Sunday, October 31, 2010

2009 Lalashan - Floating Tea Leaves



Setelah menikmati oolong dari Alishan dan Lishan (termasuk dalam kategori high-mountain tea dari Taiwan), sayapun ketagihan dan ingin mencoba variasi lainnya dalam kategori ini.  Pilihan jatuh ke teh oolong dari Lalashan, perkebunan teh yang berlokasi di Taoyuan yang konon hampir sepanjang tahun tertutup kabut, suatu kondisi yang ideal untuk perkebunan teh premium. Disebutkan juga belum banyak orang yang mengenal keberadaan Lalashan oolong, termasuk di Taiwan sendiri.  Konon daun teh yang dipanen di Lalashan dibawa ke Lishan dan di jual sebagai Lishan oolong. Kolega saya yang orang Taiwan dan sempat  bekerja paruh waktu di pabrik teh di Taiwan saat usia sekokah malah bengong ketika saya tanya tentang oolong Lalashan ini. 



Lalashan yang saya coba dari FTL adalah medium roasted yang dipanen pada musim dingin tahun 2009.  Daun teh keringnya  bulat meringkel mirip oolong Alishan dan Lishan. Air seduhan sangat bening dan bearoma fruity dan terasa manis. Saya mencoba mentrace rasa peach seperti yang disebutkan beberapa vendors. Karena Lalashan merupakan daerah penghasil buah peach, banyak yang menyebutkan oolong dari Lalashan mempunyai rasa  seperti buah peach, yang sayangnya tidak saya rasakan. Yang jelas teh ini terasa sangat potent, rich dan walaupun diseduh sampai 7 kali, rasa dan warna air seduhan tidak berubah. Daun hasil seduhan terlihat mulus dan utuh, tidak bolong-bolong. 




Monday, October 25, 2010

Tea with a view

The view from Les Remparts

During our trip to France, we visited several beautiful small towns in the Cote d'Azur aka the French Riviera. One of them was Eze-Village, a small medieval village located between Nice and Monte Carlo, sits on a narrow rocky tip overlooking the Mediterranean sea and St jean Cap Ferrat. 


Darjeeling from Dammann Freres  
The tea above was enjoyed at Les Remparts of Château de La Chèvre d’Or


The site was pretty spectacular where souvenir shops, galleries, cafes were carved into the stonewall. There were no crowds when we were there. So it was really nice to leisurely walked around the site without having to bump into other tourists. Strolling the narrow lanes made me feel like I was wandering around a fairy tale village. 

Eze-Village


Sunday, October 24, 2010

Tea in Paris



Pictures of our tea moments in Paris early this month. 


Darjeeling Oolong Fancy at Mariage Freres Tea Salon


Castleton, SFTGFOP 1

Mariage Freres Store

Tea Menu at Mariage Freres Tea Salon



I was pleased to find the hotels we stayed in served good Japanese teas. So glad to be able to enjoy those greens at breakfast.  


Genmaicha, my breakfast tea at Park Hyatt Vendome
Sencha, breakfast tea at Hyatt Regency Madeleine - loved the pot!


We found salon de thé everywhere in Paris. A decent pot of tea we had in a cafe across from Museum D'Orsay.


Tea at Le Royal Orsay Cafe

Had a wonderful time in Chajin, a cute Japanese tea room near our hotel in Madeleine. The owner, Carol Negiar used to be an Angelino as well. It was nice to chat about familiar places and sites.


Sencha at Chajin

Gyokuro at Chajin


My husband and I had a perfect experience at Mariage Freres tea market and salon on our first day in Paris that we decided to repeat the experience again before we left the city a week later.


Jungpana SFTGFOP1




Marco Polo White Tea

Mariage Freres Tea Museum