Many of you who drink serious tea knows that feeling when you had good
whole-leaf tea that you do not want, even after several steep times to just
throw away the beautiful large tea leaves. I know I am not a miser, I just
hate to throw away these beautiful brownish-gree large Shui Xian leaves!
Everything else I throw away real easy - but the tealeaves have that special
effect on me.
This is what I was doing lately and may be you will also find it useful.
Now after I exhausted the leaves, a put them in a larger yihing teapot
(slightly larger than 1/2 liter) and after several times I have 1/3 to 1/2
of the pot fiulled with different kind of exhausted tealeaves (I mix
everything, oolongs, green puerhs, green). I have not yet experimented with
adding the black puerh - it may overwhelm the combination. I also do not use
any black teas.
This combination is always unique and reminiscent of the teas you has the
last two-four days. Then I brew it with rolling boiling water (and actually
heat the teacpot itself on a very slow heat on teh stove almost to the
boiling point). Teh result is a very interesting mix of teas that one can
drink hot, make a base for iced tea later or used as a feed to a kombucha
mushroom. The mix can be brewed two-three times (although teh leaves are
almost exhausted, by adding more and more you increase the leaves/water
ratio) and by the end of the week almost teh whole pot if filled with
tealeaves. The combination of many teas make it every time a unique
experience. Try it, you may like it. One thing is garanteed - this is always
unique!

Sasha.