A group of nine travels with me this week, to brave typhoons, landslides, mosquitoes, centipedes, and what other calamities may befall, only to experience some of the most sublime teas in the world few of us will ever experience otherwise. The day begins in Wenshan, near Taipei, to visit with Mr. Lee, one of the most decorated award winning producers of Baochong Oolong.
Wenshan, home of Baochong oolong, a sometimes shockingly fragrant…
Wenshan, home of Baochong oolong, a sometimes shockingly fragrant tea. Little wonder; Mr. Lee lines his hills with not only fragrant flowers, but fragrant fruits like pineapples, kumquats, pomelos…
Wisteria Tearoom, Taipei
Taiwan Beauty harvest dates Luckily for us, our crop was…
Taiwan Beauty harvest dates
Luckily for us, our crop was harvested June 6th, between the peak dates called ‘Mang Zhong’, which is between June 1st – 12th
The story goes that a tea farmer in Taiwan whose crop was…
The story goes that a tea farmer in Taiwan whose crop was devastated by little leaf hoppers sold his ‘ugly’ tea anyway, and at surprising reception. His villagers refused to believe that he’s made a fortune so unconventionally, and abused it as Pong Fong Cha, the bullshit tea. Later, the Queen of England gave it an alternate name of Taiwan Beauty.
The farmers I visited today, the Yangs, were quite honest. The crop made in early June was very very limited and was submitted to the competition. Through some error the entire crop was rejected and sent back. They would rather sell me the more abundant September crop, but, they admitted, there were no leaf hoppers in Sept. And they worry if any of it would sell, for those bugs are the secret to the fabulous taste of Taiwan Beauty. I was highly sympathetic, but bought that limited summer crop anyway, competition error or not. One’s palate beats one’s heart and sense of sympathy!
Mr Yang enlightens us to the fact that his Taiwan Beauty,…
Mr Yang enlightens us to the fact that his Taiwan Beauty, frequently award winning, gets a darker red infusion after infusion. Instead of getting lighter after each infusion, it actually gets longer, and, said Mr Yang, steep it 20 times!!