Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Yellow Mountain MaoFeng Green Tea


My sister brought me this new tea from China, they've arrived to stay in Canada to stay for the rest of the year. It comes from the Yellow Mountains in China, known for spectacular views from the heights, rolling fog and humidity, steep rock faces, hot springs and small mountain pines. And that you can't see the ground because of the clouds from the top. The Rockies in the West of Canada would be very similar, I would think. My sister tells me that Mao Tse Tung recommended it, and I have read that it is one of China's Ten Famous teas. The leaves are picked in the Spring when they are young; they only contain a bud and a single unfolding leaf. There are no broken leaves, apparently, as they are picked out during processing. That there are whole leaves and no broken parts is a mark of a great tea. The tea itself tastes quite good, again a little bitter in the first steeping, and more sweet in the second. The scent of the fresh green tea leaves when opening the package is quite strong and invigorating, and I like how the leaves unfurl after being steeped, you can see how thin they look all curled up. Not as dramatic as one tea I have, those have huge leaves.

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