Time to get out the wood chucker. The stem and leaf pattern in all
three cases is different. The A-Li-Shan looks like leaf on a grape
vine, the Green Jade has two leaves which terminate at a node on the
stem which has possibly another leaf, and Dong Ding leaf and stem on
leaf and stem. I'm wondering how they roll the stem and wither the
leaf without breaking it which is what you find in most larger grades.
I think it remarkable that there is little or no single or broken leaf.
I'm on my 5th pot of Green Jade and finally the taste comes thru to
match the aroma. I did let it brew a little longer than normal and
added more tea. That infusion is comedy in a pot. The nuggets start
on the bottom, slowly rise to the top, and some fall back to the
bottom, with all meeting in the middle in a wonderful suspended canopy
of leaves and stems.

Jim

Michael Plant wrote:
> Space
1/27/05
>
>
> > Their Dong Ding also needs pruning shears. It's as good as any
I've
> > had. All three give magnificent performances in the pot.
> >
> > Jim
>
>
>
> I've also had some Oolongs with an inordinate amount of stem . It's
curious
> that some of these stemmy Oolongs have been more delightful than
those more
> carefully pruned or plucked. I've been told that sometimes the stems
are
> left because they have a positive effect on the taste and aroma of
the tea.
> I believe it. I haven't bothered to do a comparison tasting yet of
stemmed
> and non-stemmed versions of the same tea, although it would be pretty
simple
> to prepare.
>
> Michael