tea

I just realized that my tastes in tea have been changing.  Used to love Earl Grey, and then it kept oscillating between Ceylons and Keemuns and Kukichas, and now I'm into Oolongs.

My favourite at the moment is Da Hong Pao, which is an oolong from the Wuyi region of China.  I read yesterday that the first infusion is considered the worst and it's the third and fourth that are best.  I'm like, BS! but this morning had my third infusion of this wonderful tea and just brewed it longer to gain more flavour.  You know, it /is/ a bit better than it was before.  Smoother, and a bit... more oolongish, but with something else at the back of my throat, like the flavour is going up through my sinuses before I really get to taste it.  It's weird and I like it.  I had read also that one idea is to take sips of the tea as it is brewing - every 30 seconds - and note the differences as it brews.  Teas "open up" certain flavours at different stages of the brew.  I suppose it makes sense... some people like al dente pasta, others don't mind it smooshy.  I personally don't want it crunchy...  I also love Osmanthus Oolong, which is a blend I discovered at VT Liberty.

My sorta-current likes:  Most non-green oolongs, smokey blacks, earl grey, a few herbals like blood orange and dandelion leaf, kukicha, and the occasional green (not many I like but Dragonwell seems OK).  I also like this chai that Mary found for me.  Not all chais are created equal.  Before now I had only enjoyed Pacific Chai and now I don't really like that... but the chai she found for me is absolutely awesome with no milk or sugar whatsoever.  Perfectly refreshing, awesome blend!!

Dislikes (which seem to linger):  Most greens.  I also think whites are to me as most tea is to Dale:  tasteless leaf water.  I also hate pu-erh.  OMG it's horrendous.  The dude at VT Liberty told me that pu-erh is not supposed to taste like fishy sawdust but everything I've read about it says that those who hate it says it tastes exactly like fishy sawdust or moldy earth.  It's gross.  A friend of Dale's at work sent him home with a little container of various wrapped teas, little cakes, and I suspected they were pu-erh but thanked her and took them home, eager to find out.  I was sooooo right.  I still have them, but I know I will never, ever dare to drink them again.  Cringe.

DALE happens to love Rooibos.  It's an herbal.  He will tolerate jasmine-infused oolong tea, especially at a restaurant.  He'll also drink a combo of that with rooibos.  I don't know what it is about that stuff.  I think it's kinda weird and I'm not overly fond of the stuff.  I could probably drink it if someone served it without giving me a choice in the matter, but I never brew it for myself.

Lisa, my rat, apparently dislikes Dragonwell.  She's quite prone to tumours, and this morning it dawned on me that perhaps she could benefit from the greens I hate.  So I made her some Dragonwell, which actually, I like to some extent.  She passed by it with two inches to spare, obviously avoiding it like the plague.  The wanted my Geneva cookie, instead.  Then she asks, "What's in YOUR cup?"  Thankfully, she didn't poke her nose too far in when I let her sniff my blessed Da Hong Pao.  She sniffed, then looked at me like, "Why do you drink that stuff?"  She is definitely not Gracie.  Gracie loved my teas.  Then again, I never had Da Hong Pao when she was around.  Maybe she wouldn't have loved that one. I should see if Lisa likes Earl Grey.

Addendum:  Lisa just got bored and is now drinking the Dragonwell!!  At least, a few licks.  Hmmm... there might yet be hope...  Oh well, off to get ready for an outing with Dale and Amy.  We're headed out to find a tea shop.  I'm going to get some more Da Hong Pao while we're up there, and will also try something new.  We hope to find a seat in the back.  :D

~w