On Feb 15, 5:16 pm, "Shen" wrote:
I stopped into Wing Hop Fung and amidst the "getting ready for New
Year" hubbub found a couple of interesting teas - Yellow Stone
Mountain Dan Cong and a Huang Chin Kuei Oolong.
A while ago, Phyll spoke of this Dan Cong and thought it somewhat
ordinary. I loved it - refreshing, slightly floral, madeira
qualities.It may have been that it was just unpacked. This seems to
make a difference. The Huang Chin Kuei was rich and tasty for a very
inexpensive tea. They serve the stuff in "who-only-knows-what's-been-
in-that-Yixing-pot" and a paper cup; so, it's tough to discern. But, I
bought a bit of each.
Then stopped by Chado. This is not necessarily my type of tea shop.
I'm not a finger sandwich person. But, I was fortunate in that the
manager of the Pasadena store is very passionate and knowlegable and
willing to spend a few minutes educating me.
The sell a myriad of flavoured teas (mostly mock Mariage Freres stuff)
but I was lucky enough to taste a really, really fine Tie Kuan Yin
(King's) the likes of which I've never (in my short tea time) have
tasted. It was relatively expensive; but, worth it (13.40 oz) Thich
but delicate, green and floral without any bitterness or astringency,
smooth and more interesting with each infusion (6)(gaiwan). The
fellow's name is Tek and he referred to it as Tek's Tie Kuan Yin. Sold
only in two oz vacumn-sealed pouches which looked very familar. Toward
the top of the pouch I noticed Ming Tea and figured it was from
MingCha teas. Absolutely delicious!
He sent me away with a sample of Sechrna Keemun (8.00 oz) because I
had bragged about some ITC Hoa Ya A I had been drinking and talked of
the characteristics I liked in a black (or red)
tea.
I had been enjoying chocolately overtones and malty richness of the
Keemuns from ITC and the golden tips from Yunnan. But, I just had a
small pot of this Sechrna - wow!
I've always been a little envious of those posters who remark upon the
tingly sensations a tea can offer or the prickles on the tongue (being
an old hippie) that I too dearly miss from my other sources of the
sixties and seventies (LOL); so this experience was familar, but new.
I didn't actually know a tea could make you feel this goooood.
First - the flavour: like the smoothest wiskey, toasted, warm, sweet.
Then - the sensations: oooh, my head; a rush from the head down
through my arms; awake, present.
This is some tea!
(Please know I have nothing to do with Chado - I was obviously really
impressed with this tea).
WHF had pulled out all their puerhs - all provoking a loud laugh at
the extrordinary markups! I dis buy one small (they call it "Chess
Piece") of pu-erh, compressed into a 3 inch diameter disc.
We brewed up a pot for fun last night and were really not impressed -
bitter, woodsy. but, fun, nonetheless.
WHF also had two "Butterfly Brand" tea types available - one oolong
(Tie Kuan Yin) and a green
(Ting Tung? - don't remember) bith about $10.00 a can.
Shen

WRONG NAME ON THE BLACK TEA FROM CHADO - IT'S A YUNNAN CALLED "Zhen
Qu". I was guessing on the name since I couldn't really read the
writing on the sample bag and thought it may be the one in the
catalog. But, it is Yunnan. Wow! I had it again this morning and it's
such a pleasing taste - whiskey, mocha with a nice creamy "finish".
Shen