In his excellent blog, MarshalN recently reported on the equipage and
technique of traditional Taiwanese tea-roasting, alas growing uncommon:

http://www.xanga.com/MarshalN/622557...a-contest.html

There's an interesting parallel with the setup used in Japan's "incense
game":

http://www.japanese-incense.com/kodo-censer.htm

where grain-husk ash is also the damping medium. Instead of a large
tempering volume topped with an open-weave basket of tea, the Kodo setup
makes a fine chimney in the ash, which is then topped with a mica leaf
to support gently warmed incense chips. Spent a fun day doing this about
20 years ago courtesy of the Japan Society of Boston; it would be fun to
try the macro version. Apple wood-smoked Tie Guan Yin? Hickory Anxi
Oolong? Rock Maple Wu Yi? And what about pre-bottled smoke essences for
the toaster-oven set?

-DM

DogMa writes:

In his excellent blog, MarshalN recently reported on the equipage and
technique of traditional Taiwanese tea-roasting, alas growing uncommon:

http://www.xanga.com/MarshalN/622557...a-contest.html

There's an interesting parallel with the setup used in Japan's
"incense game":

http://www.japanese-incense.com/kodo-censer.htm

where grain-husk ash is also the damping medium. Instead of a large
tempering volume topped with an open-weave basket of tea, the Kodo
setup makes a fine chimney in the ash, which is then topped with a
mica leaf to support gently warmed incense chips. Spent a fun day
doing this about 20 years ago courtesy of the Japan Society of Boston;
it would be fun to try the macro version. Apple wood-smoked Tie Guan
Yin? Hickory Anxi Oolong? Rock Maple Wu Yi? And what about pre-bottled
smoke essences for the toaster-oven set?

We would never stoop so low!

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

Hi DM,
The site with the incense was very informative. I do not know if tea
with incense would be good, I am not too fond of Lapsang S but I have
had perfume infused candy (made in mexico) as a child. Reminded me of
kissing my auntCookie. Yikes!
Anyway I really admire the very intense discipline of that burning.
Thanks for the info
Jenn