It was really interesting to see how the different grades of tea leaves are created, and how the powdered teas come out of that processing too. I urge you all to google tea processing - just to see how it all comes to your teacup!
At the last minute, Susan had suggested that everyone bring their own teacup, altho she serves the tea in tiny paper cups to taste - all tea seems to have a better flavor in a REAL teacup!
There were quite a variety of cups - including mugs! I brought, in honor of the class being about Japanese tea, my Occupied Japan teacup I received in an online teacup swap I had last year. If we wore something green (it was also St. Patrick's Day) we would get 10% off any purchase that night - so my purse, and my teacup had green!!!LOL
I decided to make use of the furoshiki cloths my friend Teresa sent me, and wrapped my fragile teacup in those for travel to the tea class.
The saucer is wrapped in one, and the cup in another, tied in a knot and carried like a small tote.
The two teas sampled were gun powder green (oops- Sencha!!!-not gunpowder ! Gunpowder is from China!!) and wood smoked green.
The wood smoked was ok, if you did not inhale - kind of had the odor of fish!! LOL Loved the other Sencha green tho!
Here are Julie (dark hair) and Susan serving tea.
Dessert was a tasty shamrock currant scone with cream. I forgot to take the picture, BEFORE I bit the shamrock "stem" off!!
One of the attendees, Nick, then got up to demonstrate the proper way to make matcha tea. Now I have spoken of matcha in previous posts. I love it. Now, I see I need to get a bamboo wisk!!! His method is a much thicker, stronger blend. The proper way to drink the tea, is with a sweet eaten prior to sipping. I like matcha either way.
Nick also drinks yerba mate - so I checked with him to make sure that I am drinking mine properly. I knew I was, but a second opinion never hurts!! I just wanted to make sure I was not creating a toxic mold in my gourd each time I drink!!!LOL
My purchase that night was this cute refurbished box- which will make a wonderful sewing box - the padded top is an excellent pin cushion!!!
Please feel free to join us every Tuesday for tea and drop by Kimmie and Patty for a list of other tea partiers!!!
