Good people make good tea, I have often said, and on these trips, I wanted to see if my tour group could get a sense of who the people were behind these great teas. I have known these farmers for so many years now, and their unassuming, warm, hospitable demeanors never fail to reinforce that viewpoint. It is always the caring, respectful artisans who coax the depths out of the leaves, and the teas will communicate to those who are worthy. The ones who break the tea leaf spines and cut, tear and curl them, do not deserve a drinkable cup. I don’t care who I offend. We are not in the business of contributing to more acrid, astringent, undrinkable dregs that you need to pour cream and sugar into. The spirits of the teas and their chosen artisan want their stories told.
Now, this blog entry is getting way out there! But I really am tired of that 99% of crap in the marketplace, after knowing such sublime levels of teas all my life. And so, I exercise my compassion by bringing you, my fellow consumers and aficionados of tea, that world of possibilities!
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