What is Gongfu tea ceremony in Chinese traditions? Four basic elements for Gongfu Tea Ceremony Perhaps those who learn and practice Gongfu would understand better when I refer it back to the principle of Gongfu tea ceremony (功夫茶) to the learning and practice of Gongfu 功夫 (Wu Shu武術) . Even with the most talented people, […]
What can you do with the left over tea leaves after enjoying its fine flavour and taste? Well, here is one example with the left over of eco -tea: Jin Xuan and FouShou – use as vegetables with chopped meat to make Chinese style of Jian Bing 煎餅。
Ivo’s colleague bought a pack of “Super Fancy Oolong” from a Chinese tea shop in Gent and asked me to evaluate it. The best way of evaluating tea is to compare it with a similar sort of tea. When I opened the sample bag, based on the shape and color, so I decided to compare […]
When we think we know a lot, think twice. When we think we have done well enough, check twice again. Our biggest enemies are not out there who we think we can put one of our finger to, but the other three fingers that are pointing to ourselves. The border or structure that can be seen […]
I was born and grew up in Taiwan, it is naturally that I have special feeling towards Taiwanese tea. However, when it comes to the topic about tea, I choose to be honest to the purity, authenticity and quality of tea but not judging based on the bias views towards specific region or country. No […]
生於台灣自幼承襲中華傳統文化, 長於台灣, 我自然對台灣茶是獨有情衷. 但是在討論茶好壞差異的時候, 我一直選擇與堅持對茶忠實, 放下地域性與文化差異性. 好的就說好, 能改善的就直接點出. 台灣茶確實是很好, 但是我認為我們也不能一眛的就說台灣茶一定比其他地區或是國家的茶好. 同樣是 Camellia sinensis 但是世界各地因土壤適種性與氣候影響, 所以造就了許多基本面上的差異. 台灣茶樹種不同, 生長環境不同, 保存的由福建移民台灣祖先流傳下來的傳統製作工藝不同, 泡茶的方法與飲茶的文化有獨到之處. 這些都是台灣茶在跟世界茶比較時能佔有的強項優點. 假若不同茶樹種, 處於世界不同地區, 土質/水質/海拔環境不同, 不同的製造工藝, 不同泡法與喝法, 如何能東西南北的胡亂比較呢? 自從茶園往高山發展之後, 台灣茶以高山烏龍取勝. 但是這些年品到許多輕發酵的高山烏龍, 沒錯香氣足但是因工藝更改, 少了手工炭焙精加工這一道, 所以感覺有時那茶韵就差臨門一腳. 這個發展也影響了福建安溪的鐵觀音等烏龍的製造. 以鐵觀音來說, 那輕發酵根本就沒法子提顯鐵觀音應有的韵厚味足的特點. 當然這是個人的口味選擇. 不過這些年在國外推廣的時候也遇到許多外國愛茶的朋友, 他們也分享類似的看法, 高山烏龍或許清香十足, 前三泡水滑甘甜但是若能補上那略輕焙工藝的話那韵香與甘滑及回甘就更好. 1991年許多台灣茶農為了拓展把台灣茶樹帶出國去開墾種茶與製茶. 那時開始有許多茶農去了中國大陸與越南等地去開墾發展. 這些年來這些人的努力也對當地的茶的品質提升有了很明顯文化面的影響. 帶出去的茶樹是來自台灣的, 人是來自台灣本土老老實實只懂種茶與製茶者, 製作工藝是台灣自十六/七世紀先民前後移民台灣後保留下來的. 許多在大陸地區當地土壤與氣候很適合茶樹生長, 所以這些年他們做出來的茶已經可以跟台灣的本土茶來相比抗衡, 不分上下. 這是個不容忽視而確實存在的事實. 否定它們的存在與優良品質, 不代表能就提升台灣本土茶. 最好的方式就是採取正面看待與良性競爭. 台灣不大, 台灣喝茶人口眾多, 但是在台灣還是有太多不誠實的茶商, […]
A recent TV report from Taiwan on 17/5/2016 caught my attention. A 30 years old young man became a diabetic patient, the diagnosis showed the cause of his health problem is because he drank several cup of either bubble tea or sweet hand-shaked tea per day. From the health point of view Indeed bubble tea and hand-shaked tea taste good […]
Some time people ask me “What is the best tea?” As matter of fact, there is no ‘the best’ but there are good, better and even more better selections at the moment when you make your choice. Because how can I compare tea without considering the following differences: The difference in tea tree cultivar The […]
Tea doesn’t taste good? There is no Yes or No answer, but there are many reasons for this question: Do you choose the right quality of tea? Do you choose the right quality of water? Do you know how to match tea with the right tea ware? Do you brew your tea right? Do you […]