|
I hope you are well! Spring is right around the corner and I hope warmer weather has arrived where you are or will be soon. Spring arrived here in Tennessee a few weeks ago. It's still a little cooler up here on the mountain, but it has been absolutely divine :)
A new tea has been added to the menu....Caramel Pu-er! Just a tiny bit of holiday blends remain, so grab them while you can. I restocked a few of the autumn teas, so they will be available a bit longer. See below for list of remaining teas that can be found in the online shop at https://www.pleasuresoftea.com.
Thank you for all who have been putting updates in the Comments section when placing your orders. I love to hear about what's new in your lives, so please continue to share! :)
Since September we have been "traveling" through the tea-producing provinces of China and discovering the diversity in types, styles, and aromatic and taste profiles. So far, we have explored Yunnan, Fujian, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, and Henan Provinces. If you missed any of these newsletters, you can view them here (scroll to the bottom). This month we are going to explore the provinces of Guangdong and Shandong and we'll finish our journey next month in a few more!
As always, I appreciate your continued support of my small business!! :)
-- Kristine, NBC-HWC, FDN-P, CIMA
| | Blended up fresh batches of Chamomile Citrus Organic Herbal Tisane and Throat Soother Organic Herbal Tisane! | | |
Gift Certificates
As a reminder, you may redeem any outstanding gift certificates in the online shop! To redeem, please input the following information in the Comments section in the cart: compliments of, especially for, gift certificate number, amount, and date. You will still need to input your credit card, but only the balance will be charged, if there is one. Gift certificates never expire - I put an expiration date on them because I want them to be used, not forgotten in a pile of paper ;).
Need to purchase an e-gift certificate? Feel free to email me at kristine@infuseteabarny.com - be sure to include name from and to and the gift certificate amount. I will email you an invoice that you may pay online. The gift certificates will be emailed to you and you can either email it to the recipient or print it out and give it to them.
| | |
Teas of Guangdong & Shandong
This month we are going to visit two more provinces in China - Guangdong and Shandong. These two provinces produce some lovely, distinctive teas that are among some of my favorites.
Guangdong is a coastal province located in the southeastern part of China. Tea is grown throughout the province and the terrain and climate tends to be varied. The province produces black, green, dark, yellow and some of the most-prized wulong teas. These highly regarded wulongs are crafted in the Fenghuang Shan (Phoenix Mountain) region in the northeastern part of the province along the Fujian border usually at an elevation of about 4,900 feet. They are referred to as Dan Cong wulongs and they benefit from a warm, humid subtropical climate with ample rainfall and rich mountain soil.
Dan Cong teas are believed to be crafted from the ancient Shui Shan varietal, which is native to the region. Over the millennia the original varietal evolved and adapted to each of their unique environments yielding what is now over 100 different cultivars. Each cultivar exhibits a distinct aroma, which is indicated by the name given to it. For example, Yu Lan Xiang means Magnolia Blossom Fragrance and this tea has a floral aroma that is reminiscent of magnolia blossoms, even though no such blossoms have been used to scent the tea.
Dan Cong, meaning single tree or single trunk, refers to teas that are harvested from single tea trees. These tea plants are not kept short by continual pruning, as in most tea gardens, but instead grow tall and have multiple branches emanating from the single trunk. The leaves are harvested by climbing the branches or using ladders. In the past, Dan Cong wulongs were crafted from the leaves of very old, wild-growing trees; however, these are getting harder to find and they are quite expensive. The unique and diverse qualities of these teas can be still be found in the Dan Cong wulongs that are harvested from cuttings of the original trees, which are currently cultivated in tea gardens and readily available in the marketplace.
Dan Cong wulongs are crafted from large, single leaves that are well twisted and may range in level of oxidation. There are many different Dan Cong wulongs and they are usually named after the cultivar of the tea plant from which they are harvested. In addition to Yu Lan Xiang mentioned above, other commonly found teas are Ya Shi Xiang (Duck Shit Fragrance - definitely not!), Mi Lan Xiang (Honey Orchid Fragrance), Xing Ren Xiang (Almond Fragrance), Fenghuang Shui Shan (Phoenix Narcissus), and many others. You may sometimes find these leaves processed into black teas. It is important to note that a Ya Shi Xiang Wulong, for example, may have slightly different characteristics based on how the particular leaves were processed - i.e. level of oxidization or other possible processing techniques. My Ya Shi Xiang Wulong undergoes a dehydration step early in the process and is not roasted, unlike other Ya Shi Xiangs, thereby expressing unique characteristics that are very fresh, floral and sweet.
|
 | | Our next stop this month is to the Shandong Province, along the eastern coast of China just north of Jiangsu. Shandong Province consists of a mix of plains and mountains and is the home of the much revered, sacred Taoist mountain of Laoshan. It is the northernmost tea-producing province in China and it produces some excellent quality teas, although not in very large quantities. There are several areas in Shandong that produce tea, but those that are grown and processed in the lands of Laoshan Village near Laoshan Mountain are held in particularly high regard. Laoshan Village is located on the Yellow Sea coast across from South Korea at an elevation of about 1,000 feet. The temperate monsoon climate is ideal for growing quality tea and the locals give credit to the balance between the "yang" of the granite mountains and the "yin" of the Yellow Sea. Laoshan black, green and wulong teas are produced from the Longjing #43 cultivar, one of the main cultivars used to produce Longjing green tea in Zhejiang Province, and are hand-harvested and hand-processed. Producers in Laoshan craft different styles of black, green and wulong teas and every one I have experienced has been smooth, complex, and very easy to drink and enjoy. I offer a Laoshan Black Tea and a Laoshan Green Tea from Laoshan, along with a caffeine-free herbal tisane - Wild-Grown Jujube Leaf.
Even though my selection from these two provinces is not extensive, the high quality teas that I do offer are fantastic representations of the terroir. They can be found in the online shop https://www.pleasuresoftea.com. To easily find them, type Guangdong or Shandong in the search box or the name of the tea. Each tea will have a description about where and how the tea is grown, cultivar information and/or aromatic and taste profiles. Enjoy your "travels" to these provinces and feel free to share your experience! :)
| | |
New Teas
A new tea has arrived - Caramel Pu-er! This was a special request and, I have to say, it does taste like dessert in a cup - as the person who requested it described.
The following autumn and holiday teas and tisanes are still available, all in limited supply: Apple Molasses Black Tea, Chocolate Peppermint Black Tea; Rooibos Chocolate Peppermint Herbal Tisane; Rooibos Christmas Cookie Herbal Tisane; Candied Pomegranate Herbal Tisane; and Holiday Punch Fruit Tisane!
I restocked these seasonal blends to cover another month or two, so grab them while they are still available: Gingered Vanilla Toddy Black Tea, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Black Tea, Roasted Chestnut Black & Green Tea with Yerba Maté Blend, Maple Walnut Green Tea, and Rooibos Maple Walnut Herbal Tisane.
| | |
The Pleasures of Tea
www.pleasuresoftea.com - online shop
**************************************
500+ Loose Leaf Teas, Herbal Tisanes & Functional/Medicinal Herbs
Certified - Tea Professional, Tea Sommelier & Tea Health Expert
Forever Student of the Art & Science of Herbalism
NBWHC Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, MRC Certified Healthy Gut Practitioner, Certified Terrain Advocate, & Certified in Functional Nutrition - Vitality Holistic Wellness
| |
| | | |
