Still learning. Thanks.

Here is what I think I notice with green teas, the first sign of
oversteeping is a grassy flavor. The next sign of oversteeping is
increasing bitterness. Do you find that the grassiness precedes the
bitterness?

I like the slight flavor of grass in my green tea - but not too much.

BTW: I am still drinking my Adagio samples, even learning to appreciate
the genmai chai pop - though it's not the tea for me. Soon, I will have
to look for a good Dragon Well (based on other posters, not Adagio).

On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 01:50:17 -0600
"Bluesea" > wrote:


> Are these already tea people? I've tried to convert only one who wasn't
> already into supermarket teabags and I never heard back from him about
> the samples I sent.
>
> OTOH, I gave an avowed green tea-drinker a bunch of green tea samples as
> well as a tin of white and a Chatsford mug for Christmas and to date,
> none of it has been commented on, either.


Maybe the most effective advocacy method is going to turn out to be "My
this is nice tea, care for a cup?"

It's pretty easy to make bad tea from good leaves, maybe they tried
it and it turned out badly and they figure it's their fault and don't
want to talk about it.

I doubt that giving gifts is a good way to go about it. Everybody has
their own preference. I could send you samples of what i think is great tea
and you'd probably loathe them 'cause they're really, really malty assams.

I considered sending some tea to my brother, who I know is a tea
drinker, who's wife is from india and who makes chai in an open pot on the
stove with whole spices. And then i realized, I have no idea what kind of
tea these people are drinking. Maybe they *like lipton yellow label. There
must be some reason they sell that stuff in the indian markets.


> Yes, it's like they're following some sort of diet fad that they'll
> abandon when the fad-food wind changes. Some will stick because they'll
> have discovered the nuances of taste. As for the others, I've decided
> that they're the Ordinary People that certain teas are Too Good For
> (TGFOP). I suspect that my avowed green tea-drinker friend falls into
> this category because she's into really healthy stuff anyway and said
> that she doesn't drink black tea because it doesn't have as many health
> benefits.


I've met more than one person who grimaces through cups of awful green
tea for the 'health benefits'. fits right into my theory of food
flagellation. Take for example carob - it's scorched locust bean gum. It's
got nothing to recommend it unless you're sensitive to alkaloids. It was
literally invented by a bluenose who was concerned about the effects of
chocolate on human morality.

Why do i know so many vegans who eat carob?! You would think that,
having denied yourself so many tasty things in the world, that chocolate
would be your one pure indulgence. A nice, dark chocolate, just cocoa,
cocoa butter, and sugar. Why carob?! Flagellation, only possibility that
makes sense.

On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 01:50:17 -0600
"Bluesea" > wrote:


> Are these already tea people? I've tried to convert only one who wasn't
> already into supermarket teabags and I never heard back from him about
> the samples I sent.
>
> OTOH, I gave an avowed green tea-drinker a bunch of green tea samples as
> well as a tin of white and a Chatsford mug for Christmas and to date,
> none of it has been commented on, either.


Maybe the most effective advocacy method is going to turn out to be "My
this is nice tea, care for a cup?"

It's pretty easy to make bad tea from good leaves, maybe they tried
it and it turned out badly and they figure it's their fault and don't
want to talk about it.

I doubt that giving gifts is a good way to go about it. Everybody has
their own preference. I could send you samples of what i think is great tea
and you'd probably loathe them 'cause they're really, really malty assams.

I considered sending some tea to my brother, who I know is a tea
drinker, who's wife is from india and who makes chai in an open pot on the
stove with whole spices. And then i realized, I have no idea what kind of
tea these people are drinking. Maybe they *like lipton yellow label. There
must be some reason they sell that stuff in the indian markets.


> Yes, it's like they're following some sort of diet fad that they'll
> abandon when the fad-food wind changes. Some will stick because they'll
> have discovered the nuances of taste. As for the others, I've decided
> that they're the Ordinary People that certain teas are Too Good For
> (TGFOP). I suspect that my avowed green tea-drinker friend falls into
> this category because she's into really healthy stuff anyway and said
> that she doesn't drink black tea because it doesn't have as many health
> benefits.


I've met more than one person who grimaces through cups of awful green
tea for the 'health benefits'. fits right into my theory of food
flagellation. Take for example carob - it's scorched locust bean gum. It's
got nothing to recommend it unless you're sensitive to alkaloids. It was
literally invented by a bluenose who was concerned about the effects of
chocolate on human morality.

Why do i know so many vegans who eat carob?! You would think that,
having denied yourself so many tasty things in the world, that chocolate
would be your one pure indulgence. A nice, dark chocolate, just cocoa,
cocoa butter, and sugar. Why carob?! Flagellation, only possibility that
makes sense.

If she's making gourmet Chai she is using Mamri Assam CTC blend which
is a commercial tea. Any Assam will do. Send her some Indian Assam
found in the Arabic markets.

Jim

Eric Jorgensen wrote:
> It's pretty easy to make bad tea from good leaves, maybe they
tried
> it and it turned out badly and they figure it's their fault and don't
> want to talk about it.
>
> I doubt that giving gifts is a good way to go about it. Everybody
has
> their own preference. I could send you samples of what i think is
great tea
> and you'd probably loathe them 'cause they're really, really malty
assams.
>
> I considered sending some tea to my brother, who I know is a tea
> drinker, who's wife is from india and who makes chai in an open pot
on the
> stove with whole spices. And then i realized, I have no idea what
kind of
> tea these people are drinking. Maybe they *like lipton yellow label.
There
> must be some reason they sell that stuff in the indian markets.

If she's making gourmet Chai she is using Mamri Assam CTC blend which
is a commercial tea. Any Assam will do. Send her some Indian Assam
found in the Arabic markets.

Jim

Eric Jorgensen wrote:
> It's pretty easy to make bad tea from good leaves, maybe they
tried
> it and it turned out badly and they figure it's their fault and don't
> want to talk about it.
>
> I doubt that giving gifts is a good way to go about it. Everybody
has
> their own preference. I could send you samples of what i think is
great tea
> and you'd probably loathe them 'cause they're really, really malty
assams.
>
> I considered sending some tea to my brother, who I know is a tea
> drinker, who's wife is from india and who makes chai in an open pot
on the
> stove with whole spices. And then i realized, I have no idea what
kind of
> tea these people are drinking. Maybe they *like lipton yellow label.
There
> must be some reason they sell that stuff in the indian markets.

On 3 Mar 2005 08:17:50 -0800
"Space Cowboy" > wrote:

> If she's making gourmet Chai she is using Mamri Assam CTC blend which
> is a commercial tea. Any Assam will do. Send her some Indian Assam
> found in the Arabic markets.


How about indian assam (is there another kind of assam?!) sold to me by
a guy from india who runs a business selling mainly assam teas?

Dunno if 'gourmet' is the correct term. She's making it the way her
parents made it when she was growing up in india. Just because I make mac &
cheese the way mom did doesn't make it gourmet mac & cheese.

In article >, "Melinda" > wrote:
[snip]>
>My husband is calling me a "Tea-vangelist", lol.

i like your title. :-)

one hard thing for me is a party with friend's.
most the hosts provide soft drinks or beers, sometimes wine. sometimes, cofee
but rarely tea, even if they do, it is ususally teabags from lipton or stash.

since i don't drink cold, sugary, bubbly drink, nor beer, (i do drink a
little wine), my new solution is making "green oolong" (my favorite) ahead of
time & carry the thermos to the friend's.

eating out is also a problem. i have noticed that most restaurants, even fine
ones, don't have decent tea. the quality of food seems nothing to do with
tea they serve. & strange, some cheap (Asian) eateries actually have decent
albeit not great tea. once i even brought my own tea thermos to Il Fornaio.
LOL.

>P.S. I guess one really irritating thing for me is that so many people are
>going for green tea now because it's "healthy" and totally missing the "tea"
>part. It makes me feel like their "using" green tea [snip]

irritating indeed.

regards,

Pam @ Home

Cort Furniture Rental and Honesty are two exclusive concepts.

In article >, "Bluesea" > wrote:
[snip] >they're the Ordinary People that certain teas are Too Good For (TGFOP). I

LOL!

>suspect that my avowed green tea-drinker friend falls into this category
>because she's into really healthy stuff anyway and said that she doesn't
>drink black tea because it doesn't have as many health benefits.

for those people, they should take green tea pills, easier.

regards,


Pam @ Home

Cort Furniture Rental and Honesty are two exclusive concepts.

In article <20050303084820.37ac3d08@wafer>, Eric Jorgensen > wrote:
[snip] > I've met more than one person who grimaces through cups of awful green
>tea for the 'health benefits'. fits right into my theory of food
>flagellation.

green tea can be harsh & grassy if it is not made right. (esp. cheap ones like
most grocery brands).

>got nothing to recommend it unless you're sensitive to alkaloids. It was
>literally invented by a bluenose who was concerned about the effects of
>chocolate on human morality.

interesting. sounds like early spanish missionaries in south America.

> Why do i know so many vegans who eat carob?! You would think that,
[snip]

i don't think they eat for pleasure. i have met few vegetarians friends
for ethical reason, are like that (although they're not vegan).
i wish i only ate drank for pleasure, cause i enjoy food too much.

regards,

Pam @ Home

Cort Furniture Rental and Honesty are two exclusive concepts.

"Eric Jorgensen" > wrote in message
news:20050303084820.37ac3d08@wafer...
>
> It's pretty easy to make bad tea from good leaves, maybe they tried
> it and it turned out badly and they figure it's their fault and don't
> want to talk about it.

I give samples in those little zippy snack bags and always put amount, temp,
and time.

> I doubt that giving gifts is a good way to go about it. Everybody has
> their own preference. I could send you samples of what i think is great
tea
> and you'd probably loathe them 'cause they're really, really malty assams.

That's why I give a variety of black, green, white, and herbal except for
that non-black tea drinker. I figured black teas would be wasted so didn't
give her any blacks.

--
~~Bluesea~~
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