Michael Plant writes:

On 02/05/2008 09:31:32 Lewis Perin wrote:

Shen wrote:

If it's darker (nearly black), it could be Kudding ( a healing "tea") -
bitter.

Don't know, I've put a picture he
http://www.telmon.org/tea/IMG_1520.JPG Remember it's an old leaf, I
purchased it in 2001.

I understand why Shen suggested Kudingcha, but this picture doesn't
resemble it. Besides, Kudingcha (which isn't a Camellia sinensis true tea
but rather a member of the holly family) tastes extremely bitter. Does
that characterize your tea?


Lew, I have drunk kundingcha not rolled leaf as you would expect,
but in a very Bi Lo Chun like small snaily twist. It was properly
bitter. Whether this is another form of processing the same plant or
a different plant entirely I know not, but the taste was nearly
identical. Having said that, I'll go look at the picture as science
requires. Michael

Right, I've had it in this form too. I find it puzzling that
kudingcha exists in two such radically different configurations. But
real tea has lots of puzzlements too, and I suppose I prefer to spend
my attention on good old C. sinensis.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html