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1/4/06

> Michael Plant wrote:
>> I sort of like the dynamic deterioration of the lump as it takes
>> on water and disintegrates before my eyes. Might take a steep or two to
>> bring them to complete destruction, but that's part of the pleasure. Just a
>> thought.
>>
>> The tea sleeve somebody mentioned previously would on the one hand save
>> cleaning time and trouble, but on the other hand you'd miss half the show.
>
> By "tea sleeve" do you mean the IngenuiTEA or Perfect Tea Maker? I
> believe both are transparent -- my IngenuiTEA certainly is; I can watch
> leaves of gunpowder or oolong slowly unfurl as they steep. Or chunks
> of raw puer brick for that "dynamic deterioration" of which you speak.
>
> stePH

I'm talking about those ong paper rectangles
that form a pouch for the tea and are long
enough to drape over the side of the mug.
You can put in any amount of tea and leave
the sleeve in the mug as long as you like.
When finished, you can disgard the wet
and expanded sleeve. (Sounds a bit like a
do-it-yourself you-know-what, right?)

> in cup: Ahmad Earl Grey
> later: 2003 sheng brick pu-er (from Tao of Tea)
> Yes, I know I'm drinking it young but it's so damn tasty.

Young sheng Pu'erhs can be damned
tastey IMHO, and are a class of their
own, quite different from aged ones.
They present fruits and flowers and
mustiness that the aged ones don't.
It's all a matter of taste, is it not?

For me there are two big issues: First,
making good sheng choices since most
are not to my liking, and second avoiding
their awkward adolescences since they
take a lot of time to soften into mint and
plum and camphor and before they lose
that cigary smokiness, when that's present.

Michael