Elona wrote:
> Sorry I have to break someone's heart. If you think you are drinking
> the original LongJing when you visit these tea farmers of XiHu, you are
> a happy tourist, and they are happy farmers."

Just as with your other comment about Uji, this is also correct. The
truth is that you will most likely never get your hands on the real
top-grade stuff. You can get really good approximations, but nowhere
near the real thing. Again I'm not up on the whole world of Chinese
greens, but it doesn't surprise me.

When I see even the reputable websites among us making all these "Top
Quality" claims when it comes to teas like Gyokuro I just have to kind
of chuckle and take it with a large grain of salt. Seriously when a
lifelong resident of the town where the tea is sold has next to no
chance of getting his hands on the high-end stuff, I can't honestly
believe some website not only has it but then can sell it for
$29.95/50g and still have some in December. I could see a few big
online players getting *some* to sell but I would expect it to say SOLD
OUT next to the add to cart button within 10-15 minutes and for a
princely sum.

Same goes for LJ, or darn near any other super high end and limited
production product. I'm happy to buy the mid-grade knowing it is mid to
low grade, and don't even concern myself with it anymore. If I luck
into a cup or two of really high end stuff once in a blue moon then I
consider myself lucky and really enjoy it for what it is. But I don't
think that kind of market, pricing, scarcity, and effort is what the
real spirit of tea is about... so I happily don't play along anymore.
For a time I did and got caught up in it, but those days are over for
me.

- Dominic