A Call for Standards
Austin Hodge of +Seven Cups Fine Chinese Teas shared a very intriguing post on Tea Biz about the need for standards in the tea industry. I agree with much of what is said here. Making it happen will not be that easy though.
Ippodo in Triplicate
I follow a ton of tea blogs and there is always a dizzying variety of teas to read about. December 9th brought a funny coincidence where three blogger friends all shared content about the same teas from Ippodo:
+sara shacket, Tea Happiness – Tasting: A Tale of Two Ippodo Senchas
+Georgia Silvera Seamans, Notes on Tea – Tea Review: Ippodo Unro and Hosen Senchas
+The Snooty Tea Person, The Snooty Tea Blog – Review: Ippodo Sencha Set
Bizen-yaki ware by Yoshimoto Shûhô & Atsuo
Not long ago I discovered the blog of Florent, a tea sommelier living in Japan. I really enjoyed this post about a traditional potter.
Bamboo Tea Trays – Teaware Review
+Awkward Soul, aka Oolong Owl, shared an interesting post about tea trays. They can be hard to find in the U,S, but are definitely a great investment if you enjoy preparing tea gongfu style.
Botanical Council Tea Market Report
+World Tea News shared some interesting facts from the American Botanical Council’s annual report. I wonder how long it will take for puerh to make it to their lists?