How do you drink your tea, mug?

[abcdefg]

I live in Kunming and drink lots of Pu'er tea. Wash the leaves a couple times with boiling water and then just use a chabei. (Glorified jar with strainer built in.) Don't know if they are available in the west, but I'd bet they are. Suitable for making "steeped" tea. (paocha.) Just keep adding hot water (doesn't need to be boiling after the first round for Pu'er.) The ripe Pu'er can be strong without becoming bitter. The raw Pu'er is less forgiving.

You can see pictures here from a couple months ago in another thread: http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician0491&highlight=tea&page=3

[buzhongren]

I drink all my teas from a 茶杯. In my case it is as insulated doubled walled vacuum glass. I add the leaves, hot water and drink. I would use a 蓋碗 but I even find the lid and saucer annoying. The leaves add their own taste which is missing if you brew in a pot. I let others gongfu. Is the Yunnan tea drought as bad as they say. Ive seen pictures of the dried up MeKong river bed in LuLiang.

xiele,

Jim

[abcdefg]

The leaves add their own taste which is missing if you brew in a pot.

I agree. I load my 茶杯 in the morning and take it with me wherever I go throughout the day. Hot water for refills is available all over town. Towards evening I toss the leaves out. Kunming is high and dry and this "locals" tactic improves hydration.

Is the Yunnan tea drought as bad as they say?

The drought 干旱 is very serious, the worst in over 50 years. Water must be trucked in to villages by the government because the streams and wells are dry. All crops have been affected. Prices of fruits and vegetables increased a lot since last year.

It's even difficult to find fresh flowers, which is really saying something here. Last year a bunch of roses (about 20) cost 5 RMB. This year they are scarce and cost three times that. Yunnan teas have increased in price as well.

[buzhongren]

IIm curious ABCDEFG. Are other teas from other provinces in China available in KunMing besides 普洱? I like different teas. What is your favorite 熟 or 生 these days.

xiele,

Jim

[Guest realmayo]

I find tea -- pu'er, green tea, whatever -- gets too strong if I leave it to stewing in the bottom of a glass for too long, that's why I ended up buying that gadget thing.

[abcdefg]

Im curious ABCDEFG. Are other teas from other provinces in China available in KunMing besides 普洱? I like different teas.

Yes indeed. In the kitchen cabinet now I have a pleasant long-needle-leaf green tea, a red tea, jasmine tea, some tieguanyin, and chrysanthemum (菊花查）in addition to two kinds of Pu'er. All were bought locally.

The tieguanyin 铁观音 is from Guangdong and the green tea is from Fujian. I don't know where the jasmine tea is from, but it's the kind that is rolled into tight little balls about the size of rabbit dung.

The red tea is produced here in Yunnan. It's full flavored and deep in color. Locally they call it 滇红查 = dian hong cha. Dian is the nickname for Yunnan. Mine is plain, though some are lightly flavored with lychee 荔枝。

Not only are the tea shops plentiful, and you can always taste the wares, but the city is dotted with teahouses where you can sip tea and talk with friends or play mah jiang. It's also a way to try some new varieties in an atmosphere with no sales pressure.

I usually buy 50 grams at time of the lose-leaf teas (not the bricks or cakes of Pu’er.) That lasts me a long time, since I only brew for one or two people as a rule. And with an assortment, I can change around to suit the weather or my mood.

Locals who know a lot and have larger famiies often go to the big wholesale market on the edge of town where the markup is less, but I’m not a skilled enough buyer to make that worth my time.

[abcdefg]

I find tea -- pu'er, green tea, whatever -- gets too strong if I leave it to stewing in the bottom of a glass for too long, that's why I ended up buying that gadget thing.

That makes a lot of sense. I only use the chabei for the sake of convenience not because it makes better tea. It's easy to carry along wherever I go. Can stick it a jacket pocket or book bag.

[buzhongren]

realmayo: that's why I ended up buying that gadget thing.

You can find the 飘逸杯 in some Chinese stores in the US. Always drain the leaves between infusions no matter what your use for brewing.

xiele,

Jim