Apr

28

Progress

April 28, 2008 | 4 Comments

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photo: Mila Bowman

Well, the shop is coming along beautifully. Steve Folsom is an old friend and a very fine woodworker, and we are fortunate to have him on board for the build. He is amazingly consistent and details are important to him—I like it! We plan to have everything in place by June 17th with doors open, ready to go. We are in the process of getting all of our systems in order, so it is just a matter of time. There have been many eager inquiries as to when we’ll be open and we do appreciate that. We have spent a lot of time in the neighborhood and again, we are so happy to be a part of the South Park community. There are some great independent businesses in the area and the people are amazing.

There will indeed be a grand opening event soon after we are up and running. And stay tuned to the blog as it will be the place to find out about events, shop specials, new teas and wares, all sorts of good stuff. As always, thanks for checking in.

- James

Apr

16

Terroir

April 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment

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The following info. is from the great book, Tea: Aromas and Flavors Around The World by Lydia Gautier. This is an incredibly informative and beautifully photographed resource on tea. It is one we are carrying in the shop.

The same variety of tea grown on two different soil types will produce different results. The Chinese understood this very early on: there are writings dating from as early as the 11th century that refer to the notion of local conditions (or “terroir”)—in other words, the role of soil and aspect in a single tea garden covering a few acres.

A Question of Terroir
In a Chinese register dating from 1064, known as the Dongxi Tea Tasters’ Register, the following comments are found concerning different places in the same tea garden near the Wuyi mountains in Fujian province. Listed are the place names and comments on characteristics.

Heyuan: the tea grows on the north slope of the mountain; its taste is sweet and aromatic; its color greenish-white.
Hellingwei: the tea here is a yellow color and its taste is strongly earthy.
Likeng: the tea is yellow in color and its taste is short-lived.
Fowling: the tea is yellowish-white and its taste is short-lived.
Southeast of Fowling: the tea has little sweetness and is very bitter.
Northeast of Fowling: the taste is short-lived and the aroma lacks intensity.

The fact that so much variation can exist within a single garden is fascinating and one of the most interesting aspects (among many) of tea. Being into tea is indeed a very dynamic endeavor. Considering all of the variables—both natural and human—that influence the outcome of every type of tea, it’s difficult to get bored with this pursuit. It’s one I am committed to until the end.

Thanks for checking in.

- James

Apr

7

It’s called The Leaf and you can check it out at the-leaf.org

First impressions are okay; it’s always good to check out other perspectives on all that is tea. The first article I read had somewhat of an elitist tone to it, but there are more good points than bad.

We get closer by the day! Almost there. Stay tuned for the next e-news coming soon.

Thanks for checking in.

- James