Tong E Cha

I have spent this morning with Korean tea. Partly oxidized Korean teas are mostly called Balhyocha. In this case, leaves are not only oxidized but also pressed or shaped to kind of ball. This gave name to this tea - it is called Tongecha - cake tea. According to Matt, it is quite new thing in the world of Korean teas. I was aware  that Czech supplier TeaMountain offer this tea, but before I got to buy it, my dear Spanish friend Antonio give me chunk of those interesting leaves. Magic globalization! Tea going from Hwagae valley situated in south of Korean peninsula to Czech Republic, thereafter to Barcelona tearoom and then back to middle of Europe as a friendly gift.

Leaves are dark, small and lively looking. I removed them to small porcelain jar. After a while smelling to this jar I found dark, but sweet and very clearly speaking fragrance. When in many balhyocha you will find spicy or even sharper tones, here it is almost clear, dark chocolate.













Pressing of the tea is light so it didn't surprise me that even first brew was strong. But not too strong, it couldn't kill liveliness and vibrancy of the tea. Second brew become more smooth and filed my mouth with thick taste. The kind of taste, which brings me back to the childhood - candied fruits coated by dark but sweet chocolate.

It was interesting to contemplate how the tea slowly changed thru brews. The chocolate was still there. The aroma of chocolade changed with every cup. It went from heavier orange - citrus aromas over resin and light peprmint to violet or other sweet flowers fragrances. Smelling to empty cup was story itself or no less then irreplaceable part of main tale. The content of the empty cup was colorful and sweet in the way which reminds me best wui oolongs I had. The empty cup was full. And if I have missed that than my tea session would be poorer.






For high quality of those leaves speak (among others) their stamina. I haven't found a break point among brews. Liqueurs become slowly lighter but still sweet and fragrant. The seller says that you can prepare ten, full-blown brews. I confirm that. However, good water, right utensils and tranquil attention is needed for that. This tea is worth it.

Thank you for reading.

Winter tea in winter cup

As cold days are not something what I am probably going to get use to, especially when our new studio is still without comfortable heating, a cup of tea keeps me company since morning to evening. The company, which cheers me up.

 

What is my winter tea? What is my cup for cold, chilly morning?

I have realized that there is not simple answer. Each morning is different.  I usually have several kinds of tea, which tell me "I can be the one for freeze morning, I can help you out".  But not always there is the right energy to choose with deliberation, in chilly air - there is time for intuition. Surprisingly for myself, I quite often choose KouCha - Japanese black tea. So I decided to share it with you. 

This one I got like a generous gift from my friend (thank you again, Antonio) and it is from menu of one of the best supplier of Japanese teas I know - TeaMountain. On webpage they say: „Rarity made from Kousun cultivar on farm of Mr.Katahiry in Nunusowa village on Shizuoka. June 2010. The tea was made directly for us as our own special commission."  And good reputation of those people says that it is not only nice story.

Very promising is even smell of dry leaves- citrus or lime fragrances with slight, cinnamon like spices in it. Light roast. Maybe this dry leaves talk to me in the morning.

.The liquor is dark but bright. The dominant character is uncommon combination of lime and some salty "Japanese" in it. It is tasty.

If the first look at dry leaves tells us that it is "dark dark" tea the look at wet leaves shows combination of dark green, light brown as well as dark brown leaves. I usually make three full-valued infusions.

 The woodfired shiboridahsi pictured below helps me enjoy the tea even in cold morning while I light fire in the fireside. 

My "work" shiboridashi - slightly broken but  I like the touch of the fire, running ash, color...

  I am usually not big fan experiments like this. But in this case there is originality and it doesn't try to look like something else. 

The winter cup in front of our "bamboo forest"

 The cup I have fallen for this winter and which I like to use for darker tea was made by Mirka - my girlfriend and colleague. Although it was originally created in series like sake cup or shot (as there is not many sake drinkers in Czech Rep.) most of them have been picked by tea fans as winter cups.

As in my tea caddy there is too litlle left of this tea I hope the spring is going to be here soon....