My favorite sheng of the last season

I know, the name of this post is, let's say, a bit thick. But when I was thinking about all shengs from the last year which I have or I have tried then the one I am going to share with you here is my favorite. Again, I know this is not a competition. And of course, there are milion cakes which I haven't tried and/or some teas will probably age better. Also my preferences as well as understanding and officiating of teas do change in time. In spite of all above, if I should choose one ShengPu from those thirty(or so) ones I had, it would be this small ManNuo cake.

The 250g cake has nice jacket- besides Chinese, there is also (if I am not wrong)  Burmese description and  post-printed logo of the Slovak seller.

 It came to me from Slovak eshop Pu-erh.sk, with few more samples, in late autumn. I didn't know this shop before and I was agreeably surprised. I haven't found any weak or unpleasant leaves in my package then. What we can say about my favorite one? According to supplier the cake came from Mannuo village from Bulangshan. Leaves are from ancient tea trees which are pluck by Bulang minority. But what leaves say ?

Cake is natty, pressing is medium-strength. Leaves are smaller to middle sized. When smelling to the whole cake, there are heavier scents of fruits, from apricot to citrus, and also light hint of tabacco. In wet leaves, those fruits are still there, just more juicy and pungent. It makes my mouth water, just like slice of lemon. It is really funny...we can call it sheng-reflex.

Testing new stove and kettle...

First brew is light in color and thick, strong in mouth feel. Though I feel a bitter tastes (citrus like) on beginning, it disappears before I swallow the sip. I have oversteep the third brew and this bitterness was stronger and very similar to fresh teas from LaoManE. But those pungent fragrances, which remind in empty cup, are more fruity and sweet.

What makes this tea so special? It is probably that there is nothing special, nothing to spare. It is clean and strong raw puehr and that it is. There is nothing "interesting", striking or strange. It is not fawning but on other hand I dont have to look after taste and character- my mouth are full of it. Its stamina is outstanding. I also like the energy of this tea. I call it forest qi. It makes me breathe deep. Mind is focused, body energize. That the place where my love to Pu-ehr comes from and what with is feeded.

The leftover leaves are still juicy. After ten or more brews it still does not feel right to throw them away. I leave them steep over night to get very nice "day after" cup.

Coltsfoot- the first wild flowers from our garden. I am going to pick them and dry them- it is one of my favorite herbal teas when I get cold.

Thank you for reading.

First two Gems

Let the collection begin...

The basic idea of creating a selection of my own works comes and goes for many years. I know that many potters have the same dilemma: Should I offer my "best of" pieces to my customers or should I keep them for myself? I create teaware in order to serve to people during their tea-moments, so why to keep those best for myself? On the other hand it is important to have collection of older works at home. At least a smaller one.  As inspiration, as presentation, as motivation... By creating this "Ten Gems of Ten Kilns" open collection I would like to solve this dilemma.

What are the rules here? From every kiln I will fire, I am going to choose one Gem. One pieces of tea ware which I will find as the right one. As every kiln is mixture of faults and successes it is usually not easy to say what is the best. So as The Gem is going to be chosen the piece which will be somehow special and will properly enhance the selection. As I am not collector, I am not going to keep those "gems" forever. After ten kilns the selection will be complete but not closed. With eleventh kiln the one of The Ten will be replaced. The older piece of teaware will go to find its new master and its first opportunity to serve. The new Gem will be here with me and via pictures with you as a part of the selection. For more pictures of this selection please visit this picasa album. I am going to hold the whole project under new page of this bolg.

Gem number one: Frozen waterfall 


Unloaded from kiln on March 3. 2012. Teapot made from iron rich, stoneware clay and glazed inside and partly outside by Nuka glaze (wood ash, silica, feldspar). It can hold 230ml.

As I decided to start this project during February and haven't time to take pictures and post them till now, I already have the second Gem...we already have two kilns behind us.

Gem number two: Thaw pond
Unloaded from kiln on March 12. 2012. Double lidded tea caddy made from iron rich, stoneware clay and glazed with Nuka glaze (wood ash, silica, feldspar). It can hold 240ml. 

After the next firing you can expect a new gem to our necklace.

All comments here are more then welcome!

Thank you for reading!

Tea Urchin's LaoManE - PavarotTEA

The reason way I enclose the Pavarotti to my testing notes here become quite obvious, when you take a look down, at the wrapper of the tea. This cake of summer leaves from famous LaoManE has reached me thanks to Eugene aka TeaUrchin before Xmas. I have enjoyed it during several occasions since than and now I have finally decided to take few pictures and share my notes with you. Incase reading of my tea-thoughts become boring then please enjoy Pavarotti's interpretation of Nessum Dorma

Cake's jacket makes me pleased every time I am about to open it. But the cake is not only nicely packed. Leaves are attracttive in their colors- Elfish gray and green, with flosses of silver and gold hairs.

Here are some Eugene's notes and answers about this cake:

Hi Petr,

I forgot to mention something important, the wrapper & neifei on the
summer Lao Man E incorrectly label this tea as "dan ke shu" or single
tree
This bing is actually composed of material from 4 separate trees, as 1
tree did not yield enough material to make the factory's minimum order
for pressing
Each tree is from a different part of the mountain, so this bing
should be more correctly called "four peaks" summer LME hehe
The 4 trees selected produce sweeter tea, hence this bing does not
have the strong bitterness of Spring LME, which I described in my blog
article
http://teaurchin.blogspot.com/2011/10/from-lao-man-e-with-love.html

So I also like this tea as it is "LME light" and very drinkable even
when mug steeping ("grandpa style" as marshaln is fond of saying)

All in all, quite surprising for a Lao Man E

Eugene

 You even do not have to be too close to it to smell its strong, green puehr aroma. When I have tried it for a first time, there was strong pine resin, a little bit smoky odor. I liked this type of character, as it was more wooden pine then smokiness. But yes, it was probably from processing or storage in some fresh wooden box and not from leaves themselves. After few months of acclimation in my tea cabinet the pine disappeared. But never mind, the strong fresh-sheng aroma is still there - let' peel of a small chunk of it.

Here, brewing for my friend, I could get pictures without concern about camera...

With my small shibo it is quite easy to use higher then reasonable amount of leaves. And here we have leaves from Lao Man E so it can be dangerous! Fortunately this summer tea is not as full of the famous bitterness as its spring version. First infusion is light yellow in color but green, strong in taste. Eugene call it "light LME" but it is not Yiwu sugar at all! I smell there dandelions with their bitter and at ones heavy sweet aromas (our spring meadous are always full of them, so maybe I am just smelling our spring coming...)

Brews develop without surprises, which is usually a good sign. Mouth full of bitter-sweetness of live. Long lasting aftertaste Energy which makes my mind sharper. Focued on brewing the tea - the tea helps me to be focused.

Left over leaves are firm, juicy and nice looking. Seeing as this cake ruthlessly disappears, drain away, I know that I will never know how it taste like when aged. People say that clean, strong, full, bitter-sweet tastes, which this cake is full, are good base for aging... I am happy to like good young shengs as well as adolescent ones. And I love aged ones, of course. It helps to rid of fears about how my small collection of cakes will age. Remains curiosity and excitement.

Thank you for reading...

Two small cups by Yoo Tae-Keun

During preparation of the TongECha post for this blog, going through our collection, my eyes rested on two cups. Two small, extraordinary goblets created by Korean ceramic master Yoo Tae Keun.

Those cups are the only ones in our collection, where the surface is not bare clay nor glazed. Mr. Yoo has used here, for finishing the surface, the urushi. The Urushi is Japanese term and also the technique is famous as Japanese. Despite that fact there are many historical as well as modern Korean works using Chinesse lacquer three sap to create natural varnish called urushi. As many others, technique of urushi came to Japan from China thru Korea. And as many others, Koreans have used this knowledge and craft in their unique way.

We got those cups as a generous and valued gift during our first visit of Korea from Mr.Yoo. Those cups are not for daily use for me. For their special look and feeling I present them during special occasions. The lacquer gold combination represents luxury. But it necessarily doesn't have to be  luxury of wealth. There are also luxuries of time and friendship. The Luxury of freedom. By cleaning, preheating and filling those cups with high-end tea I bring out consciousness of those Luxuries.

Cups are light and with almost not-ceramic touch. I like to use them on more earthy, stoneware saucers. It brings harmony. Shape of the cups is simple and let's say humble. Regardless the urushi and the gold cups still do not protrude. When you raise them up to your lips then the preciousness of the moment shows up.

 
  To meet Mr.Yoo, to see his kiln and to visit gallery belong to those memories, which one will not forget. His ability to follow traditional ways with fresh and modern spirit is admirable. I wish to go this way too...

Pictures of Yoo's kiln, gallery, himself and bowls full of sun....

Thank you for reading!