Since I started writing here, let me ask about things I've always been
interested in...

How do you store your tea? You come back from the teashop with a tea in
a plastic bag (etc.) and...? I usually put the whole, closed bag into
the metal tin. I thought about emptying it out to the tin but I am not
sure if it is tight enough.

How long can tea be kept after purchase? How can I know (e.g. in a shop)
that tea is too dry or too old? I would appreciate having the
possibility to state that some tea in a shop is too old and they are
just cheating uninformed clients.

And last but not least - what kind of teapot do you use? Mine is similar
to this -> http://tinyurl.com/ml8k3 (but with a smaller strainer) but I
am wondering if there is enough place for leaves to expand.

I found information (don't remember the site at the moment, copied some
time ago):
"The preferred teapot here would be the ceramic Japanese type which has
a stainless steel screen inside as a filter. I'm not talking about the
kind where a steel infuser cup sits inside the lid, but instead where
the screen actually is butted up against the inside of the teapot. This
gives the tea plenty of room to expand. Additionally, Japanese teapots
are usually just the right size for the job."

Could any of you send me some pictures of such teapot, because I have no
idea how it should look like... Does this description mean just teapots
like those found on o-cha.com ? ;-]. If so, would you be so kind and...
describe how this [whatever properly called] pipe works?

Thank you for help very much, you don't even know how happy I am, having
the possibility to talk about tea with people who know more than where
to buy Lipton...

Greetings,
Theriel

Theriel wrote:
> Since I started writing here, let me ask about things I've always been
> interested in...

Hi Theriel, much of what you ask is answered in the Group FAQ which can
be found at http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html I highly
recommend that you read that first then come back and ask any questions
that remain unanswered.


> How do you store your tea?
http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html#5.1.


> How long can tea be kept after purchase? How can I know (e.g. in a shop)
> that tea is too dry or too old?
That differs depending on what type of tea you are talking about. Some
sensitive greens go stale in a few days upon being exposed to air, red
teas can lkast for a year or more, and some puerh teas arent considered
to be any good until they are at least thirty years old. To read up on
your favorite types of tea, you can start he
http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html#4.


> And last but not least - what kind of teapot do you use? Mine is similar
> to this -> http://tinyurl.com/ml8k3 (but with a smaller strainer) but I
> am wondering if there is enough place for leaves to expand.

I use a pot similar to yours only without any basket at all. That type
of pot is called a Yixing pot and is a favorite for use with many
Chinese teas. Be careful though as that type of pot should only be used
for one type of tea as it asorbs the flavor of the tea.
See http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html#3.1.2.

> "The preferred teapot here would be the ceramic Japanese type which has
> a stainless steel screen inside as a filter. I'm not talking about the
> kind where a steel infuser cup sits inside the lid, but instead where
> the screen actually is butted up against the inside of the teapot. This
> gives the tea plenty of room to expand. Additionally, Japanese teapots
> are usually just the right size for the job."
.......
> Could any of you send me some pictures of such teapot, because I have no
> idea how it should look like... Does this description mean just teapots
> like those found on o-cha.com ? ;-]. If so, would you be so kind and...
> describe how this [whatever properly called] pipe works?

I often use this type of Kyusu teapot for my Japanese green teas
(http://www.pu-erh.net/toolfull.php?Tool=4 and
http://www.pu-erh.net/toolfull.php?Tool=5) , also see
http://www.chajin.co.jp/catalog/chak...eru/index.html
for some good pictures of this type of pot.

Notice that almost every question was answered in the FAQ, please start
there, then come to us for clarification as needed.

Enjoy the journey.....

Mike

http://www.pu-erh.net

Mike Petro napisa³(a):
> Hi Theriel, much of what you ask is answered in the Group FAQ which can
> be found at http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html [cut]

Thank you very much. As you probably know, I'm new here and I haven't
seen FAQ yet. I'm sorry for repeating questions.

Greetings,
Theriel

On Fri, 05 May 2006 21:27:18 +0200, Theriel >
wrote:

>Mike Petro napisa³(a):
>> Hi Theriel, much of what you ask is answered in the Group FAQ which can
>> be found at http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html [cut]
>
>Thank you very much. As you probably know, I'm new here and I haven't
>seen FAQ yet. I'm sorry for repeating questions.

No Problem, I figured as much. That's why I offered all of the links.

Where are you from? What kind of tea do you drink?

--
Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net

First of all, thank you for response.
OK, here we go... ;-]

>> How do you store your tea?
> http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html#5.1.
That was theory. I know it but the true life is usually different. I
would like to get to know your opinion, what you think about metal tins,
if they are usually tight enough etc...

> Some sensitive greens go stale in a few days upon being exposed to air
Yeah, sure, that's the point. But I would like to know what does "stale"
mean. How can I know if tea, I am looking at, touching it etc. is stale
or not? If it is brand new or lies there for a few years, because
nobody wants to buy it?

> To read up on your favorite types of tea, you can start he
> http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html#4.
Unfortunately, this is very undetailed information. I know the basic
types of tea but it isn't the point. Though I have read a few books
about teas, authors usually write the same I still can't find out some
things...

> I often use this type of Kyusu teapot for my Japanese green teas
> (http://www.pu-erh.net/toolfull.php?Tool=4 and
> http://www.pu-erh.net/toolfull.php?Tool=5) , also see
> http://www.chajin.co.jp/catalog/chak...eru/index.html
> for some good pictures of this type of pot.
Hmm, those fotos explained me a few things but I still do not know ->
The long pipe/handle using which the man is keeping the pot, is just a
handle or it's empty inside? If so, what for?

In theory, what should the pot be made from and what shouldn't? I know
that glass and porcelain are good, because they do not change the taste
of tea. Metal is quite a bad choice - many chemical compounds
precipitate into the infusion. How about ceramic?
---
I would like to answer your second post here also, hope you don't mind.

> Where are you from? What kind of tea do you drink?
I am from Poland. I love green tea but of course such explanation
wouldn't probably satisfy you ;-]. At the moment I still do not have
particular preferences, maybe because I haven't come across green tea I
don't like (I mean, tea I bought in a tea shop, not in restaurant or
some so-called 'liptons'). That's probably because I have always bought
tea which I read that is very good (like Gunpowder Temple of Heaven, Pi
Lo Chun - my favorite, before I tasted Gyokuro, Silver Moon, Yunnan
Green Tea - now I am just saying what I found in my kitchen at _this_
moment). I also like Darjeeling. The only kind of tea I can drink using
"tea bags" is Dilmah Earl Grey (they use so much bergamot that it is
possible to drink ;-]). From time to time I also like other herbal
products, like Rooibos or Yerba Mate.

Oh, I would forget... I also like "Moroccan Tea" very much. I am not
sure if you know what I mean. It isn't kind of tea but the way of
preparation. They brew green tea with (I know, sounds horrible) boiling
water, add tons of sugar to it and lots of fresh mint. It is served in a
small cups (http://tinyurl.com/qu2b5). It really quenches thirst,
surprisingly better than the water on the desert. Unfortunately, it is
impossible in Poland to buy good quality, fresh mint (even in summer) so
when my supplies from Morocco run out I will probably have to change my
habits.

Thank you for help and feel free too ask any other questions,
Theriel

>>> How do you store your tea?
>> http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html#5.1.
>That was theory. I know it but the true life is usually different. I
>would like to get to know your opinion, what you think about metal tins,
>if they are usually tight enough etc...
It was more than theory, for example it clearly said that "metal tins
that close tightly, which seems optimal" However if the tin does not
close tightly then it is a bad choice and there are a lot of cheap bad
tins out there. I use tins that have two lids, an inner lid and an
outer lid. They work fine.



>> Some sensitive greens go stale in a few days upon being exposed to air
>Yeah, sure, that's the point. But I would like to know what does "stale"
>mean. How can I know if tea, I am looking at, touching it etc. is stale
>or not? If it is brand new or lies there for a few years, because
>nobody wants to buy it?

It depends on the tea, the question is too general. There is no "one
size fits all" answer. That's why I said to study the individual teas.
Or ask about a *specific* tea. Without knowing the tea we are talking
about all I can say is that you have to know your tea. If you have
never tasted a fresh one then it is hard to know when one is stale.
You have to go by the memory of how a fresh tea looked, smelled,
tasted, etc.


>The long pipe/handle using which the man is keeping the pot, is just a
>handle or it's empty inside? If so, what for?
It is just a handle, nothing more.


>In theory, what should the pot be made from and what shouldn't? I know
>that glass and porcelain are good, because they do not change the taste
>of tea. Metal is quite a bad choice - many chemical compounds
>precipitate into the infusion. How about ceramic?

Again the question is very general. There are different pots suited
for different teas. The kyusu you mention above is usually only used
for Japanese greens, the Yixing in your photo is frequently used for
oolongs and puerh. A porcelain gaiwan is probably my favorite generic
all-purpose vessel.


> > Where are you from? What kind of tea do you drink?
>I am from Poland.
My Great Grandparents (Karpinski) were from Poland.

--
Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net

Once again, thank you. Yeah, that's true that taking tea into
consideration it is impossible to talk about everything at once. By the
way, have any of you tasted:

Japan Fukuyu
China Lichee
Jasmin Dragon Phoenix Pear
Formosa Pouchong
Nepal SFTGFOP1 Fikkal Illam
Keemum

I have these names written on a small piece of paper, I don't know where
and when I came across them but some time ago I wanted probably to buy
them. Have you ever tasted them?

P.S. I was sending this e-mail also by mistake, directly to you, Mike
Petro, but canceled when noticed - sorry if I posted twice.
Greetings,
Theriel

Theriel,

I did some research, and it seems like the climate in Poland would
probably be sufficiently warm to grow your own fresh mint, at least in
summer. Peppermint in particular is pretty hardy. I live in a cool,
temperate area of North America, and I have more peppermint growing in
my garden than I can possibly use. It starts growing in March/April,
and doesn't stop until October/November, and I've never done anything
for it other than to plant it. This is in contrast to rosemary, which
I've never managed to preserve over winter. Of course I'm not sure what
difficulties you may face in obtaining mint plants, if they aren't
indigenous. Here is a link on cultivating mint:

http://www.ricecrc.org/reader/veg-gr...nt-growing.htm


Best of luck!

Theriel wrote:
> First of all, thank you for response.
>
> Oh, I would forget... I also like "Moroccan Tea" very much. I am not
> sure if you know what I mean. It isn't kind of tea but the way of
> preparation. They brew green tea with (I know, sounds horrible) boiling
> water, add tons of sugar to it and lots of fresh mint. It is served in a
> small cups (http://tinyurl.com/qu2b5). It really quenches thirst,
> surprisingly better than the water on the desert. Unfortunately, it is
> impossible in Poland to buy good quality, fresh mint (even in summer) so
> when my supplies from Morocco run out I will probably have to change my
> habits.
>
> Thank you for help and feel free too ask any other questions,
> Theriel

Theriel,

After writing that last message, it occured to me that you may not have
garden space. No worries! I have peppermint as a potted plant in my
office at work, and it's growing like, well, peppermint, even with
daily picking off of leaves to put in my green tea.

Theriel > wrote:
>Yeah, sure, that's the point. But I would like to know what does "stale"
>mean. How can I know if tea, I am looking at, touching it etc. is stale
>or not? If it is brand new or lies there for a few years, because
>nobody wants to buy it?

The smell is lost. It doesn't smell fresh and green any more. Once you
smell a fresh tea, you'll know what a stale one smells like, but the
smell is the basic key.

If it's being sold in tins where you can't take it out and smell it, the
tins should have date codes on the box.

>Oh, I would forget... I also like "Moroccan Tea" very much. I am not
>sure if you know what I mean. It isn't kind of tea but the way of
>preparation. They brew green tea with (I know, sounds horrible) boiling
>water, add tons of sugar to it and lots of fresh mint. It is served in a
>small cups (http://tinyurl.com/qu2b5). It really quenches thirst,
>surprisingly better than the water on the desert. Unfortunately, it is
>impossible in Poland to buy good quality, fresh mint (even in summer) so
>when my supplies from Morocco run out I will probably have to change my
>habits.

Can you plant it? Mint here is a sort of weed that people have to kill
to keep it from overrunning their lawns.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Your post inspired me to make Moroccan mint green tea last night, and
it is great stuff. I wouldn't drink it every day; the sugar required is
more likely to turn the drinker into a sumo wrestler than a kung fu
master. Actually, it might be a good home made "energy drink" to have
before working out, playing sports, etc. Something about the
combination of mint, tea, and sugar gave me a pleasant buzz. My wife
thought it was too sweet, however.
>
> Oh, I would forget... I also like "Moroccan Tea" very much. I am not
> sure if you know what I mean. It isn't kind of tea but the way of
> preparation. They brew green tea with (I know, sounds horrible) boiling
> water, add tons of sugar to it and lots of fresh mint. It is served in a
> small cups (http://tinyurl.com/qu2b5). It really quenches thirst,
> surprisingly better than the water on the desert. Unfortunately, it is
> impossible in Poland to buy good quality, fresh mint (even in summer) so
> when my supplies from Morocco run out I will probably have to change my
> habits.
>
>

In the interests of moving our spam further down the page, I'm going to
reply to this. I bought a bunch of tins on ebay. Not all were tight
enough to protect my tea and some were to large, since they hold eight
ounces of tea, but I'm using all but one.

Most of them I leave the tea in the bags I got it in, and stuff the
whole thing into a tin. then when the bag gets partially empty, The
bag can be smashed flatter so there is not much air around the tea.
This also lets me preserve the original label. It also lets me use
the tins whose lids aren't quite tight enough since the tin blocks out
light and the bag blocks out oxygen exchange. The hardest part is
blocking out little boys. Only a few tins can do that.

Kitty