have good friends to link us up with local community when we are on a business trip. This time, after World Tea East @ Philly, Josephine and I got invited by TAANJ and TAAGP with Grace Taiwan Church to visit Lawrenceville/NJ and having a Taiwan Tea Workshop on the 911 afternoon. This event is in celebration of Autumn Harvest, and we are lucky to enjoy so many beautiful flowers arrangements on display at the Church. Our hearty appreciation to Dr. Chanchi Lee to coordinate with Mr. Albert Tsai, Sheng-Chia Chang, Doris Liu and Rev Peter Chao. What a great bunch of tea lovers there to enjoy a wonderful afternoon with fine Taiwan teas.
We also got to meet with our good friend, Kirsten and her talented daughter Maj there. They have worked together to publish "The World of Tea - Focus on Taiwan" based on their 2009 TOST experience and good research works.

2011 World Tea East

2011-09-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Besides working on the Focused Tasting: Taiwan Oolong, we got chance to walk around the show floor, which is absolutely not possible for us to do so during World Tea Expo. So excited to see many tea friends and also we got a small reunion with several TOST members.

At ITI booth, we got invited by our good friend, Devan Shah to offer a tasting session, which we highlight Yilan Charm - Chinsin Oolong, Amber Oolong and Milk Oolong.
Josephine did a short YouTube film on our joyful moments...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMkTpxrGmFQ

World Tea East @ Philly - 9/8-10/2011
We are glad that we can make it and our mission accomplished!

Discover the Oolong Triad of "Yilan Charm" !

2011-08-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

"Yilan Charm" - an isolated Taiwan Oolong tea district that will gradually gain its popularity...
In old days, before the World's 5th longest Hsuehshan Tunnel was finally completed on 6/16/2006, usually it will take like forever to drive from Taipei City to Yilan County on the Northeastern Taiwan. "9 Turns 18 Bends" along the roadway, very scary and most people will try to avoid. Now, less than 45 minutes of driving...we can visit this beautiful region.
Many tea farmers here are actually from my home town, Hsinchu County. They climbed over the mountain to settle down at the new homeland yet continue to grow tea and have their tea gardens...Carry on the Hakka heritage...which includes Hakka Tea Mountain Love Songs, of course. The soil, the climate, plus no air pollution... the tea from this tea district quietly enjoyed by domestic tea lovers...or used to be sold at different names. We started to visit this tea region since TOST 2008, and we've made good friendship with tea farmers here ever since. Yilan Charm, is what I am going to use for the tea from this region...and I am going to share with the tea World how simple and pure their teas are.

Jade Oolong - sku#60458
Cultivar: Chinsin Oolong
Lightly oxidized about 12%-15%
Crop: Spring, 2011
Lusciously floral fragrant (osmanthus, jasmine, orchid...mixed)
Taste: very similar to a fine Wenshan Pouchong with natural sweet finish, yet this one has richer body plus aroma seems to be better sealed.

==========================

Amber Oolong - sku#80452
Cultivar: Chinsin Oolong
Lightly oxidized about 25%-35%
Crop: Spring, 2011
Floral fragrant with smoothly toasty aroma.
Taste: Very nutty and balanced...soothing and pleasant. A mastery baking job with good tea base. I find the third and forth infusions of this tea are still very enjoyable.

==========================

Milk Oolong - sku#60459
Cultivar: Jin Suang Oolong
Lightly oxidized about 12%-15%
Crop: Spring, 2011
Lusciously floral fragrant with a milk note.
Taste: The special cultivar plus the excellent soil condition, this tea offers a very refreshing and delightful cup, and the natural milky flavor could be picked up in the taste., definitely not any modification in the process. For those tea lovers who are in pursuit of natural Milk Oolong, this one is recommended.

==============
Give another look on these 3 Oolongs...

Personal Tea Service

2011-08-16T11:41:00.001-07:00

This is my new toy... bought it at the LA Tea Fest last weekend.
I thought I could introduce it to some tea room owners...if they are thinking to have their customers to do the hands on tea infusion, instead of get serving from the kitchen...

Compact enough. Easy to serve.
Originally, this is a coffee set...so there comes a small creamer holder.
I decided to add a mesh-filter to the set, so it could be converted to a personal tea set.
=======
The creamer will be used to vessel the dry leaf first., and after the leaf poured in teapot, it will be a resting place for the mesh-filter. The leaf will be pre-measured with one table spoon...
Suggest customers to pour hot water in the tea cup, and then pour in teapot. This way, the tea
will be just enough for one tea cup to serve, no extra tea remains in the teapot and not to worry about over-steeping.

What do you think?

First Annual Los Angeles International Tea Festival (2011-8-13)

2011-08-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

Having a very mixed feeling after the First Los Angeles International Tea Festival...

This tea event is a great success for its First year.

The reason this event is successful, per my personal observation:

1.) Location:

Little Tokyo is a very International community, the regular tourists plus the public transportation is well linked around...make it an easy accessed place to have event. JANM is a great museum that have good exhibition and also good facility to offer our tea exhibitors an excellent supports.

2.) Timing:

The Ni Sei Week in Little Tokyo is happening on the same weekend, this is a great and exciting pulling power for our attendees. Plus, we have taken the new internet media...with Group On and MeetUp, two excellent tools... Our attendees were able to get reached with full information. The attendees are very well categorized, they know tea very well...

3.) Supports:

JANM - museum's Board Directors are very helpful to give us the best supports on almost everything. Chado Tea Room is taking a great lead for this event. The local tea vendors, almost all are stepping up to make this event possible and repectful. The tea society of Southern California is amazingly alive...they help to mobilize the attendees for this tea events.

4.) Team Efforts:

A bunch of non-professional staff is pulling together to plan and run a professional tea festival...The volunteers are excellent... Together we accomplish the mission...I have to congrats to our core team - Devan, Reena, Faith and Tak.

2011 World Tea Expo - Tea Infusion Challenge

2011-07-30T01:22:00.000-07:00

This is the second year of Tea Infusion Challenge in World Tea Expo. I have the honor to be part of the program and serve as the judge for Oolong. The pictures are courtesy of World Tea Media. Enjoy the slideshow! (The four contenters for this Challenge: Steven Downer, Kasia Vermaire, Jonathan Munsayac, and Amy Lawrence; from the left to the right.)

An experiment on tender Green tea - Pine Needle (20110722)

2011-07-22T13:26:00.000-07:00

We were cupping a few teas in this Friday morning.
After our cupping, we thought of having fun to find out what will be the right combination to make this Pine Needle a unique enough cup. Follow us on this one:

1.) Take a close look on this tea...

2.) Have two upping sets ready... the heated water is controlled with the temperature...
3 grams of sample, set for 3 min infusion...
the one on the left, we will use heated water at 150F
the one on the right, with 175F

3.) Check the wet leaf, check the aroma, check the liquor and taste the tea... carefully...

We got the hint: to have the water temperature to be adjusted to 165F, and remain 3 minutes of infusion will give the tea enough heat and time to get well unfurled and extracted... This will make sure we serve it right. Well, it is not true this will satisfy all of you, but follow the way, you can always find the Harmony between you and the leaf. Enjoy your journey!

Cupping two PiLoChun (20110721)

2011-07-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

This morning we were cupping two Pi-Lo-Chun, both from Fujien, China. Per our vendor, these two teas are from same region, same cultivar...One is slightly tighter roll than another.
Which one should we take?

We did a comparison cupping and also tried on an intentional tasting...
Here are the photos, step by step...

I prepare the cupping sets, as usual, we measured 3 g of sample each and infused with rolling boiled water, without the lids on intentionally, to be infused for 5 minutes...

The right one - the liquor color is darker, and taste is a bit stronger...also the wet leaf is apparently indicating the leaf is more matured compared with the left one, tea leaf plucked in earlier days...tender leaf..

We use 175 F to infuse 2 g each leaf with 5 minutes... (1:50 ratio)
to see how the taste will be presented...

The right one seems more flavor and the cup is more complete. These two teas both are very nicely made...yet, if we have to make only one choice, I will go with the right one.

Cupping San Hsia Teas (20110720)

2011-07-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

There is a small tea district inside New Taipei City...all by itself, unique Cultivar and serves a special tea market in Taiwan. Let us try to learn about the San Hsia Teas!
We've selected four samples for our cupping - These are all the same cultivar, Chinsin HuangGan, which is very special and not found in other tea regions in Taiwan.
#38107 San Hsia Lung-Jing
#38106 San Hsia Pi-Lo-Chun
#20601 San Hsia Formosa Bonita #FB-68
#20472 San Hsia Oriental Beauty

Taiwan has Lung-Jing and Pi-Lo-Chun?
There is a seldom known story. When KMT was forced to move from China to Taiwan after 1949... Chiang and his staff missed the green tea back home... so, for some reason, the green tea Lung-Jing and Pi-Lo-Chun were duplicated and made in San Hsia tea district. However, the farmers might be so used to Pouchong making...the Taiwan version are slightly different in appearances from their China origin. 2010 TOST members were there to see how the farmer manufactures his Lung-Jing with Japanese Sencha rollers instead of big pans with hand pressure. Pi-Lo-Chun also similar to Pouchong only tender leaf is lucked to be rolled.
Since Taiwan Green tea is limited and very different from China...the demand, even not in large scale, yet enough to keep these teas to be continuously produced. The recent trend for "Encouraging the Local Tea Industry" aadopted by one of the World's most famous beverage chain in Taiwan does help the San Hsia tea district moving along. Take a closer shots on these two teas:

This is #38106 Taiwan San Hsia Pi-Lo-Chun
With 180 F, infused for 3 minutes...naturally sweet, very refreshing.

#38107 Taiwan San Hsia Lung-Jing
Not exactly looks like Lung-Jing from West Lake, China...yet the flavor and taste is none the less. Compared with #38106, the leaf is a bit matured. Apply with 185 F, let the tea steep for 3 minutes to serve.
======================

These two teas - Oriental Beauty and Formosa Bonita, are fairy new to this tea district. Very interesting to see Summer Crop became a Good to have season, which is not the case in old days. With TRES' guidance...the farmers here learn how to do Oriental Beauty, yet with different cultivar, expecting a different surprise if your are traditional Oriental Beauty fan. FB-68 is definitely a must trial, very good Honey touch in the cup and complex in flavor. Take a closer shots for these two teas:

#20472 - San Hsia Oriental Beauty, this sample might not be summer crop...not too much green leaf hopper's trace to be found in leaf... Yet, Chinsin Ganchong's character is giving me a very pleasant finish. Definitely, not the PonFonCha I used to have from Beipu/Omei, Hsinchu tea district. Yet, for the price, this will be a good deal for Oriental Oolong tea lovers. Infused with 195F and 3-1/2 minutes.

#20601 - San Hsia Brandy Oolong #FB-68, my favorite among these 4 samples.
Very soothing and a pleasant honey touch. Good tea to have. (200F for 3-1/2 minutes)

We are very glad to launch a new line grown and produced from this tea district, and these teas will be in our "Sanhsia Breeze" series...

2011 World Tea Expo - World Origins Tasting Tour

2011-07-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Show is On

2011-07-12T20:45:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Comparison on Milky Oolong

2011-07-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

Please also enjoy YouTube movie of the cupping.

2011 World Tea Expo - Oriental Beauty vs Formosa Bonita

2011-07-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Comparison on Baked Oolong

2011-07-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

Please also enjoy the YouTube movie of the cupping.

2011 World Tea Expo - Focused Tasting: Ruby 18

2011-07-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Taiwan Tea's Traceability

2011-07-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Tea Decor

2011-07-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Taiwan Tea Gala A&B

2011-07-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Taiwan Tea Gala C&D

2011-07-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Advanced Tasting

2011-07-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Taiwan Tea Gala E&F

2011-07-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Taiwan Tea x ForLife

2011-07-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Samples Display

2011-07-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - 2011 TOST Registration

2011-07-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - TOST Members Reunion

2011-07-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

2011 World Tea Expo - Behind the Scenes

2011-07-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

Taiwan Tea Gala (20110702) - Opening

2011-07-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

Taiwan Tea Gala (20110702) - Soul Mate

2011-07-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

Please also enjoy a YouTube movie of the Presentation.

Taiwan Tea Gala (20110702) - Celebration

2011-07-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Please also enjoy the YouTube movie of the presentation.

Taiwan Tea Gala (20110702) - Maturity

2011-07-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

Please also enjoy YouTube movie of the presentation.

Taiwan Tea Gala (20110702) - After the Presentation

2011-07-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

Taiwan Tea Gala (20110702) - Display No.1 Soul Mate

2011-07-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

Taiwan Tea Gala (20110702) - Display No.2 Celebration

2011-07-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

Taiwan Tea Gala (20110702) - Display No.3 Maturity

2011-07-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

Taiwan Tea Gala (20110702) - Behind the Scenes

2011-07-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

Azusa Tea Club (5/28/2011) - Focus Tasting: Green Tea

2011-05-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

5/28/2011 at Baldwin Park
Azusa Tea Club is having its monthly meet up despite of Memorial Day long weekend break. The 6 green teas we cupped are: Dragon Well, Pilochun, Gyokuro, Green Pearl, Gunpowder, Taiwan Green. We also discussed for a proper infusion of each tea for tasting. The most apparent difference found in Gyokuro and Dragon Well. With lower temperature of heated water and make the second infusion to taste.
Our members were "lucky" to taste the Azusa Pouchong that I just finished about 2 hours before the Meeting... What a fun experience!

Hand made Azusa Pouchong

2011-05-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

5/27/2011 (Friday)
Plucked the tea leaves from our little tea garden in the front yard of our house in Azusa Mountain Cove. The altitude of this tea garden is about 868 feet high, and I am not sure what kind of cultivar we have. (*I do hope someone can tell from the photo.)
I planned to make a small batch of Pouchong.
The leaves were brought over to our office. I did outdoor withering and indoor withering based on the experience of 2009 TOST in Wenshan. I did use our small baking equipment to do the firing... then...hand rolling, baking, hand rolling and baking...
We have our first tasting with our friends in Azusa Tea Club on 5/28/2011.
The dried leaves smell fresh and good...yet the taste simply not strong enough...and the taste is kind of flat... Not a happy result yet plenty excitement. Just a lot more to learn..

Please also enjoy the YouTube movie.

20110417 Afternoon Tea @ TAAGCC

2011-05-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our friend, Edward Lin's linking up with TAAGCC for this tea event. We got to meet with so many new friends in Chicago. Dr. Ching-Chong Huang, the current President of TAAGCC has organized this event extremely well. The venue, the audience, the interact...what could be much more we expected? Just check these photos out...look at the faces...and, as you know, I got the chance to sing, not one, not two...a few Tea Mountain Love Songs! Enjoy this one very very much!

2011 ITASA Midwest @ Northwestern University (4/16/2011)

2011-05-11T15:04:00.000-07:00

I always like to visit this campus.
We thought April weather should be warm and sunny...not this day, though. Windy and rainy, extremely cold when we walked over from the Hilton with one of our host Joyce.
Well, the students warmed Josephine and me up almost immediately with their full-house enthusiasm while we arrived our classroom. We surely have a lot of fun with these ITASA Midwest friends. I know we will return next year, maybe to different campus.

2011 ITASA West @ UC Berkeley (4/8/2011)

2011-05-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

How time flies...
It seems that I was here at this campus last April on Cal Day right after 2010 ITASA West Conference@UCSD. Meeting with different groups of students to have tea with. This time, Josephine got good many good photos that she took from the past TOST trips, edited together, she made a very impressive presentation. Pictures can say more, especially with those moments still deeply rooted in our heads. I believe she did entice many of ITASA friends - yes, their Next Stop:
Taiwan!

Azusa Tea Club (4/23/2011) - Focus Tasting: Pouchong

2011-04-24T17:32:00.000-07:00

4/23/2011 at Azusa Tea Club -
This workshop was set before our trip to Taiwan and we did not think of this is Easter Weekend. Several members had canceled their RSVP till very late. However, we still manage to have 10 people for this Pocuhong workshop.
We got 4 samples to be cupped vertically for the first session. From the dry leaves checking, cupping and appreciating the aroma, liquor and flavor, plus the review of wet leaves....we've done it all professionally, step by step. The second session, we got 4 volunteers to make tea with different vessels to serve... Patti did with Zen Teapot, Henry with Tea-One brewer, Dorothy with Glass Gai-Wan, and Richard performed Gong-Fu Tea Ceremony....
We just enjoy a great afternoon together.

Azusa Tea Club (3/5/2011) - Leicha Experience

2011-03-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

Karen and Ben, two participants of the World Youth Hakka Summer Camp in Taiwan last July, held a session in Leicha making this past weekend. I thought it would be a great idea to let Karen lead this tea event for our Azusa Tea Club. During which we all had the chance to hand grind the tea and ingredients by ourselves. I believe that both Karen and Ben did a great job. After we all had a chance to enjoy or self-made Leicha, Josephine led a short sharing session. So…what’s next?
Here is the ingredient list that we used to make the Leicha per Karen's suggestion:
- Cilantro (Fresh)
- Peanuts (Dry roasted and unsalted)
- Almonds (Raw and unsalted)
- Black Sesame (Whole)
- White Sesame (Whole)
- Black Sugar (In powdered form)
- Genmai Cha (6 Teaspoons)
- Matcha Powder (1 Teaspoon)
- Rice Krispies (Used to top off our drinks, when enjoying the final product of Leicha)

Party after Torrance Symphony's "Taiwan Night" Concert

2011-02-22T15:08:00.001-08:00

1/30/2011
TUF President, Mr. Simon Cheng, invites a few friends from Torrance Symphony, including conductor Frank Fetta and several Board members to meet up with TA musician plus TUF Board... Maestro Tyzen Hsiao is very happy with the concert on 1/15/2011... Good time for all to share the good memories of this co-sponsored music event. We are looking forward to having another concert soon...
Josephine and I, set up a little tea bar to serve Taiwan Oolongs to our guests...just to show our appreciation to these good people for all their hard efforts.

A fun experience in our cupping room

2011-02-15T16:11:00.000-08:00

This morning, I invited our staff to have an in-house tea class in our cupping room.
We talked about the 4 T - Tea amount, Temperature of heated water, Time of Infusion and Tea Vessel. The four major factors that will affect the quality in a cup: aroma, flavor and taste out of the same tea.

There we went through a few experiments together...

From the photos, you can see the timer, thermometer, scale, and vessel of water to be highlighted in four sets.
You can see the results of four color cups on each set.
"Set other things being equal, to experience with one variable" -
in the study of economics, we has this "laissez-faire" - so I found it in our tea experiments.

A good cup of tea is a journey of pursuing the Harmony of 4 T.

Often in my tea workshops, I joke with the crowd:
The No.5 T to make a good cup of tea...is to select the tea from Taiwan !

...then, Josephine and our audience will humorously add my favorite statement:
There is another T, that is to get tea from Thomas!
*Hahaha... I like it...always.

Tea Cozy, keeps your tea warm, makes your room cozy, and your heart happy!

2011-02-13T10:39:00.000-08:00

These grass-woven Tea Cozies that we bought at a small Hakka village in Taiwan on our way to visit tea gardens in Miaoli during March 2010. A few aged ladies were making these tea cozies to support their families and raise their grand children while their parents working at the cities.... In Taiwanese, they called these tea cozy, 茶壽, what a great imagination for a tea cozy. We were told the idea was originally from the Bird's Nest...and now it become an energy saving warmer for our tea, and makes our room cozy. When we are relaying our orders to those ladies...from our friends and our fellow tea colleagues...we know we are alos making many families happy! We sure will like to keep this handcraft to be preserved and will also further introduce it to the upcoming World Tea Expo. Josephine and I plan to have one as the raffle drawing prize.
If your tea rooms or your tea shops plan to get one, we will be more than happy to serve. Every piece is different in size, weight, and the fabrics also varies.

Write your own Tea Stories!

2011-02-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

We have custom made this package for displaying 6 teas at a time with their stories...

The first Azusa Tea Club MeetUp, we introduced "A Taste of Taiwan Oolongs" - 6 different Taiwan's specialty Oolongs: Wenshan Pouchong, Oriental Beauty, Classic Tung-Ting, Alishan Jade Oolong, Mucha TieGuanYin, Chichong Pouchong (Baked Pouchong).

The second Azusa Tea Club MeetUp, we introduced "USDA Certified Organic Teas, Around the World" - another 6 different Organic teas: Taiwan Jade Oolong, Formosa Bonita, English Breakfast, Rooibos Bourbon, Genmai Cha, Pomergranate Tea.

We plan to have 6 teas in a group to make each Book with 6 tea stories...and serves as a Live Tea Menu for tea rooms or fine diners...even the traditional Dim-Sum Restaurants...

Wishing to have more inputs from our fellow tea enthusiasts, tea lovers... Let us write up many more tea stories...

Azusa Tea Club (2/12/2011) - USDA Certified Organic Teas Around the World

2011-02-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

2/12/2011
This is our second meet up. 15 friends show up for this event.
Our topic for this one: USDA Certified Organic Teas, Around the World.
Taiwan Jade Oolong, Formosa Bonita, English Breakfast, Genmai Cha, Rooibos Bourbon and Pomergranate Tea. Devan and Josephine have done a wonderful job to lead this topic. Karen and Ben are helpful all along.
When and what topic will be up? Please check our event that will be published on:
www.MeetUp.com/Azusa-Tea-Club
We have listed so many topics...and we welcome your inputs...
Here are two good video clips on the cupping session:

n

Azusa Tea Club's first MeetUp (1/22/2011) - A Taste of Taiwan Oolongs

2011-01-23T20:31:00.000-08:00

Josephine and Karen, my team players are really helpful for the first MeetUp of Azusa Tea Club!
Dianna Harbin, our fellow tea enthusiast who leads me into this new wonderland, has come all the way from Santa Barbara to give her support...(*Thank you so much, Dianna.) I hope soon we can also extend our helping hands to other friends who will start their new tea MeetUp groups.)

Our topic for this one: A Taste of Taiwan Oolongs
We have 11 friends joined us for this topic. The six teas we prepared for the cupping are:
Wenshan Pouchong 60436, Spring 2010
Alishan Oolong 74438A, Autumn 2010
Oriental Beauty 20439, Summer 2010
Classic Tung Ting 80451, Autumn 2010
Baked Pouchong 70439, Baked in Winter 2009
Roasted Oolong 70438A, Roasted in Summer 2008

All participants got to work on the professional cupping session, step by step...with the Cupping Log I had prepared. (*We might be so used to this practice...but it is fun for tea lovers to learn and work through the whole process... ) After cupping, we had Josephine to demo how she will serve Oriental Beauty with her Traveling tea set... We moved from the cupping counter to another table for the Tasting session. With no timer, no scale...simply based on her own experience and with the hints she got from her earlier cupping on that particular tea ... We are not surprise what our friends comment about the difference... Cupping is the science, for us to find out all the characters in tea's quality. To make a good cup of tea to treat ourselves or to serve our family or friends...it is an art. Based on the information we got from the Cupping, we then can try to harmonize the right amount of leaf, with the right temperature of heated water plus the time for leaf to be infused on the tea ware you selected to prepare... maybe served with snacks or foods which are pairing well with that particular tea.

This is a great group we have for our Azusa Tea Club. We enjoyed a wonderful Saturday afternoon together. Hoping more tea topics with more tea lovers can meet up soon. At this moment, we have scheduled our next MeetUp on the topic of "USDA Certified Organic Teas Around the World !" on 2/12/2011. We have invited our good friend Devan Shah to co-host with Josephine for this one. It will be a great chance for everyone to find yourself some nice Organic teas.

Taiwan, the Paradise of Camellia sinensis !

2011-01-13T00:32:00.000-08:00

(Tea bushes grow happily and vigorously in n Meishan, Jiayi)

(Jin Shuan, Gin Suan)

(Si-Ji-Chun, Evergreen, Four Season Spring)

(Ruby 18)

(Chin Sin Oolong)

(Chin Sin Dah Pan)

(Tsui Yu)

Opening Ceremony of 2010 TOST at TTMA office back on 10/17/2010, there were 6 plants set on display to greet our tea professionals from Northern America. These are the major Cultivars that flourish happily in tea gardens around the country. What many may not realize is that these cultivars work with Terroir to provide the unique aroma, fragrance, flavor as the backbone of each fine Taiwan Oolong.

A few members asked me whether there is any easy way to tell the difference among these bushes. I just smiled...and replied, "...be their friends, and you will get to know them well, and very soon you will be able to identify each of these cultivars..."

Guess what? Our members did spend a good whole week to hands on study Taiwan teas on the tea fields, at the tea plants, in the tea shops,...they have heard so much about these cultivars in different occasions along the trip, and they learned about why farmers prefer to select one over another for particular reason; or tea masters insist to use the leaf plucked from one specific cultivar to make a specialty tea... Oh yes, cultivars play such an important role in Taiwan tea's quality. And the air, the water, the soils,...the unique environment in Taiwan's mountains and hills that offer our tea bushes to posses the unsurpassed "terroir".

We should also not forget our Senbai (TeaCha, teachers) in Taiwan tea industry,... their experience, knowledge, craftsmanship and wisdom passed on generation to generation.

Over the Christmas and New Year breaks, I thought of having all these key ingredients that make Taiwan tea so marvelous, to be included in my new Hakka lyrics for this tea song to praise for the nature's best plants that grow in Taiwan --

Taiwan, the Paradise of Camellia sinensis !

台灣--茶樹介天堂 (用鄧雨賢「望春風」曲)

台灣實在好地方茶樹介天堂
好山好水好氣候好茶滿山頭
紅茶綠茶烏龍茶各有老茶客
代代茶人恁打拼台茶基礎正

青心烏龍好種草茶甘香氣高
金萱翠玉四季春滿奈多人種
紅玉十八新品種滋味當出眾
青心大冇若著涎膨風茶盡展

台灣實在好地方茶樹介天堂
好山好水好氣候好茶出風頭
包種半球老凍頂東方美人夯
代代茶人愛煞猛保住好名聲

(*You will have to wait for the video of actual singing...

coming soon in World Tea Expo 2011 at Las Vegas!)

Help customers find the right teas to buy

2011-01-11T22:32:00.000-08:00

On 10/20/2010, TOST group stopped by a tea shop (Lin J. Tea Garden) located in Lugu, Nantou to experience a different way of tea retailing. The owner has 10 different teas set in array for us to cup. 1 - 10, each tea had gone through different baking process with various temperature and length of time. This way, they can introduce customers the teas that meet with the right taste profile. (*I was told that Mr. Lin got this idea from the system of Steak House...rare, medium, well...customer' s choice...) Looks like it works very well for his tea business. Then later in Ocha Matsuri 2010, I found one tea booth got the similar idea to present 4 Senchas with different roasting process...customers can taste four samples and decide which one appeals the most...then the right tea will be presented for formal cupping....

In a highly competitive Oolong tea market like Lugu in Taiwan and Green tea market as Shizuoka in Japan, tea farmers or tea vendors must find his/her unique way to stay in business. What should we do in Northern America?

(At the 2010 Ocha Matsuri, in one Japanes Green Tea Company's booth, attendants use a tray with four teas, just to test your taste profile first...and then they will bring the right tea for your formal infusion. This is a smart filtering process in tea retailing service. Make it simple and find the right product for your customer. So Des Ne....)

Pomelo Tea

2011-01-11T22:24:00.000-08:00

These are the Pomelo Tea baking at low temperature around 75F for 3 months... slowly to change the chemistry of tea leaves inside the Pomelo shell...Hakka has this tradition to make this type of fruit tea used for soothing the throat while ease coughing... Some will use Suan Gan (local Hakka call it, Tiger Head Orange) to process their fruit tea. We found actually it is one of the best ingredients to use in a Tisane blend or create flavored teas...the Citrus aroma and flavor will stay in the tea for long long time...

TEA NOW !

2011-01-11T22:13:00.000-08:00

How about a new slogan: Tea Now !

Over the years, I have had the "Tea-One Tasting Class" -

with the mission: Take one step ahead to the Basics.

2011 New Year Resolution: "Tea Now Tasting Class" -

have tea in our current lifestyle...

A new avenue was launched just a day before New Year's Eve, Josephine and I have organized AZUSA Tea Club. This will be a scheduled Meet Up with tea enthusiasts with Topics.

We are trying to have professional cupping session at the first half; and then do a demonstration of creative Tea Tasting Ceremony with one of the teas we've cupped...and invite our attendees to have a forum of sharing the ideas of how to prepare your own tea. Hoping that we can have Tea in our current lifestyle.... No need to be limited in very Asian: Zen or Kung-Fu...Nor to be too English: Victorian or Afternoon Tea...We will find out many new ways to make teas that can fit in our daily lifestyle, so...friends...TEA NOW !

The 12 Big Turns in Shan-Lin-Si

2011-01-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

Mr. 石宇玄, a local farmer from Lugu, sharing the slogan about the famous 12 Turns on the route of Shan-Lin-Si named by the 12 Zodiac Signs, in Holo Taiwanese. I recorded this one on the way from Bagua Tea Garden to Alishan on 10/21/2010 with our TOST 2010 group.

Zen Garden in Shizuoka's Hotaiji Temple

2010-12-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

I always enjoy wandering around Zen Gardens. Trees, stones, ponds...are so creatively and peacefully set, just like making a good cup of tea to serve: Harmony in the cup, in a mood.

In our 2010 Japanese Green Teas Study Tour, we got to visit this Hotaiji Temple, a small temple locates right behind the hotel we were staying in Shizuoka., a few blocks away from the Train Station. This temple was used as accommodation for envoys from Korea and Ryukyu (currently Okinawa) in the Edo Period. It is open to public for viewing their beautiful zen gardens. I was there twice in our short stay. The first time I went with our member, Bob Boewe on 10/28 morning for a short walk while we were waiting for our group to visit Ocha Matsuri. On 10/29, before Josephine and I checked out Hotel, I accompanied her to visit it again. Glad to have these photos in my blog and I can always review them. Don't you feel the Harmony from each photo? In addition to the garden inside, we kind of surprise to see how this old temple not to be interfered amongst the modern buildings. Simply amazing...
I appreciate one of our group members, Lisa Boalt Richardson, has the same interest on this temple... She got more information for me about this historical temple, which is good to have it here for the reference:
Hotaiji is a Buddhism temple. It was buit in 1381.
From 1600-1850 when Joseon missions came from Korea, they stayed at Hotaiji on the way to Tokyo. They were impressed by its beautiful gardens and architectures. Hodaiji used to be a very large temple, but it was completely destroyed by aerial bombing in 1944 and rebuilt later. There are 40 small stone figures to be found in the garden. These are guardian deity for the spirits of dead children who are playing in heaven.

Tea-A-O Workshop (11/18/2010@UCI)

2010-11-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

Since TAO established in the campus of UCI, we have been part of this big family. This is the second time we are invited back to TAO-UCI' activity. Good leadership can be felt and seen easily before and after this event. Josephine and I enjoyed this evening very much and we love these kids and touched by reading their thank-you cards.

Tea Philosophy in Japanese

2010-11-18T13:42:00.001-08:00

On our recent trip back to Taiwan, my father gave this hand written memo to Josephine for her to show me. I posted it on facebook with my translation as:
"Drink water when you're thirsty and have some tea while you're lonely..."
but, Jospehine might be right...not only when you're lonely...it could have much broader meaning with your soul... and tea could heal it all.

We have received great response from our facebook friends on this one.
last week, I thought of writing and forward this note to my sensei, brother CS Lou.

Look what I got in return. Amazingly stated....

" 無茶（mucha）不合理　unreasonable、absurd

無茶苦茶（mucha kucha）亂七八糟 in confusion，extremely

滅茶苦茶（mecha kucha）一團糟　topsy-turvy

お茶を濁す（ocha o nigosu）敷衍了事 temporize, give an evasive reply

茶化す（chakasu）滑稽化瞞天過海 mock at　make fun of

鬼も十八番茶も出花　（oni mo jyuhachi bancha　mo debana）
　　剛泡好的三番茶，或初成長的十八歲姑娘，都一樣可口可人。

茶腹も一時（chabara mo ittoki）
A cup of tea may stay hunger for a time.

茶目な　（cha me na）playful，mischievous

日本茶人很理性，記得我第一次到九州，訪問一位當地大茶商時，該社長問
我結婚了沒，那時我已三十多歲，我說有孩子了，他說 “よかった” 好極了。
我好奇地問他，為什麼? 他說一個人結婚了以後，算是 ‘一人前’
ichi nin mae意思就是一個完整的人，否則就是半人分，比較不完整，比較不可靠。"

Baked Pouchong 70439

2010-11-13T13:08:00.000-08:00

This morning, I can't wait to taste this tea that Norman and I had worked on during this trip back to Taiwan. (*We found 4 bags, 200 plus lbs old Pouchong tea (1997) sat in Sha Keng Tea Manufactory's warehouse. I suggested Norman to give this tea a trial to bake it with the way we had learned in Yuchih during TOST 2010.)
I use my "Harmony Tea Pot" to make this tea, measure 5 grams with 200 degree heated water infused for about 3 minutes.
I called Norman right away that I will take them all.
This one is just amazingly good. Not like most Tie-Kuan-Yin, this Pouchong is made of Chinsin Dah-Pan, very soothing and a pleasant finish... I believe there are a few tea friends of mine will share the same enjoyment I am experiencing. Plus, this tea is very economical compared with most aged oolongs available on the market.
Good job, my brother.

2010 World Tea Expo

2010-10-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

Another great show for TTMA. We had a series of programs in our own stage every day. Many good friends stopped by to say hi and checked us out... Our booth is indeed very busy and with all activities in three days... what a job! Thanks to all our partners came all the way from Taiwan not only helping out the booth exhibition, also brought the demo programs. Dr. Lin and Steve Huang had an early morning class to introduce Taiwan's indigenous tea forest...plus having tea cupping of Ruby 18 and Classic Tung Ting.... I do see the light this year, TTMA has brought a few young tea pros from Taiwan to participate this show. They worked very hard for preparing the tea, serving tea teas...and clean up... We can't be this good if we are not perform as a team. Our leader: Jackson and Ted are extremely busy all along. I am just glad that I can work with TTMA and see how the
improvement and prosperously growing each year. Go Taiwan Tea! (*A friend later emailed me that he likes the Taiwan Oolong Chanting lead by Josephine!)

2010 World Tea Expo - Behind the Scenes

2010-10-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

This year, TTMA applied 10 booths and had planned an attractive design for the booths. Just to see how much works the staff had put up with behind the scenes. Thank you all...

Hand Rolling & Paper Wrapping Demo @ WTE 2010

2010-10-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

Taiwan Oolong's hand rolling demonstration was requested by WTE to come back to the Special Events for the second year in a roll. This year, we invited a young tea pro, William Huang to do his performance. William is very excited for got picked by TTMA for this show and he did practice and he feels great after the demo. I believe this will be in his memory for a long long time. Besides the hand rolling demo, we also have another presentation - to demo the traditional Pouchong tea paper wrapping. Pouchong tea is packed in every 4 Taiwan oz in double paper wrapping to preserve its aroma and freshness for over a century. Nowadays, with advanced technique and material, tea packed in small pouch is very popular. However, Taiwan's Pouchong was requested to be packed in small package since tea lovers really hope to enjoy Pouchong with its fresh aroma as much as possible. Frieda and Mao-Sheng, the two young tea pros are having fun for this one.

We feel great that we can always bring something different to the World Tea Expo.
What's next?

Appreciation Ceremony @WTE 2010

2010-10-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

A Ceremony of Appreciation (with a touching story) was taken place at the center stage of World Tea Expo at 2:50PM on 6/13/2010. Thanks to the show management to give us the time of using the stage to enhance tea's greatest value - bridging the World.

In August 8, 2009, a tremendously strong typhoon hit Taiwan dreadfully and created extreme and dramatic damage. The casualties were beyond imagination. The hardest hit areas were the central and southern Taiwan…where many many tea gardens are located.

During the arduous and difficult time, Taiwan received great love and compassion from around the world, including our wonderful and kind friends from the tea industry….Mike Spillane/G. S. Haly, Bill Waddington/TeaSource, Robert Krul & Cory Krul/CTC. They generously sent money in need to Taiwan without hesitation.

To express the deepest gratitude and respect from the people of Taiwan, Taiwan Tea Manufacturers’ Association is here to present a plague to Mr. Spillane, Mr. Waddington, Mr. & Mrs. Krul. The plague is just a small token to appreciate the unconditional love to our friends of Taiwan.

(The three gentlemen from Taiwan:
Master Jackson Huang, Senior Adviser of TTMA., Ted Fan, Secretary General of TTMA., and Professor Lynn Lin, International Adviser of Council of Agriculture, Taiwan. )

Infusion Challenge @WTE 2010

2010-09-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

This is the first time that World Tea Expo has the Infusion Challenge. Kim did a great design on this program... I might be the one proposed the idea but Kim did it all. It is very nice to have chance to observe our tea pros using different tea accoutrement to prepare the infusions. They takes their time and focus on every details... (*one thing, they probably overlooked the temperature dropping too fast in the convention floor of a big hall...) I think this is very encouraging program that can remind our fellow tea pros to continuously practice infusing teas at different environments and with accessories available.

TACL 2010 LID Summer Camp @UCLA (8/5/2010)

2010-09-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

Taiwanese American Citizen League (TACL) is having LID Summer Camp for during 8/4-7/2010 at the campus of UCLA. The coordinator, Jason Tsai and many counselors are our good friends since ITASA activities. I got the invitation from Jason since early April at UCSD to give his campers a workshop for them to learn about Taiwan's tea culture. He insists that the workshop must be creative and fun. You know the teens nowadays can easily get bored if they don't find it interesting. What a challenge we have for this one. Over 120 students plus our couselors and other guest speakers... View through the above photos, you might figure what is the result.
By the way, LID means Leadership, Identity and Development. I was amazed to see how this 2010 team has achieved. Jason and his partners deserve a big applause from our TA community.
My 4 volunteers for the day: Mindy Huang, Kyle Chou, Philip Chiu and Alinda Wang.
There are a few students did send in emails to get their aroma & sipping cups set as I promised in the class. I will make sure to forward these tea sets upon we received them from Taiwan Tea Manufacturers' Association.

Tea Time with TAP at Rosemead City (7/24/2010)

2010-09-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

On July 24th, 2010 at Roasemead City Community Center...
TAP and TACL Interrn about 60+ gathered for the tea workshop. Hoping this will help more of our younger TA will be willing to enjoy fine Taiwan Oolong and also will take a further step to share our Taiwanese tea culture with their friends.
I thank to Christina, Tony, Sharon and Nobert, four of my volunteers that join me for the hands on brewing. Also, Connie and Karen were busy serving tea to our audience...
Josephine and I enjoy this one very much!

Tea Cupping at Azusa Mountain Cove (7/5/2010)

2010-09-18T20:42:00.001-07:00

Over the long weekend of Indepence Day, Josephine and I invited a few TA2 friends to our house. We all enjoyed a good time with delicious Vietnamese Sandwiches and various fruits and deserts...plus interesting topics... They are actively involved in our community service and it is a
nice chance for JP and me to thank them for their endless efforts for Taiwan.
After the lunch, they asked me to offer a tea cupping session right at our kitchen...and the following photos were taken from that happy moment.

Julie Huang's tea presentation in HK (6/15/2010)

2010-09-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

My niece, Julie Huang currently lives in Hong Kong. Her daughter's school invites her to make a presentation about her tea family story...so...Julie sent me a S.O.S for some photos from old days that linked to her father, Jackson Huang and her grandpa - Ebisu Huang, the founder of ABC TEA and Sha Keng Tea Manufactory in Hsinchu, Taiwan. These are very precious photos and bring back many glorious memories of our family tea business.

Renovation is on

2010-08-04T12:31:00.001-07:00

While we are remodeling our office, we lso start clean up our front yards...
There is a Taiwan map image garden near the front gate; there are a row of Sweet Olive Flowers;
a few bonsai plants in Pines, Maples, Guava, Persimmon, Loquat ... and a patio seating area.
Our staff and our neighbors seem to be happy with all these changes!

Colorado College Students enjoy a tea experience in Taipei

2010-05-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

This was in Taipei, Taiwan......

Tea Master Jackson Huang was very tied up with a group of students from Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA on 04/28/2010.

Arranged by Professor Yunyu Wang, these 25 students who were in Taiwan attending exchange students study program at the Taipei Univeristy of Arts met up with Tea Master Jackson Huang.

They took MRT from Chien-Tan to Chungshan Station, walked to the office of Taipei City Tea Merchants Association (TCTMA), and had tea lecture that conducted by Master Huang.

After the briefing of Taiwan tea history and the current status of tea consumption in Taiwan...the students cupped taste 5 different teas (Three Oolongs, one Black and one Green tea) produced in Taiwan with Master Huang.

The Chairwoman of TCTMA, Ms. Yvonne Kao, was also at the facility to introduce the organization and activities of her members. Students were extremely fond of the story about Cha-Giao Matsu, Godess of Tea, who would be considered the protector for all tea men. These students were also very interested in learning how to make decision by throwing the two pieces Divination blocks (筊杯).

After leaving TCTMA, Master Huang led the students for a walking tour around the oldest tea district in Taipei - Da-Dou-Cheng. Master Huang gave all tea legends at each historical sites. The students also visited an old tea refinery factory, Jinzi Tea Plant.

The one hour walking tour ended at the last stop, ABC Tea's store, where all the students got a group photo and presented the appreciation card to Master Huang.

The following comments are from the students, very touching and interesting.

Colin:
I have to tell you it was very cool to meet the Tea Master. I spent all of fifth block studying Japanese art, including tea and the tea master sen no Rikyu. I'm not sure what the status of tea masters is today, but I imagine this man commands a great deal of respect. I was amazed by how friendly and kind he was. He spoke French with me for a few minutes; he speaks five different languages fluently. Thanks for giving us that experience.
--------------------------------------------
Dear Tea Master, I want to personally thank you for donating your time and wisdom to our class. You were beyond generous by sharing with us your stories, showingus around the city, and giving us the massive oolong tea boxes. I'm sure that I still do not understand the full appreciation for what you do, but I have heard from friends who have studied Asian culture that tea masters are some of the most respected positions in the world. In any case, I fully enjoyed listening to you speak about the historical significance of Taiwan in tea culture. Visiting this country has been a very profound experience for me since I was born in Kaoshiung, and have not been back for many years; You have helped me to become even prouder of my heritage by teaching me about something I could not learn anywhere else. Your passion for tea is very admirable and inspiring, and I can only hope that I find something in the future that I too can master so well.
Thanks again for a once in a lifetime experience.
Sincerely, Amy Lin
--------------------------------------------
Coming from an economic background, I thought the tea walk was especially interesting because many of the topics that the tea master discussed areapplicable to my major. Not only is tea particularly important to the Taiwanese culture but also tea is vital to the local economy. The domestic demand for tea is so large that Taiwanese tea companies can survive on the demand for domestic market alone and therefore they are not reliant on importing tea to other countries. In this sense tea seems to stand as asymbol of independence for Taiwan as it is a good doesn’t rely on thedemand from foreign countries. Also, I thought it was interesting that Taiwan is unique because it has the perfect climate for growing three different types of tea: Jasmine, Oolong, and Green tea. Hence, the tea growers can substitute their crops from year to year in order to fit a higher or lower demand of certain types of tea. All in all, the tea walk was very informative and I was able to relate some of what I have learned in my previous classes to understand how important tea is to the Taiwanese economy.
- Hannah Evans
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The Drinking of the Tea

I myself have never been much of a tea drinker at all. On occasion, for instance on a old winter evening, I will drink a cup of tea that is often very sweet. The obsession and the passion that some people share for this earthly drink has always been a mystery to me. I have always found myself asking why anyone would ever want to drink something that tastes like leaves. Our trip to the Tea Master, however, not only gave me a better understanding of tea, it also may have changed my mind about the taste.
Walking through the streets of the old tea market really made me wonder what it must have felt like on the day when the first shipment of tea set out for the Americas almost 250 years ago. Coming from an island myself, I understand the power of exports and trade because it was Puerto Rico’s ports and trade that made my country grow the way it did. The most powerful moment of the walking tour for me came when we visited the Wharf. It was very moving to be in a place that held so much importance for Formosa and its history. Tea really made this country great. I became nostalgic for my own home and was able to appreciate what Formosa has done in terms of giving something great to the world.
From giving us information on how tea is made to the preparation of the tea itself, the tea tour was highly insightful. This drink goes back thousands of years, and it wasn’t until a few days ago that I realized the true passion someone can have not only for its taste, but also for its tradition. I realized as we were being lectured that tea isn’t something that you can solely drink. Tea is a way of life. And as we were lectured it came through very clearly that this man lives through tea. Behind his words and smiling eyes, it was easy to see that he was treating us to everything because he wanted to share this part of his life with us. He did it because he wanted to and it means a lot, especially to a foreigner, to be treated with such respect. We all felt very welcome there, and it really opened my eyes about this once mysterious drink.
As a confession, I can honestly say that before the tea tasting there had not been a tea that I genuinely enjoyed drinking. Formosa Oolong tea changed all of that. Its texture and taste made me appreciate the history behind it and then it let me appreciate its flavor. I would have it again any day. Tea Master, thank you for your time and passion.
- Jose Montijo
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In college, most people become coffee addicts; I, however, became a tea addict. My friends and I regularly go to coffee shops to study and socialize and because I dislike the taste of coffee I always order tea. From always ordering tea, I learned to love the taste of tea and I make myself a cup (oolong, green, or black) every day before class. This past summer I had an internship and my boss was also a tea lover and we would take a break every day at 3:00 to enjoy a cup of tea. He always bought very nice and expensive teas, giving me my first taste of fancy oolongs and black teas. He also introduced me to some Taiwanese oolongs that he said were his favorite. I told him that I would be going to Taiwan in the spring and he told me of several teas that I absolutely had to try. For the past couple weeks in Taiwan I have been looking for the teas he mentioned and I found several, but I was really looking forward to our tea visit to learn a little more about Taiwanese teas and to try and find the elusive “Oriental Beauty.” The tea trip went above and beyond my expectations. I really enjoyed hearing about the history of Taiwanese tea because along with the tea history I was able to learn more about the history of Taiwan, including different colonial periods and different country influences on Taiwan. The historical field trip was also fascinating and I really enjoyed seeing an old quarter of Taipei. I loved how the tea master was able to paint with his words a beautiful depiction of what the area was like back in the day. From seeing and learning about Taiwan history during this visit, I feel like things I have seen and experienced in Taipei over the past two weeks have now been contextualized. The best part of the tea visit, however, was trying the teas and being able to purchase Oriental Beauty, the tea I had been looking for over the past couple weeks. I bought a package for myself as well as one for my old boss, so I can now return the favor and share some wonderful Taiwanese tea with him!
- Kie Riedel
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Thank you very much for teaching us about tea! I have alwayd loved tea but did not know very much about it. I like knowing what it is I am drinking, and now I feel as though I do more. I know now not to drink too much green or black tea without a meal because that will make my stomach hurt, but drinking oolong tea alone is fine. I also know that I have no idea what is in Lipton tea, and I would rather drink tea that I know wkat kind it is. I loved testing all the different teas. Black Tea and Formosan Oolong were my favorites. Thank you so much for teaching us! It was wonderful.
- Hilary Kennedy

Enjoy fine Taiwan Teas

2010-04-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

Enjoy Fine Taiwan Teas Thomas

Learning About the Defects in Tea

2010-04-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

Learning About the Defects in Tea

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An Exploration of Fine Taiwan Oolongs @ San Jose (4/17/2010)

2010-04-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

This is my first visit to the San Jose Taiwanese American Center.
Chris and Vincent enjoyed chatting all the way from Berkeley to San Jose, but I took my sound nap to recharge my "battery".... This is an extremely busy week for Josephine and me with Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA Show) taken placed in Anaheim. Quiet a few fellow tea colleagues are in town to meet up...plus the STI training sessions.... I was actually waken up by Vincent...while arriving at the TAC San Jose. (*A two story big building with many functions for TA's various activities.)
With the experience of previous class at UC Berkeley, Vincent was a lot more efficient this time to help me set up the tables and get hot water ready...I then got chance to chat with various friends who arrived early, including Mrs. Gina Mao, our good friend Tyson Mao's mom, a passionate TA community leader in Northern California., Mr. David Chen, President of Taiwanese American Center of Northern California., Sophia Deng, a fellow FAPA member and a good friend in FB...They showed up to support TAP-SF's activity. That is what I always respect: Leading by example!
It turns out to be a good size of crowd, and a happy afternoon with a lot of fun of having Taiwan Oolongs together. This class might be rated one of the most interactive workshops I have ever had. The whole audience are very responsive. We not only shared one Hakka Mountain Tea Song in PonFonCha., a Taiwan famous song in Wenshan Pouchong., plus we were doing together as a big group to Chant for Taiwan Oolongs at the end of the workshop. (I saw many smiling faces, and I found some tears on a few respectful senbai's eyes. They fought for Taiwan's idendity for long long time, and they told me, "Tea is really a good media to share with the rest of the World about our Taiwanese culture...". What can I agree more with this statement?)

I did prepare one TTMA's apron for the whiz winner - in order to review with our audience about the important "3 T" for making a good cup of tea, which are: Right amount of Tea, right temperature of water and right time of steeping. My question is "what will be the 4th T ?" - a young lady, Jodi Chen hits it without any hesitation: "Taiwan Tea" - she said it loudly...Alright! Go Jodi! Go Taiwan Tea!

As usual, I appreciate very much for the four volunteers, without them, this Tea Workshop could not be so much fun and no way to get the message delivered. Our volunteers from TAP-SF, (from the left to right) Brian Chen, Susan Huang, Joe Chen, and Carol Pan. They are marvelous and having good demo. I don't know whether I have ever bumped into a much more talented volunteer like Brian. He interacts so well along the whole class...just seemed like we did rehearse for it before the class.

Two classes in one short afternoon...very tired indeed. Eespecially, the last minute for the plane to head back to Burbank airport...first time in my life, an airplane was waiting for me...how embarrassing! But still, a big THANK YOU to HoChie, my friend, for the opportunity to work with TaiwaneseAmerican.org.

A Taste of Taiwan Oolongs at UC Berkeley (4/17/2010)

2010-04-19T13:09:00.001-07:00

Our good friend, Mr. HoChie Tsai, the creator & manager of TaiwaneseAmerican.org, who we often meet in many ITASA events, has been talking about inviting Josephine and me to give Tea talks to the TA2 in San Francisco Bay area...
Finally, there is an interm of TaiwaneseAmerican.org Vincent Wang, started contacting me since his winter break 2009. Vincent himself is from one of Taipei's most famous tea families...so we did get along well and gone through a series of discussion to have the tea events set. Actually it ends up with two sessions to be scheduled in one day. One is set to be at the campus of UC Berkeley and hosted by TASA. Another one is set in San Jose at the Taiwan Center, hosted by TAP-SF for members of TAP and also open to the local community.
Vincent did an excellent job in coordination of the venues and get things going smoothly. I am proud of a freshman who has already experienced with many successful events in Berkeley, such as: Strait Talk Synposium. (HoChie has impressed me with his good leadership again in this young man.) I also thank Chris Chang, from TAP-SF, for offering me the transportation. Although at the end, Southwest Airline was so kind and being so patient to wait for my boarding.

There are a few familiar faces that I ran into at the campus, whom we met not long ago, back on 4/2/2010 at UCSD in the ITASA activity. They made me feel that I was back at home. (Patty, Jason...thank you all...) By the way, 4/17 happens to be a big"Cal Day" for the new students and their parents to visit the campus. It was indeed a campus packed with crowds! (I took a few photos in the campus before the workshop. ) Hoping next Spring, when I am invited back for the 2011 ITASA Conference, I will have more time to check Berkeley out with Josephine, who cannot make it this trip. For the workshop photos, I am grateful to a very sunny young lady, Deborah Soong. She is joining Patty Liu and many others to be in the team of 2011 ITASA West.
The following link -
http://taiwaneseamerican.org/ta/2010/04/17/taiwaneseamerican-org-presents-an-exploration-of-fine-tea-in-sfbay-area/ is the event posted by TaiwaneseAmerican.org

Besides the students, I am honored to have our good friends and fellow tea pros to be there in the class to support me:
Nez and Donna Togugawa, owner of Chadoen. Thank you so much, the beautiful couple, great tea docents and nice to meet your daughter Tai Yoshi Togugawa.
Zo Guthrie, owner of Fox & moon Tea Room, Thank you for inviting your friend to the class and also for voluntee to serve tea.
I sincerely hope you can make it to join us in our 2010 TOST.

On the road again....we are moving to San Jose for another Tea Workshop there...

Our 4 lucky volunteers for this workshop are (from the left in order): Charles, Luna, Andy and Anna.

ITASA West Coast 2010 @ UCSD (4/2/2010)

2010-04-03T00:31:00.001-07:00

We drove from Los Angeles to UCSD this morning to participate this conference.
This is the first time I visited this campus and it is indeed a huge campus that UCSD has. Stephanine Chen who is the staff who greets us and guides us to our class room for our tea workshop. We met many "old" faces among many "youngsters", I felt good, really good that our tea workshop did win quite a few fans here.
Again, thanks to the volunteers: Christine, Jason, Stephanie and Mark. They are the key ingredients of this workshop.
Josephine and I decided to stay and enjoy a great weekend here in La Jolla!
There are a few shots we took while waling around in the UCSD campus...

Bopiliao in Wanhua, a place to visit in Taipei!

2010-03-30T23:45:00.000-07:00

On 3/27/2010, I got a call from a fellow tea enthusiast, Ah Liang. He invited me to meet him at Bopiliao. I really don't know where it is...but, I am glad that I did make it there to see this place.
Ah Liang has a tea booth there under one old tea room in Wanhua at an earlier time. He did enjoy sharing tea stories there...
================
大道無門識茶有路 ─

很高興看到阿亮識茶之路
幾個好友圍爐喝茶天南地北何其容易
但在眾人之前三言兩語讓大家駐足傾聽需要硬實功夫
設計動作玩茶三點捧杯成山似品是個"動手作"好主意
少談玄理多說故事從種茶作茶賣茶買茶送茶喝茶....去加溫
茶人茶事無盡趣事無苦不成甘有趣方延緣眾飲乃得慧
台灣好茶需要更多盡心盡力的投入與推動

喜見茶人阿亮自覓識茶之路剝皮寮說故事是以為誌

Thomas (3/27/2010 Taipei)

Tea Master Jackson Huang offered Tea Workshop in Taipei (3/16/2010)

2010-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

Jackson Huang, Senior Advisor and former President of Taiwan Tea Manufacturers Association, has his tea class on 3/16/2010 for the foreign friends who are newly residing in Taipei. This is the 12th year in a row that he has offered this class which coordinated by Taipei American Community Center.
Per Jackson, there are all sorts of classes available in this program offered to help the new comers of American to get familiar with their new lifestyle in Taipei. Besides AIT, ATS, there are several local big business are supporting this program, and it seems to be gradually open up for more foeigners other than American.
In the class of 3/16, Mr. Huang has a group of 13 ladies: one from Germany, one from Mexico, two from Israel and 9 from United States.
What have they learned in this tea workshop? Jackson said, "There are two sessions, the first half is indoor for learning the tea basics with hands on cupping various Taiwan teas: Green Tea, Black Tea, Pouchong, Oriental Beauty, Jade Oolong. Each participant get to share her own appreciation of the individual tea. The second half is to have a walking tour to visit Taipei's old tea district."
If you are interested in finding more information of Master Huang's tea class, you can call the following number: (02) 2553-7815.

Tea Workshop @ MIT (2010 ITASA East Coast )

2010-02-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

We recived this honorable invitation by ITASA East to have Taiwan Tea Workshop since its last conference at Duke back on 2/1009. It is indeed very hard for me to say no to come to Boston where the incident happend in 1773 that leads to the Independence of this great country. Not only I can have another chance to meet up with a bunch of good students who will participate the conference of 2010 ITASA East, also for me to visit MIT/Harvard and many schools that I have longed for.

This tea workshop designed to highlight 4 of Taiwan's Specialty Oolongs:
Pouchong, Gaoshancha, Oriental Beauty and Charcoal Baked Tie-Guna-Yin. A horizontal tea tasting focused on learning the basic of itentifying different teas and how to brew them properly with the right amount of leaf, right temperature of heated water, and right infusing time. Each tea requires different combination to make it a perfect cup. The discipline is there and the secret is to have your own experience to hands on brewing. JP and I are trying to make sure our audience will have fun during the process. No Fun No Fan! We do hope some of these new friends of ours will actually pick up drinking tea after the class...and they might start their own pursuit of fine Taiwan Oolongs in their next visit to the motherland of their parents.
(*For more information about our tea education, maybe your can visit this link: http://www.abctea.com/abc_tea_tea_tasting_class.htm )

Thanks to so many hard working crew: Christine, Stephanie, Anna, Taffanie, Ginger...we enjoyed our visit and we are glad that we have had a good workshop with so many young elite from various schools. The four volunteers who helped the hands on brewing: Jiali, PJ, Jisoo, and Cindy are excellent. I believe they are the ones who benefit the most.

How to evaluate a tea?

2010-01-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

Tea is a hobby drink, every one enjoys it differently. However, to be a tea professional, one is required to be disciplined in cupping.
Usually, we will examine the dry leaf, looking for the properties that are characteristic of teas from that origin, checking the density and dryness of the leaf. The aroma and color of the brewed leaf is also important and adds its own hints to the wider understanding of the tea. Then, when the liquor is sucked into the mouth, the aroma hits the nasal cavities and the feel and taste of the liquid fill the mouth and enable to really feel and get to know about the tea. We are trying to determine the visual factors, aroma, flavor, quality, character, value and suitability…as thorough as possible.

Step 1: Examine the appearance of the leaf
We will check the visual properties of the tea leaf to find out whether the tea leaf size even? Is there plenty of tip if relevant? Does the tea leaf have the character of teas from the particular origin? Does the appearance good or acceptable? To check the leaf’s density (weight in g over 100 ml) and the moisture contents…
Good tea leaves must be thoroughly dry and the shape should be smooth and even. They should not have too many broken edges, and there should not be many stems, yellowed leaves, or other odd elements. The shape of the leaves depends on the type of tea. For ball-shaped tea, the tighter the leaves are rolled, the better; the size of the balls should be consistent as well. Wenshan Pouchong leaves are long and slightly twisted, not rolled. Tungting tea is rolled into a half-ball shape. Iron Goddess is a tight, ball shape. White Tip Oolong is naturally curly. Dragon Well tea leaves look like tiny swords, and black tea leaves are small, thin, and wiry. In addition to shape, look at the color of the dry leaf to distinguish quality. Fresh, non-baked tea leaves are bright and glossy. Baked and aged teas are dark and smooth.

Step 2: Check the smell of the dry leaf
Does it have the expected aroma? Dose it smell fresh? Does it have the unexpected smells?
Learn to recognize the quality of the fragrance. Good quality green and Pouchong teas should not smell baked. White Tip Oolong should have a fruity fragrance; black tea should be slightly malty. Tea should never have a stinky, burnt, smoky, oily, or other strange smell.

Step 3: Assess the appearance of the liquor
Is the color of the tea liquor what we would expect?
Is the liquor clear and bright? How about the cloudiness? Is the surface clear?

Step 4: Assess the aroma and the flavor of the liquor
Does it have a characteristic aroma or any hint?
Does the tea have the expected flavor profile?
Detect any astringency or smooth? Is there any bitterness and unpleasant harshness? Is the tea thin or doest it have body and substance in the mouth?
Does it have flat or lingering finish? (Finish in Oolong is highly concerned.)
The color, fragrance, and aroma of tea are mutually connected. Wenshan Pouchong tea is greenish-yellow with a natural floral aroma, and a fresh, flavorful taste. Tungting Oolong is a deep, golden brown color, with a floral scent, sweet aroma, and long-lasting sweet finish. Iron Goddess has a brownish liquor and a hearty fragrance, rich and fruitlike; it is smooth and soothing to the throat. White Tip Oolong is reddish-orange, with a ripe fruity flavor, honey-like fragrance, and soothing, smooth taste. Dragon Well is yellowish green, with a slightly vegetal or grassy aroma, and a lively, fresh flavor. Black tea is a deep reddish-black color, with rich layers of fragrance; sugar and milk can be added to enhance the flavor.

Step 5: Examine the brewed leaf
After you taste the tea, remove the leaves from the vessel. Look at the color: do they appear tender or mature? Look at the condition of the leaves: are they oxidized, rolled, and baked properly?
For example, Dragon Well leaves consist of young buds and tender whole leaves, yellowish-green in color. Wenshan Pouchong leaves are also whole but more mature than Dragon Well; the leaves should be slightly red around the edges and a lively green in the middle. Basically, any tea made from the buds of a tea tree, like White Tip Oolong or Dragon Well, should contain many small, tightly shaped buds. By contrast, Wenshan Pouchong, Tungting, Iron Goddess, and High Mountain teas are picked after the buds open, so it is not a sign of quality if these teas contain too many small leaves and buds. Also, if the color of the leaves is very green, the oxidation may be too low. Evidence of oxidation should appear around the tips and edges of the leaves, outlining them with a red color. The darker the leaves, the heavier the oxidation processed. The darker the color and the harder to the touch, the heavier the baking has gone through. On the contrary, the brighter the color and the softer the leaf, the lighter the baking has gone through. Handpicked leaves are more regular in shape; machine cut leaves tend to be irregular. You can also identify the type of tea cultivar and whether it is a hybrid or not by examining the brewed leaves. In short, by spending a little quality effort examining the brewed leaves, you can really enhance your tea experience!
(For more tools of tea cupping, review this link: http://www.abctea.com/tasting.htm )

Tea Mountain Love Song (Hakka Tea Song)

2009-12-28T17:22:00.000-08:00

Back on September/2005, I was invited to Big Island, Hawaii for the Mealani Tea Conference. There were so many tea enthusiasts meeting there to learn with passion to develop their new tea business in Big Island's west coast at Hilo side, while at the east coast of the island has enjoyed a great success of Kona Coffee. On my way back to Los Angeles, looked out from the plane just took off from Hilo airport to Honululu...I made a wish to hope in a few years, there will be successfully planted and very beautiful tea gardens there...and I humming this song happily....
It is a "Tea Mountain Love Song" originally from Guizhou, China. I use Hakka Taiwanese to change the lyrics and dedicate this song to my friends in Big Island, Hawaii.

==============================

I thought about it and I whisper to myself:
Hawaii will soon to have the beautiful tea gardens...
There will be many beautiful young girls plucking the tea leaves in the tea gardens...
Maybe there will be many great love stories on going...

茶山情歌 (用中國貴州「茶山情歌」)

捱惦惦介想啊輕輕介問

Hawaii 有啊冇恁樣介茶園
茶園肚有啊冇採茶介細妹
細妹肚有啊冇捱中意介人

(獻給 Hawaii Tea Society)

Gaoshancha in Taiwan (Mandarin Tea Song)

2009-12-28T10:36:00.000-08:00

Incredibly, there are more than 150 mountains over 3000 meters high in Taiwan!
I remember at our Taiwan's Geography class in elementary school, our teacher told us with a little bit sadness, 1/3 of Taiwan is covered with high mountains, and 1/3 is hills and terrrace, so it limits our agriculture industry...who will imagine, after a few decades, we will tell our kids that Taiwan is so lucky to have so many remarkable high mountains and the huge Central Mountain Range is truly a big jewel of Taiwan.

Used to be "Tung Ting Oolong" signs posted every where in Taiwan's retails districts...but thing changed...There are many new tea estates have been developed in higher mountains over 1000 meters high since early 80's. These teas earn their fans, especially from the domestic market. Gaoshan Cha are jokingly set prices by the height of the tea garden located. Naturally, the leaf plucked from the Gaoshan tea gardens can be made into all sorts of teas...however, due to the market driven, almost all Goashan Cha in Taiwan are Jade Oolongs and the most popular cultivars are Chinsin, Ginsuan, Tsui-Yu, and Evergreen. Farmers invest all sorts of advanced equipments to handle the solar/indoor withering and oxidation to overcome the disadvantage of shorter sunshine, changing weather and limited flat land on the high altitude.

I have selected this popular aboriginal old song in Mardarin Taiwanese, to praise for Gaoshan Cha, with a sincere wish, which might be shared anong many Gaoshan tea lovers --

Please keep our mountains green and rivers clean,

while we can continue to enjoy wonderful, wonderful Taiwan Gaoshan Oolongs.
======================
Taiwan Gaoshan Cha
Taiwan is indeed a paradise!
There are so many remarkable high mountains and big rivers…

Alishan’s Tsui-Yu Oolong is rolled like green pearl,
and Shan-Lin-Si’s Evergreen Oolong is just super.
Ah…Ah…Ah…Ah…
Ah…Ah…Ah…Ah…
There are plenty Ginsuan Oolong grown in Meishan,
and Chinsin Oolong tops the Lishan mountain.

We sincerely hope our farmers can preserve these great cultivars
and also make sure to keep our mountains green and river clean!
Salute! Taiwan Gaoshan Oolongs.
You are truly green gold!

高山茶頌 (用台灣邵族「高山青」)

高山青澗水藍
阿里山的翠玉圓又圓啊
杉林溪的四季春沒得比哟

啊 ---啊 --- 啊--- --- 啊---
啊 ---啊 --- 啊--- --- 啊---

梅山的金萱梨山的青心
台灣的高山高又多.....

品種要保存水土要維護
高山的烏龍茶寶----中----寶

Classic Tung Ting Oolong (Holo Tea Song)

2009-12-21T17:43:00.000-08:00

Hence Mr. Feng-Chi Lin brought the Chinsin Oolong bushes to be planted on the Tungting Mountain in Lugu back in 1855, we are so lucky to be able to enjoy TungTing Oolong.
In 1976, the first Tea Contest organized by Lugu Farmers’ Association did enrich the craftsmanship of TungTing tea’s growing and manufacturing.
The solar wither, indoor wither and oxidation control is typically Pouchong technique, however, the skillful canvas wrapped rolling and lightly baking to stabilize its aroma and taste, makes Tung Ting Oolong so outstanding.
Sip by sip, cup after cup, fine Tung Ting seems never enough for the market.

凍頂烏龍頌 Holo Taiwanese (台灣“農村曲”)

鹿谷凍頂山青心烏龍湠
比賽眾人來工夫磨真利
日頭晒啊晒生葉走水香
急火炒布球用力揉啊揉
凍頂烏龍茶滋味”好特別”
一杯又一杯好茶是不夠賣

Great Gift for Business!

2009-12-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

Kingbright USA is celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the owner Mr. Wen Sung asked us to come up an idea for the event to present to their customers and frineds.
This is what we have worked out for the idea...personal Cupping Set, with their logos and messages printed on the Aroma cup and Sipping Cup, and a carry bag for traveling.
The white porcelain cups set are made in Taiwan just to be shipped in time for their Christmas Party on 12/19/2009. We have written up an insert for the Cupping set.
===================

When tea is ready to serve, pour tea into the tall aroma cup., then convert the tea from the aroma cup into the sipping cup. Once the aroma cup is empty, carefully (it can be hot depending on how hot you steep your tea) bring it close to your nose to enjoy the aroma of the tea. Technically, you will use both hands to roll the aroma cup to evoke the aroma that traced in the empty cup. After the aroma appreciation, then you will drink from the sipping cup. Sip the tea and appreciate the taste and the finish of the tea. When come to fine teas, especially Oolong, the aroma is very critical, and tea lovers will treasure aroma in tea as well as its taste.

The tall, narrow shape of the aroma cup provides a large amount of surface area for the aromatic tea compounds to adhere to, so the aroma of the tea liquor becomes much more apparent in an aroma cup. How long has Aroma cup been used in tea drinking might be an interesting story. Many tea pros admit that Aroma cups are indeed a depriving concept from wine tasting. For what it's worth, maybe this set can be used for wine tasting, too. Fine teas and great wines are equally enjoyable!

Applauses to Taiwan Tea Industry (Hakka tea song)

2009-12-21T09:29:00.000-08:00

My deepest respect and appreciation to my fellow Specialist, Researchers, Tea Masters and Tea Farmers... in their meticulous and diligent devotion to Taiwan Tea.
I was born in a Taiwan tea family. I was brought up in a tea factory. Over the years, I have seen my father, my brothers and many many more Taiwan tea farmers, tea makers, tea merchants have been working so hard together to try to adapt themselves through different eras of historical changes. There is an important Association, TTMA, has guided all makers all along, and there are Tea merchants Association, Tea Exporters Association for helping out the Domestic sells and Export business. We are proud that there are so many researchers and engineers in TRES are helping the industry to move on. Everytime, when I have my Taiwan Oolong workshop, I remind myself, a million thanks to all these tea professionals in Taiwan for a wonderful cup of tea they have contributed. I dedicated this tea song (in Hakka Taiwanese) to my fellow Taiwan tea men. (*of ocourse, there is not gender limited...)
===========================
Applause to my fellow Taiwan tea men
Oh! Oolong Teas, my beloved Oolong Teas!
Taiwan produces several kinds of fine Oolong Teas.
Pouchong has such a pure and clean taste, yet with luscious aroma,
Gaoshan Oolong is extremely charming, just like morning mountain dew,
Oriental Beauty’s natural honey touch and fruity taste leaves no comparison.
With research and development of excellent cultivars for better plantation,
continuous improvement of the equipment and tea processing techniques,
my fellow Taiwan tea men’s efforts truly deserve a big applause.
Over the years, we have seen Taiwan Oolongs earn their fans from
around the World and I tip my hat off to these tea pros in Taiwan!

台灣茶人頌 (用Hakka 改編黃令先「台灣介心靈日」)

烏龍茶烏龍茶台灣特色烏龍茶
包種清高山醇東方美人韻味佳
品種改良作工出眾茶人用心值得誇
世界茶葉舞台台灣茶展風采

The classic Taiwan Tie-Guan-Yin

2009-12-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

Tie-Guan-Yin has an interesting story, that shows how "market driven" has changed tea's production.

In Taiwan, you still find Tie-Guan-Yin with heavier oxidation and baking. The semi-ball shape appears to be larger in size. Not all Tie-Guan-Yin in Taiwan is made of the leaf that plucked from Tie-Guan-Yin cultivars. Usually, tea farmers will select certain tea cultivars, such as: Buddha Palms, Yinjeehonsin Oolong, Ginsuan...besides the genuine TieGuanYin bushes, as long as they are suitable for heavy-rolling and baking to enhance the flavor and taste. Tea pros will definitely avoid Chinsin Oolong or certain tea plants.

On the contrary, nowadays in the origin of Tie-Guan-Yin, Fujien Anxi in China, you often get Tie-Guan-Yin in tiny semi-ball with a lot more greenish finished, which is similar to average Taiwan Gaoshancha. During the last two decades, Taiwan's Jade Oolong has earned its popularity all over the World, including China. Many Chinese tea makers are adjusting to produce their own Jade Oolong as close as Taiwan's version to meet the strong demand. Many will grow the new tea bushes they got from Taiwan (we are not sure HOW?) but also many will use the tea leaves from their current Tie-Guan-Yin tea gardens. Well, not to be surprised that sometimes you get served with a cup of Green Tie-Guan-Yin, and you simply cannot swallow it... Nothing wrong with the tea, just an old wisdom: You can use any leaf to make any kind of tea. However, you have to study the right cultivar and its integrity, use the right leaf and follow the right procedure to make good tea. Tea making is actually a high disciplined practice.

I like to share with you how a classic Tie-Guan-Yin is processed in Taiwan.

I change the Lyrics of a popular Hakka Taiwanese riddle, with new lyrics to describe it:

=========================

Tie-Guan-Yin, what a unique name for a tea!

Iron Buddha of Mercy, Goddess Tea...with all sorts of legends.

In 1896, Mr. Chang Nai-Miao brought the first bush from Anxi, China to Muja, Taiwan., together with the craftsmanship from its hometown.

Since then, Taiwan lauched its own Tie-Guan-Yin production.

Just like other Oolong teas: solar withering, indoor withering...

but with heavier oxidation before rolling repeatedly wrapped in canvas cloth till the leaves are semi-ball shaped...

Place the leaves in a bamboo basket and skillfully bake with selected charcoals...

in pursuit of the amazing aroma and its lingering finish.

We are proud to present to you this classic Taiwan Tie-Guan-Yin, and share its legendary story.

======================

鐵觀音 (用謝宇威改編客家唸謠「月光光」)

鐵觀音盡傳神
佇台灣生了根
布球包揉成型
竹籠裝炭火炡
焙出陣陣茶葉香
入喉轉甘韻味長

好茶拿來請人飲
讚歎台灣鐵觀音

Bravo! Bunsan Pouchong (Holo Tea Song)

2009-12-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

鄧雨賢 is one of the most famous Taiwan composers. I have picked one of his popular piece: 四季紅 to have the new lyrics to desccribe Bunsan Pouchong. This was done just in time for the Annual Meeting of TUF on 12/12/2009 at San Gabriel Hilton.
=======================

Bravo! Bunsan Pouchong

Oh! Pouchong Tea, your luscious fragrance enchants me.
Best Pouchong produced in Taiwan’s Bunsan,
and you are World famous!
Step by step, Pouchong is processed with unique craftsmanship.
Fluffing lightly with patience till the leaf is
properly withered and oxidized.
The whole village is filled with heavenly aroma
while Pouchong is fired.
Sip by sip, I am amazed with your pure and clean taste,
and then you leave a lingering sweet finish…
Oh! Bunsan Pouchong, you are simply the best!

(sing in Holo Taiwanese)
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
包種頌 (四季紅/作曲:鄧雨賢)

包種茶正清香乎人聞著會輕鬆
台灣文山e特產名聲響啊真響
照起工輕輕手來浪
葉邊紅著花香
包種氣味真迷人

Click on this youtube film by TeaGuy at 2011 World Tea Expo

Oh! My PonFonCha! (Hakka Tea Song)

2009-12-06T18:35:00.000-08:00

"Shouldering Buckets" is a popular Taiwan Hakka folk song, often to be happily sung while Hakka friends are working very hard...a typical Taiwan Hakka spirit!

I am shouldering buckets (Hey! Hey!)
with a bamboo pole (Ho He Hey!)
Carrying the bamboo pole from the middle (Hey! Hey!)
and both ends drop.
==================================

Just about two weeks ago at our Hakka Toastmasters Meeting, I changed the lyrics and use it to appreciate my favorite tea - "Oriental Beauty".
Here it is:

"Oh! My PonFonCha!"

It is tea time (Hey! Hey!)
I will like to have a cup of PonFonCha (Ho He Hey!)
One sprout and two tender leaves are floating...
Oh! I am fond of its unique taste!

Green leaf hoppers (Hey! Hey!)
visited our tea garden (Ho He Hey!)
Provided the natural honey touch in the cup,
so no other teas can compare to it.
It is my favorite...PonFonCha.

(sing in Hakka Taiwanese)

飲茶要飲囉 (Hey! Hey!)
膨風茶呐 (Ho He Hey!)
一心兩葉來漂漂http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
飲落喉囉介著一驚吶

綠色介浮塵子 (Hey! Hey!)
來訪問吶 (Ho He Hey!)
留下特殊介蜜香
無得比啊介膨風茶吶

Click on this youtube by TeaGuy on 2011 World Tea Expo

TAO Tea Workshop @UCI (11/19/2009)

2009-11-23T15:33:00.000-08:00

TAO, Taiwanese American Organization, a new student organization in UC Irvine, with a bunch of dedicated members and great leadership, they are growing strong. When Amy Lee invited us to have a Tea Workshop in their campus... we immeddiately accept the honor and set for the date right after our trip back from Taiwan. On the evening of 11/19/2009, the workshop turned out really well... Amy and her team deserve a big hands.
Special thanks to the four volunteers that joined us hands on brewing:
(From the right to left)
David (with Aged Oolong),
Yuko (with Oriental Beauty),
Jonathan (with Jade Oolong)
Joyce (with Pouchong)

By the way, we appreciate several good frineds from the neighborhoods showed up to support this event.

Taiwan Oolongs Workshop in Budapest (9/19/2009)

2009-10-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

This is my first tea workshop in Europe!
"Better Lucky than Good" - I think so. I am just so lucky to have all these good friends to help me out. Then I have the best partner to travel together. Josephine and I arrived Budapest on the 9/15 evening. We were treated like King and Queen since our landing, and "Here we are ! Budapest and the Danube River!"

We know we have plenty time to enjoy walking around the beautiful Budapest. Our mission to here is still the first priority. So we did check out the venue for our event the second day after our small city tour around the famous Vaci Street and both ends of Chain Bridge. We met our hosts and working team: Robert, Oliver, Carol and the restaurant's manager for certain details of set-up and agenda... Again, we are lucky to have these people here in town to work with. We were told that RSVP shows a great response and expecting a house-packed activity...I know my high school pal, Stanley, Taiwan's Rep in Hungary, the honorable Ambassador Kao, well enough to rest assured for all the details. Indeed, all I need, just show up there to present it.

Interesting enough, I was told that no much tea experience, especially Taiwan Oolong in Budapest. However, right on the morning of 9/19, we encountered two young ladies who were having their Tea Serving and display on the back yard of East Asia Museum...while Josephine and I visited that garden...they were serving: Taiwan's Tung-Ting Oolong....(please see the story on our posting:
http://ponfoncha.blogspot.com/2009/09/encounter-tea-display-at-budapest.html )
I took this surprising incident as a special message that I should be Very Humble to all my Hungarian audience...(which I should always be...read on....)

All the guests are VIP to us, their participation is what this event for. Josephine and I both agreed that we got the honor to meet with first class audience on that evening. The slide show herewith will be great memory for two of us. It will be also great that you can tag your name for us when you see yourself in those photos.

We are grateful to the three organizations who are sponsoring together for this tea event:
Hungary-Taiwan Amity Association (HUTAA)
Hungarian Friendship Club of Taiwan’s ICDF
Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in Hungary

In addition, I must specially thank the four volunteers who helped me to accomplish my workshop smoothly. Facing the audience, from left to right, they are:

Amb. Adam TERTÁk
Reprentative, Hungarian Trade Office in Taipei
(brewing: Aged Oolong)

Dr. Eva HEGEDUS
Head of R&D Office, Hungarian Academy of Sciences,
Research Institute for Technical Physics and Materials Science
(brewing: Oriental Beauty)

Dr. Mihály SIPOS
Senior Counsellor, Department of Knowledge Based Economy, Ministry of National Development and Economy / Chairman, Hungarian Friendship Club of the Taiwan’s ICDF
(brewing: Alishan Oolong)

Mr. Nobert LABUNDY
Journalist, Diplomata Magazine
(brewing: Wenshan Pouchong)

Together, we've completed a journey of enjoying fine Taiwan Oolongs:
1. History of Taiwan Tea
2. Meet with the World’s most unique Oriental Beauty !
3. Formosa Pouchong: luscious aroma seized before its taste.
4. Why these tea gardens moved up to high mountains in Taiwan?
5. How smart Taiwan tea masters create new Aged Oolongs!
6. Hands on brewing and sipping fine Taiwan Oolongs

Again, this is my first experience in Europe. I love it!
Hoping we just don't get spoiled. Maybe some time, some other cities, soon.....!

(About this restaurant...)
After our trip back, our friend, Dr. Mihaly Sipos shares with me the following story about this restaurant:
...By the way: how did you enjoy the design of the restaurant Nimrod? I think it is very funny: a taiwanese food restaurant with hungarian pictures o the walls. The name of the restaurant is coming from he Hungarian mythology: Nimrod was a kind of god of hunters and in the same time one of forefathers of our nation. Because he was a great hunter even today we use his name for naming some hunters' associations or as a restaurant's name where game dish is served.

Visit Wang's Tea in Taipei (7/6/2009)

2009-10-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

This is the last day of our stay in Taipei. Our members for "2009 Taiwan Oolongs Study Tour" have all returned to the States and Canad safely...Before we were leaving for Taoyuan Airport on 7/6/2009, we got time to do one more visit, I decided to take Josephine to walk in the famours Wang's Tea in the old tea district. Mr. and Mr.s Wang are very friendly and they are happy that their second generation enjoy taking care of this family tea business. While I was chatting with Mr. Wang, JP was accompanied by Mrs. Wang to tour around the tea shop, working room, exhibition room and the second floor, with conference facility and small stage for various culture activities...Josephine's first visit and she is very very impressed... I am glad that Mr. Wang did turn the old tea factory to become a new interesting site for many local and foreign visitors to learn aobut Taipei's tea history from their display and exhibition, and can comfortably sip fine Taiwan oolongs here... This is another successful experience of Culture Economy.

Visit U Zeleneho Cafe in Prague (9/21/2009)

2009-10-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

9/21/2009 - Spending a day at the Castle District seems to be a good idea..... And we just cannot believe what's in front of our eyes......amazingly colorful.....No wonder people in Czech say Prague is the Golden City. Josephine stops at almost every souvenir shop along the street of Nerudova...can't really blame her. Every shop fits in different building with individual "theme" marked on the wall, and each of them features something special..."House of Three Violins", "House of Red Lobster", "House of Golden Key"....and the doors, the decors, the displays...keeps me very busy in looking around.

Then, the sign of U Zeleneho Cafe, "At the Green Tea" - pops into my eyes... The owner later tells us that this is one of the oldest and original Prague's tea room.

I order Matcha, JP has Earl Grey...we again, get the consent of the waitress to take photos of this tea room for our European tea adventure.

I warmly recommend this tea room/cafe to everyone who will be visiting Prague's Castle district.. I promise to post our photos on facebook. This young lady at the tea room also agrees visit this blog and gives us her comments.

Visit Dobra' Kajovna tea room in Prague (9/20/2009)

2009-10-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, after more than 7 hours' train ride, we finally arrived Prague, Czech.
Here we are in Prague, How exciting!
Our hotel is truly good bargain that Josephine has digged from internet - Hotel Prague right up on the hill with great city view. From the pictures they display, we learn that we are staying a place that many celebrities and royal families used to stay during their visit to Prague.
We decided not to waste time and went right ahead to visit the Old Town of Prague.
Following the moving crowds (hard to imagine how many tourists are visiting Prague?) in Old Town Square, we walked around the city just like a moving stream. It is so different from what we had seen in Budapest...seems much more colorful...and the buildings here have more styles. Josephine's Nikon camera works very hard the whole time...

Just on the way we walked over to National Museum...we found a sign, and it leads us to walk in a small court yard...and, here we discovered this tea room totally out of our expectation. We asked for the permission to take photos, and those girls who are enjoying their afternoon teas are smiling at JP's camera. A few photos for your review.

There is an brief introduction about this tea room:
Dobra Cajovna is one of a number of tea houses throughout the Czech Republic run under the Good T Room franchise. Good T Room would like to spread its authentic tea culture, contained in the tastes and aromas of all manner of fine teas, beyond the frontiers of its homeland. This audacious idea is founded on experience tried and tested by years of work in a network of brand-name tea-rooms; to date there are already eighteen.
Dobra Cajovna in central Prague was one of the first popular tea houses...

Here is the web site for this franchise:
http://www.tea.cz/cajovna/

No Car Day in Budapest (9/19/2009)

2009-09-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

We are so lucky to bump into two "No Car Day Celebrations" in Central Europe during our recent travel. On 9/19 in Budapest/Hungary and on 9/20 in Prague/Czech. We will like to share with you what we have eyewitnessed and enjoyed together with our Hungarian friends on that Sunny Saturday morning in September.
This is such a meaningful event for every family in the City to come outdoor to relax. Many creative Green ideas are on displays, many games are set for the children to play. We have seen so many smiling faces every where. It is truly informative, very educational and yet with a lot of fun.
Please review every photo herewith...you might find out some ideas that we can learn from our European friends! Josephine and I have thought about...one day there might be another Calfiornia City will have a different "Green Parade" that will compete with the "Rose Parade in Pasadena" with the whole community actually involving in making our environment Greener!

Encounter Taiwan Oolong in Budapest (9/19/2009)

2009-09-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

During our recent trip to Budapest, Hungary, surprisingly, we encountered Taiwan Oolongs in the back yard of East Asia Museum. It was a sunny morning on 9/19/2009, Josephine and I were walking around the city of Budapest. We were attracted by all those beautiful buildings...All of a sudden, a beautiful Hungarian lady at the entrance of the East Asia Museum told us there's a tea display and free tea serving in the back yard...so we were very curious to find out...
Klaudia and her sister, two beautiful young ladies were using Guywan to make Taiwan Tung-Ting Oolong... where is the tea from? Can you imagine the tea we just sipped might travel a long journey before it was transported from Moscow to Budapest? I sipped the tea and thought how amazing..."Josephine and I will have our first Taiwan Tea Workshop this evening in town, and now we are here meeting some tea enthusiasts who are promoting Taiwan Oolongs..."
How could we not be humble when we share our teas?
Salute to Klaudia and her sister.
visit their web site: http://www.teaterasz.hu/ (綠茶亭)