Thank you. I think I'll stop by the shop where I bought it and ask if that
is what it is. I kind of like it. I've drank coffee for so many years that
tea is a bit different. Most of my tea drinking has been "Lipton".
Anna

"Rick Chappell" > wrote in message
...
| Anna > wrote:
| > I guess I don't know what kind of tea it is. It is about the size of a
| > nickel and wrapped in paper. The brew has a musty smell and is fairly
dark
| > brown. It doesn't seem to leave an after taste. The smell of the used
| > leaves is kind of like the smell of seaweed or the ocean.
|
| This sounds like black pu erh ("composted tea", left in a damp
| environment to ferment for a while). They're great - I had one at
| breakfast this morning. Besides flavor, another nice thing about them
| is that they are hard to screw up. Oversteeping won't make them
| bitter. I use one for 4 - 8 ounces of boiling water depending on
| preferred strength. Rinse once with boiling water first. It can be
| resteeped - the second steep is stronger than the first, because by
| then the tuo has disintegrated. Third is okay too; fourth is weak.
| Cantonese drink this stuff by the gallon, very dilute. Workers bring
| one to the office in a jar and keep refilling with hot water.
|
| If my suggestions make for bitter tea then you probably have a green pu
| erh (composted green tea, approximately). Same instructions except with
| slightly cooler water and you shouldn't oversteep.
|
| Have fun,
|
| Rick.