Lol, point taken Michael. I got worried for two reasons: First, It's going
to be a lot of money for me at once (around$80-90) for tea and second, I've
been having a really horrible terrible awful time getting some tea from
another overseas vendor in another country who I also spent $80-90 with. One
very very important thing with Teaspring which I can't tell you how much I
appreciate is that they answered my E-mails rapidly and with authority,
there wasn't any fishiness or uncertainty about whether they would
communicate with me, which I have experienced with this other tea place
continually since I've tried to do business with them. It's an awful feeling
for me when I've ordered something online and don't get so much as an E-mail
receipt for final cost or even acknowledgement that they got the
order...when I have to pester and pester them and don't get any kind of
response for weeks on end. That's how bad it's been. If I didn't like the
tea so much I wouldn't go through this, I guarentee you, and if I get more
I'm going through a business collegue of a friend to just buy it off the
damn shelf over there and ship it to me. I'll do the blasted FDA paperwork,
it's easier than this. ::fume::
So I was already primed, so to speak, for feeling like I was taking a risk
ordering directly from overseas because of my experiences with this other
place.
As far as the long jing goes, like I said I look forward to tasting it. It's
weird (to me at least...probably not to others)...I'll not feel as
uncomfortable spending, say, $15-$20 a quarter pound on a good green or
oolong, but I look twice at a black tea for that much. It's because I get
multiple steeps from my greens etc. I get a lot more (and pleasant) mileage
out of them.
Melinda
--
"The country has entered an era in which
questions are not asked, for questions are
daughters of disquiet or arrogance, both
fruits of temptation and the food of sacrilege." Djaout
"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
> Melinda,
>
> Seriously, it should be mentioned that a lesser grade of Long Jing that is
> super new and super fresh is going to be wonderful. A great grade that is
> not fresh is not going to be a great drinking experience no matter what.
> Freshness counts for a lot. (I say in defense of TeaSpring.)
>
> In answer to your other questions, a proper Long Jing leaf will be exactly
> 8.3579 mm in length, and, when placed in water, will float as a ruddered
> boat for exactly 7.9278 seconds before gracefully drifting downward.
> Anything else is imitation. Hope this helps.
>
> Michael
>
>
>
> 3/31/05
>
>> Can you please clarify for me what the difference is between what you
>> refer
>> to as the good stuff and the stuff that's available right now..(I need to
>> get me a map). So there are better and worse long jings from the three (I
>> think) main regions of the traditional long jing production area..? How
>> in
>> heaven's name is one supposed to know? Besides cost I mean?
>>
>> Are the ones available now not the earliest ones to be picked?
>>
>> I am literally in a position that I don't even really know the right
>> questions to ask, wow.....:/ I feel a bit lost. I've read various
>> messages
>> on this newsgroups about the LJ production but I still don't get it. I
>> know
>> there is "real" LJ made in the traditional area that is divided into
>> three
>> kinds, Meijiawu, Shifeng and Xihu.Then there are LJ-type teas that are
>> also
>> being called LJ but are from outside areas.
>>
>> I have heard that there are 11 grades of LJ, so I'm not sure what is
>> meant
>> by LJ # 43.
>>
>> Then Ripon at one point in another list said something about three
>> different
>> types called "1) Quing (natural) 2)Lu Dou (green nut) and 3) Huang Dou
>> (yellow nut)" He also said the Imperial LJ was the best to his taste and
>> the
>> Teaspring site calls some of theirs Emporer LJ, not sure if it's supposed
>> to
>> be the same thing.
>> Can someone please help me out? Pretty please?
>>
>> Melinda, sincerely learning.
>