Thoughts on Huang Pian and 2016 Alter Ego from Bitterleaf Teas
Bemoaning the rising price of tea has been a common blog post topic in 2018. Char over at Oolong Owl offers an excellent cost-effective alternative for puerh fans this week. Huang Pian used to be a little-known secret but as she points out, more and more vendors are hopping on the “ugly tea” train. I’ll definitely have to give Alter Ego a try on my next Bitterleaf Teas order.
The Japanese tea ceremony involving matcha is fairly well known but did you know that there is also a formal ceremony for loose leaf tea? As always, Ricardo from My Japanese Green Tea gives us a short post that is jam-packed with information. The video that he included at the end is especially helpful for those who have never seen senchado performed.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
Diary of a Northern Teaist posted a review of a tea-related book that I immensely enjoyed. I’ve never read a work of fiction that included so much well-researched tea content. We both had similar concerns about the plot but all in all, it is an absolute must-read for anyone who enjoys puerh tea.
MarshalN provided some food for thought on the changes that have happened in the Taiwanese tea industry. As the economy changed, there was a shift in focus from export to import. Did you know that the U.S. was once a major consumer of Taiwanese tea? The points about the sustainability of their tea workforce are something that will need to be addressed soon.
Tea Pairing 101
My tea friends do the coolest things! One of my favorite blog series to read is the tea pairing activities of Georgia from Notes on Tea, Sara from Tea Happiness, and Jee from Oh, How Civilized. This week they paired black teas with savory sandwiches from one of my favorite NYC afternoon tea spots
Tea Pairing 101: Black Tea and Tea Sandwiches
Tea Pairing 101: Black Tea and Finger Sandwiches