General Information

In April 2013, Tao is planning to bring a small group (at minimum 3 people and maximum 5 people) with him to China for the third annual wonderful tea tour. Base on past Tea Tours, The food will be great and the scenery will be breathtaking, resembling something out of National Geographic.

We will have two special tours planned for 2013.

Tour cost includes: All local travel, all meals, all hotels, and all entry fees to events/museums.

After meeting in Shanghai, all costs are covered by tour cost.

Tour cost does not include: Airfare to and from Shanghai, local shopping, visas, immunizations, or tips

The tour will begin when all guests meet in Shanghai. To register for the tour, please contact us by email: info@taotealeaf.com or telephone: 647-868-9858 before February 28,2012.

Part One Tour Details

Tour date: April 13 (Beijing Time)– April 23, 2012 (exact dates subject to change)

Duration: 11 days in China

Tour cost: $ 3200 CAD

Single room supplement: $600

Minimum deposit: $1,500 (refundable until February 28, 2013)

During the tour, the group will meet tea masters and visit tea gardens of Black tea, Oolong tea, White tea, and Green tea; also we will meet Yixing Tea Pot master.

Day 1 (April 13):

To be on time for the beginning of this tour, you must arrive in Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport (airport code PVG) no later than April 13, 2012(Beijing Time). After having dinner together, we will take a night walk on Nanjing Road, one of the world’s busiest shopping streets, to The Bund (Wai Tan), from which we can enjoy the best view of the amazing night skyline of Shanghai.

Day 2-3 (April 14-15):

In the morning of April 14th, we will travel to Yixing in Jiangsu province.This county-level city is famous for its exclusive Yixing clay (also called Zisha - Purple Sand) used for making Yixing clay teapot. We will start by visiting the Dragon Kiln from Qing Dynasty and the old village, also we will have a chance to see how they make the stone to Yixing clay. In this city, we will taste the local black tea Yi Hong.

In the evening of April 15, we will travel by car to Dong Shan (East Mountain) in Jiangsu province.

Day 4 (April 16):

The green tea Bi Luo Chun from Dong Shan is considered the best. We will hiking the Bi Luo Chun tea mountain and watch the tea being processed. We will also get to explore the South Tea Culture Museum and the old village. On this day, we will taste the Bi Luo Chun with a local tea master.

In the evening of April 16, we will travel back to Shanghai.

Day 5 (April 17): 
From Shanghai, we will fly to Fujian province where we will stay in the Wuyi Mountains. Our oolong, black and white tea tour will start from here. The Wuyi Mountains are a mountain range located the north of Fujian province.Mount Wuyi was listed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites, both natural and cultural. Numerous types of tea are produced around Mount Wuyi; it is the origin of the real Da Hong Pao tea and Lapsang souchong.

Day 6 (April 18): 
In the morning, we will ride a bamboo boat on the River of Nine Bends where we will view the lovely scenery of the Wuyi Mountains. Then, we will hike up Mount Wuyi where we will see three of the original Da Hong Pao tea bushes. The Wuyi Mountains are renowned for their high diversity of fauna, which includes many rare and unusual species. About halfway up the mountain, we will have tea in a traditional teahouse.

Day 7 (April 19): 
We will drive up to Tong Mu Village which is located in the Wuyi Mountain National Natural Reserve and is the home of Lasang Souchong. We will meet the local most famous tea master. We will learn about the whole process of producing smoked Lapsang Souchong. We will taste and learn about the most famous and expensive tea “Jinjunmei”.

Day 8 (April 20): 
We will visit two famous oolong tea manufactures, meet the famous tea masters, visit some tea gardens, and learn about the old and modern processing of Wuyi Oolong tea. We will see different bushes, different roasting techniques and experience the difference in taste for different grades oolong tea.

Day 9 (April 21): 
We will drive up to Zhenghe, the home of white tea, jasmine tea, and the famous black tea Zhenghe Gongfu. We will visit the small old village, see some wild ancient white tea plants,we will meet some tea masters and visit the tea garden to learn how they process white, black, and jasmine tea. Of course, we will taste the fresh spring teas.

Day 10 (April 22): 
In the morning, we will visit the famous bamboo tea tray and accessories factory. We will see many different styles of tea related bamboo products. Afterwards, we will drive from Zhenghe to Mount Wuyi.

In the evening, we will fly from the Wuyi Mountain to Shanghai.

Day 11 (April 23):

We will fly from Shanghai back home.

Part Two Tour Details

Tour date: April 23 (Beijing Time)– April 30, 2012 (exact dates subject to change)

Duration: 8 days in China

Tour cost: $ 2700 CAD

Single room supplement: $600

Minimum deposit: $1,500 (refundable until February 28, 2013)

During the tour, the group will meet tea masters and visit tea gardens of Puer tea, Black tea and Green tea.

Day-By-Day Itinerary*
*Details are subject to change.

Day 1 (April 23):

To be on time for the beginning of this tour, you must arrive in Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport (airport code PVG) no later than April 23, 2013(Beijing Time). After having dinner together, we will take a night walk on Nanjing Road, one of the world’s busiest shopping streets, to The Bund (Wai Tan), from which we can enjoy the best view of the amazing night skyline of Shanghai.

Day 2 (April 24):
We will then fly to the city of Xishuanbanna (Jinghong Airpot) in Yunnan province where we will stay overnight. 
Our pu-er tea tour will start from here:
Pu-er tea is produced in almost every county and prefecture in Yunnan province, but the most famous pu-er areas are known as the Six Famous Tea Mountains. These tea mountains are located in Xishuangbanna and are renowned for their climates and environments, which not only provide excellent growing conditions for pu-er tea, but also produce unique taste profiles in the produced pu-er tea. This is why we will start here.
On our Pu-er tea trip, the local tea master will guide us to some tea village families and modern tea manufacturers, where we will observe the development of Pu-er tea, and learn about the difference between traditional and modern tea processing techniques. We will see more detail and more local culture while we will visit local ethnic minority villages to view their unique housing and building styles, and taste their food.

Day 3 (April 25):
In the morning, we will drive to JingMai Mountain. Jing Mai Mountain and Its' wild forest of ancient tea trees is located at the southern tip of Yunnan province. This forest is a national treasure made of trees 1,000 year old. We will taste the difference between New and Aged.

Day 4 (April 26): In the morning, we will drive to NanNuo Mountain. Nannuo Mountain lies along the sleepy eastbound route from Jinghong to Menghai. Rising up from both sides of the paved shoulders in ever increasing heights it seems spliced in half, cleaved by an offending paved road. Stronghold of the animistic Hani people, the mountains have hosted tea harvesting for a thousand years or more.

Day 5 (April 27): 
We will visit the Yunan Puer Research Garden, in this garden; we will see many different varieties of Pu-er tea plants and the Pu-er tea culture. After this we will drive to Puer city which is China’s tea town, where we will learn about the processing of Dian Hong (Yunnan black tea) with a tea master.

Day 6 (April 28): In Puer city, we will visit some tea manufacturers, learn about the modern processing techniques of pu-er tea and taste many different teas. We will taste the special "Cha Gao". It is pure pu-er tea essence that can be brewed on the go using either hot or cold water.

Day 7 (April 29): We will fly to Kunming. We will meet one very well-known puer tea people who will introduce you to the most famous Puer tea – BingDao Ancient Puer and her tea story. She is also the Vice President of The Yunnan Province Puer Tea Association.

In the evening, we will fly from the Wuyi Mountain to Shanghai.

Day 8 (April 30):

We will fly from Shanghai back home.

Preparations

To register for the tour, please contact us by email or telephone. After signing up for the tour, the first things you should do are: get your Chinese visa[Click here], make sure you have adequate health insurance and travel insurance for travelling in China, and discuss immunization options with your doctor. Touring the Chinese countryside is physically demanding. On this tour, be prepared to walk, hike, and travel by bus and bamboo boat

After register, you will receive a full list for your preparations.

Matcha is a unique variety of green tea which has been adored for centuries because of its health benefits and cultural significance to both the Chinese and Japanese. Matcha is a fine powder made by grinding down green tea leaves. The tea was born during the Tang Dynasty where green tea leaves were crushed and then boiled. As the years passed the method for brewing matcha had evolved. By the Song Dynasty the preferred method for preparing matcha was to mix the powder with the water and whisk it into a frothy liquor. This method is still used today. Matcha was loved by the Buddhist monk Eisai who was responsible for bringing the Rinzai school of Buddhism to Japan. With him, he also brought tea seeds. Matchas ties to Buddhism do not stop there. The monk Dogen, a student of Eisai and founder the Soto school of Buddhism used the tea to keep both his and his student’s minds alert during long periods of meditation. As the centuries went on Matcha became a tea for the elite and grew in popularity and prestige. Today matcha is consumed worldwide and can be found not only as a tea but also as an additive to baked goods, smoothies, ice cream and lattes.

Processing

 Although matcha was born in China, currently it is only produced in Japan. Before the leaves are plucked the farmers will reduce the amount of sunlight the plants are exposed to each day by covering the bushes with mats or tarps. By decreasing the amount of sunlight, the farmers increase the amount of chlorophyll in the plants. This is how their signature dark green colour is achieved. It also makes the leaves much more tender and gives them a higher concentration of amino acids.

Next the leaves are plucked and dried. They are then de-stemmed and de-veined to create what is known as tencha. The tencha will be separated by grade. The grade of matcha is determined greatly by what location on the bush that the leaves are plucked from. The leaves on the top of the plant are much more soft and tender than those from the bottom, giving them a sweeter, suppler taste and a finer powder. Other factors that determine the grade are the leaves exposure to sunlight; the more light the tea as seen the lower the quality. The season they are harvested in; the earlier in the year, the higher the grade. As well as how it was processed; higher grade matcha is ground by hand as opposed to mechanically.

Taste

 Matcha has a taste all to its own. It can be strong, earthy, vegetal and sweet. The main contributing factors to its flavour are its processing. Because the tea is shade grown and shade processed, the leaves are rich in chlorophyll and amino acids. When brewed properly, these two factors combine and create a rich flavour. The tea starts off vegetal with some light astringency which almost immediately leaves your palate making room for its long lasting sweet aftertaste.

Preparation and Use

To prepare matcha traditionally start by gently sifting one tsp. of the powder through a sieve into a tea bowl (Chawan) in order to rid the powder of any hard clumps. Then pour about 4 ounces (120ml) of water into the bowl. The water should be around 80 degrees Celsius. Using boiling water will exaggerate the teas bitter qualities. Next whisk the tea vigorously making ‘Z’ patterns across the bowl using a bamboo whisk called a ‘chasen’ until the liquor is frothy and all the matcha has been dissolved. This produces a fairly concentrated batch of matcha. If the flavour is too strong you can dilute it by adding it to more water.

This is traditional way to prepare matcha, however certain liberties can be taken. For example: many people brew their matcha in regular bowls and whisk it using a fork or small kitchen whisk.

As with any unique and complex tea, matcha is an acquired taste. Some may find its grassy flavours too strong. If you are in this category you should know: the health benefits of this tea arguably outnumber those of almost any other tea. Matcha can be enjoyed in many ways. Here are a few suggestions to help you to discover all that matcha has to offer.

• Matcha Latte: Mixing matcha with milk masks its bitterness and lets its sweetness flourish. Try mixing your concentrated matcha with 6 ounces of milk. Pour it over ice and shake for an Iced match Latte. Or you can steam the milk then pour the hot milk directly into the matcha for a hot matcha latte.
• Matcha Smoothie: Add matcha powder directly into the blender and blend with your favourite fruits and juices for an energizing morning smoothie.
• Matcha Lemonade: Matcha and lemonade make an absolutely heavenly mix. Simply whisk the matcha, add to lemonade, let cool and enjoy.
• Baking with Matcha: Matcha can be enjoyed in cakes, pastries, puddings and most popularly cookies. Matcha is also commonly found in green tea ice cream. Adding matcha to food is a great and fun way to enjoy its benefits.

Health Benefits of Matcha

The health benefits of drinking matcha tea are enormous. The main benefit of matcha is that absolutely nothing is lost in the infusion process because you are actually ingesting the leaves. Matcha also happens to contain the highest concentration of antioxidants known to mankind. In fact, you would need to drink 10 cups of regularly brewed green tea to get the same amount of antioxidants found in just one cup of matcha. The antioxidants found in matcha are mostly catechins. These unique antioxidants protect the body from free radicals which we are exposed to every day through pollution, radiation and UV rays. All of these damage your DNA which makes protecting yourself from them of the utmost importance.

Matcha also contains EGCg complex which in recent studies has shown promise as an aid in the fight against cancer. EGCg may also increase metabolism helping aid in weight loss. Matcha may also help burn fat quicker. One study found people burn fat up to 4 times quicker while regularly consuming matcha.

 Matcha is a wonderful energizer. This is partly because, like all green tea, matcha contains caffeine, as well as its antioxidant content. Studies have shown that with a regular intake of matcha, ones endurance level can be raised by up to 24%. Because the leaves are hidden from direct sunlight, it contains higher levels of chlorophyll than other green teas. This makes it a great detoxifier. Chlorophyll may help to remove toxins, chemicals and metals from the body. Because of the pollution in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat this is needed now more than ever.

The tea is also rich in amino acids, particularly in L-Theanine. L-Theanine is a relaxant that has proven to reduce stress levels while simultaneously keeping your mind alert. This is why Dogen used this tea for his full day mediations. This amino acid achieves this astounding feat by causing the brain to emit alpha waves. These waves are emitted during states or relaxation and can counteract the effects of beta waves which are present during bouts of anxiousness. L-Theanine is contained within all tea, but in matcha there is roughly 5 times the amount making matcha the perfect meditation or study tool.

With all of its health benefits, its versatility and its increasing availability drinking matcha is a no brainer. Give some a try today and discover the wonderful world of matcha.

The teacups you typically find in a Gong Fu ceremony are very small, only about 35 ml. This can come as a surprise for those of us living in a time of supersized drinks, big gulps and extra large coffees. Despite the cups small size it has a power. The beauty of this system is that with each brew of the Gaiwan you may only get a few small sips. This makes the tea drinker appreciate and savor every last drop.

Even with a new found appreciation for all things small, many newcomers have questions about how to hold and drink their tea from these small cups.

To hold the cup, place it in between your index finger and thumb. Using your middle finger, gently swing the bottom of the cup away from you allowing the tea to flow into your mouth. To stop the flow, simply pull your middle finger towards your body. The elbow should remain squared away from the body.

Gender also plays a role in how one holds the cup. Traditionally men hold their cups with the remaining ring and pinky fingers held in towards their hand, while women hold their ring and pinky out away from their hand symbolizing floral beauty in full bloom.

For personal use, you can also drink directly from the Gaiwan. To do this hold the Gaiwan from the saucer buy laying it on your first four fingers and using your thumb on the top of the saucer to stabilize it. Then use the lid to gently brush the leaves to the back of the cup and sip from the front.

To fully pick up on all the subtleties and aromas the tea has to offer you must couple your sense of smell and taste. This is possible through a phenomenon called retro olfaction. This takes place when the tea drinker draws on the aromas from the back of the tongue thought the pharynx. While the tongue can only distinguish 5 properties of taste, combining the sense of smell adds hundreds of new flavour combinations. This is what truly allows you to discover the wonderful subtleties that tea has to offer.

Water is extremely important in our lives. It covers most of our planet, it comprises most of our bodies, it is in everything we eat and drink and its universal importance has not passed the tea world by.

When brewing tea, one must think about the water being used. Many tea masters agree that the best water to use comes from the same area as the tea leaves were grown in because they will share the same soil and mineral composition. However this poses a problem to us westerners who cannot get our water shipped here from the great tea growing areas of the world.

Many other solutions have been put forth. The famed Chinese scholar Lu Yu found the best water to be slow flowing mountain water, and the worst to be lake water. This creates even greater problems for those of us who rely on water from the Great Lakes.

The most practical solution for the modern day tea drinker is to use filtered tap water. We suggest using a quality charcoal or sand filter. This removes most of the metallic taste that can sometimes be found in tap water and turns it into a clean, crisp and refreshing taste. Another alternative is to use bottled water. If you chose this option, Tao recommends that you try Aquafina because of the mineral content.

Now that you’ve found the water it needs to be at the right temperature. Different teas require water at different temperatures. For Blacks, oolongs, and pu-ers boiling water (100 Degrees Celsius) is generally used.  For whites and greens, slightly cooler water (80 – 85 degrees Celsius) is preferred. The best way to achieve the perfect temperature is to use a variant temperature electric kettle. This allows you to precisely dial in your desired heat. If you do not have a temperature specific kettle, there are other options.

To brew teas that require a cooler temperature, you can boil water in a regular kettle then let the water stand for approximately 5 minutes before steeping. A more traditional way is to use a glass kettle and watch the bubbles in the water. This is called ‘Hsing Pien’ or ‘form distinguishing.’ The key is to watch the size of the bubbles.

 There are three different cat egories of water in this system.

-          Crab-eye water: The water is just starting to boil and the bubbles are roughly the size of a crab’s eye.

-          Fish-eye water: The bubbles are getting larger, roughly the size of a fish’s eye and the surface of the water is becoming unsettled. This is the Ideal temperature for brewing most tea.

-          Old Man Water: Now the bubbles are quite large and the surface of the water has become violent. Water at this temperature is too hot for brewing tea.

Making tea is a delicate process that requires care and attention. The temperature of the water can drastically change the taste of lighter teas. If you have tried to brew green or white teas and found them bitter, give it another try with cooler water. You will be pleasantly surprised!          

Tea has been used by many cultures and religions to bring purity to the body, focus to the mind, and peace to the spirit. Tea appears many times in the ancient Daoist and Buddhist texts. One myth about the creation of tea exemplifies its invigorating and focusing qualities.

Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived sometime between the 5th and 6th centuries. He is a prominent figure in Buddhist history and legend. Bodhidharma is perhaps most famous for starting the Chan (Zen in Japan) school of Buddhism. According to legend, upon his arrival in China, Bodhidharma took up residence in a cave. He then meditated in front of a wall, staring at it for 9 years (this is the root of the famed zazen form of meditation.) As I’m sure you can imagine, this would require an incredible amount of willpower and concentration.

The story goes that he was having a difficulty staying awake. To keep himself alert, he started to pluck out his eyelashes. However, this proved futile. Although the pain woke him momentarily, it quickly subsided. His weariness returned and he fell asleep. When he woke he was terribly angry. To solve his problem once and for all he decided to cut off his own eyelids, keeping him awake indefinitely. In the following weeks, in the place where his eyelids fell, small bushes started to grow.

Because the tea bushes were created in an attempt to stay awake they have great invigorating and energizing qualities. To this day, tea is use around the world by monks and meditation practitioners to keep their minds clear and focused.

This time of year holds a special place in the hearts of tea lovers. Shops all over the city are brimming with brand new teas from all over the world. This is especially a great time for green tea lovers. The fresh tea has a wonderfully refreshing taste, bright colours and strong, long lasting aromas. But to get the fullest out of your favourite green tea you need to know how to store it.

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the temperature at which the tea is stored. Green tea in particular is sensitive to heat. The higher the temperature, the faster the polyphenol in the leaves will oxidize. This excels the deterioration process. To fix this problem, we recommend storing your green tea in the fridge. Keep in mind that you should store it away from other strong foods to keep the flavour from bleeding through.

Another important factor in the deterioration process is the exposure to oxygen. The speed and strength of the deterioration is directly correlated to the contact the tea has with the air. Exposure to light is also very important. Remember that tea is a plant, and like any plant it is affected by photosynthesis. Because of this the more the tea is exposed to light, the higher the chance of the tea producing unpleasant orders. Moisture can also pose a problem for tea lovers. If your tea is subjected to moisture there is a strong possibility that the tea may mold and deteriorate. All of these problems can be solved by keeping your tea in an airtight, light tight container. This way you minimize the exposure to light oxygen and moisture.

*Note: Do not steep the leaves while cold. Allow them to reach room temperature before brewing.*

Storing your tea properly is an integral part of appreciating your tea. To enjoy your green tea to its fullest, follow these instructions. Now go and explore all the fresh greens the city has to offer!

Tea: 2009 Spring Ancient Bing Dao Pu-er

Region: Bing Dao Village, Shuang Jiang, Yunnan Province.

Style: Big Leaf: Sheng (Green Pu-er) Cake

Steeping Method: Gai Wan with Japanese Cast Iron Kettle

Steeping Directions: Filtered tap water. Boiling water. 7g of Tea

Tao considers Pu-er among his favourite types of tea. One Pu’er in particular struck him on the 2012 tea tour. In Bing Dao Village while speaking with a local farmer, he purchased three cakes of a 3 year aged Sheng (green) Pu-er. Before 2006 this tea was relatively unknown because of the isolated village it comes from. However, it is now picking up speed and has quickly become one of the most sought after and expensive Chinese teas.

The cake itself is primarily made up of large leaves and a few buds varying in colour. They are mainly brown, with dark greens and a few streaks of white and sliver. The cake is well compressed and the leaves break apart with ease, allowing the aroma to escape.

The dry leaves have a very soft sweet smell with fruity undertones. The leaves leave you with the most remarkable cooling sensation in your mouth. After the leaves are heated, you immediately notice the strength of the aroma. The smell has become very sweet and is reminiscent of honey. The fragrance alone leaves your mouth watering.

The tea rinse is a brilliantly clear yellow. The aroma has the same strength and sweetness as the heated leaves. The cooling sensation is now very strong.

 1^st steep: 50 Seconds

The first steep really brings out the colour of the leaves. The greens have become quite vibrant and the tips have faded to gold. Once the leaves open up you can really appreciate their size. They have expanded far beyond what you would expect from the dry leaves.

The colour is a rich golden yellow that is characteristic of Pu-er tea aged in dry conditions. The smell is very much like honey. Sweet and warm, the aroma is long lasting and a bit floral. There is a little bitterness in this first steep, but it leaves your pallet almost instantly. The texture is thick and has no astringency. The bottom of your empty cup smells just like fresh honey comb. The flavour is remarkably long lasting and full bodied.

2^nd Steep: 20 Seconds

The liquor has turned much clearer than the first, almost mirroring the tea rinse. Despite this loss of colour, it has not lost its taste or strength. It is notably less bitter and the sweetness has grown. The aftertaste is still incredibly strong and long lasting.

3^rd steep: 30 Seconds

The trend continues and the bitterness is almost gone. The cooling sensation is now really shining through. It coats your entire mouth and throat.

Pu-er has long, wide leaves that gradually open the more they are steeped. You can tell if the tea can be steeped another time based on how open the leaves are. We continued brewing the tea upwards of 10 times. Traditionally when the tea gets to around 15 steeps, the leaves can be placed in water and boiled on the stove for 20 mins – half an hour for one more brew.

The Bing Dao Pu-er is unlike most Pu’er tea. It has a wonderfully sweet taste with soft cooling properties. If you have tried other Pu’er tea and been discouraged, we strongly recommend giving this one a try!

Yixing clay teapots have been used to brewing tea for centuries. They are not just a tool used to steep tea, but a work of art. A piece of history and Chinese tradition. But what makes them so special?

The most important quality that the Yixing Teapots possess is their superior brewing capabilities. Used in Chinese Gong Fu ceremonies, the pots have the ability to absorb the aroma and flavor of the tea. This is because of the clay used in the teapots. Zisha clay (or purple sand) is found exclusively in the Jiangsu province of China. This clay contains thousands of air holes or micro-air pores which self season the pot; allowing it to keep the flavor of the tea. The clay also works as an insulator, keeping your tea hot for a longer time.

Before a new teapot is used, it must first be treated. This is necessary to activate the aroma locking qualities of the purple sand.  The first step is to boil your teapot. Make sure your teapot is completely submerged and the boiling pot is extremely clean.

*Remember, never use cleaning products such as soaps or other detergents to clean your Yixing.*

We also recommend wrapping your Yixing in a clean cloth while boiling to protect it from damage during this process. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 mins. Then turn off the heat and allow the water to cool off gradually. This is important. If the pots cool off too quickly they could crack.

The treatment process can also be used to ‘reset’ the teapots if you wish to switch type of tea you are brewing.

For more information on cleaning or resetting the Yixing teapots visit Seasoning a New Yixing Teapot

For using the teapots, Tao suggest the traditional Gong Fu style. Place 5-7g of tea into the pot. Depending on the type of tea, steep at varying temperatures for anywhere between 20 seconds and one minute. The shorter steeping times allow for the tea to be steeped multiple times and retain its flavour. Tao recommends that after you pour your tea, you should remove the lid, allowing the heat to flow out of the pot. Otherwise the brew will become over steeped and too strong.

The Yixing’s remarkable ability for absorbing aromas and flavours means you must be careful while handling the pot. Every time the pot is handled, make sure your hands are clean, sent free and have no food residue. Once the purple sand has absorbed these aromas, they are extremely hard to get rid of. Because of this, each Yixing you own should only be used to brew one type of tea. Otherwise you will be tasting the ghost of previous teas!

A common mistake people make with their Yixing teapots is to make the pot shinny and darker by wiping it down with their hand. This is not a good idea! Any oils from your hands that the teapot absorbs will stay there. Though it may look well worn, it has not earned this look through proper use. Over time the Teapot will absorb oils from the tea, gradually turning the texture to a smooth shiny finish and the colour will become darker.

Overall the Yixing clay teapots are remarkable and make a wonderful addition to any tea enthusiast’s collection.

Jin Chan’s appearance is quite striking. The toad has three legs; the big dipper constellation is carried on his back. He also has two rows of Chinese coins strung over his shoulders. Coins in China traditionally came on strings; therefore these symbolize wealth and prosperity. Jin Chan also holds a spinning coin in his mouth. This represents the flow of money.

The monetary imagery found on Jin Chan can be traced back to the ancient art of Feng Shui. As such, the position of the Toad is very important. Each morning the owner of the tea pet will face it out towards the door. Jin Chan sends the flow of energy out to find wealth. Then Jin Chan is faced back in, towards the owner to bring the energy back in, bringing the owner prosperity.

*Tao's tea pet, New and 4years old photo.

During the Gong Fu ceremony, the Jin Chan is washed with hot water and fed with tea. Because of this, over time the toad will change colour as it is raised by its owner.

Jin Chan also appears in ancient Chinese folklore. According to Legend the three legged frog was once an evil creature. Obsessed by treasure and material wealth, he would stop at nothing to acquire more. The Daoist monk Liu Hai’s had heard about the evil toad and knew he had to put an end to this terror. In the toads cave, Liu Hai confronted him and the two battled for several days. Finally, proving too strong for the toad, Liu Hai prevailed. However he did not let him die. Instead, he nursed the toad back to heath. To thank Liu Hai for his kindness, the toad vowed to change his ways. To this day he is still using his skills to help others hunt for treasure.

Professional tea cupping sets (also known as professional tea tasting sets) are essential in the world of competitive and comparative tasting. They also present tea manufactures with a simple and efficient way of sampling their product to potential buyers. These sets are used in tasting competitions all over the world.

The set is made up of 3 parts: A porcelain cup with a removable lid to infuse the tea called a brew cup, a sipping bowl used to drink the brewed tea and a tea cupping spoon. The dry leaves are often presented on a small plate and all components are white so the judge can clearly see the colour of the tea.

Note: Each individual tea to be tasted will need its own 3 piece set.

The first step in a tasting is examining the leaves. Approximately 2.5 to 3 grams of tea is scooped onto the plate. This is where the judging begins. The judge will examine the dry leaves, looking at the colour, smell and feel of the leaves. Occasionally the judge will smell the back of the spoon used to scoop the tea

.

Next hot water is placed in the empty brew cups then discarded. The leaves are placed inside, covered and shaken. This allows the leaves to breathe and release a stronger fragrance. This is not always common practice in tea competitions but we recommend this to gain a greater understanding of the subtlety of the tea.

Then the tea is brewed. Depending on the tea, different temperatures and steeping times are used. For the official steeping times and temperatures used in the North American Tea Tasting Championship visit their Hot Tea Class Judging/ Cupping Processes

After the tea is brewed the brew cups are placed face down into the sipping bowls. The leaves will be held in the brew cup while the tea flows into the bowl. The brew cup is then flipped quickly, causing the wet leaves to fall to the lid. Then the judge will evaluate the aroma of the leaves. The liquor is then examined for colour and clarity.

Note: When comparing teas, the goal is to subject the teas to similar conditions; therefore each tea in each category must be brewed simultaneously at the same temperature for the same length of time.

Finally the teas are tasted. The judge will sip the tea, rolling the liquid around in their mouth, covering their tongue as to fully taste the tea and check the texture and viscosity. With each sip the judge will breathe through their nose with the tea in their mouth to experience the flavor to its fullest.

This simple yet elegant system is perfect for comparing teas. It is used all over the world as well as at Tao Tea Leaf for all our tea tasting events. For more about our tea tasting information visit our Toronto Tea Workshop and Tasting

During this year’s tea tour Tao’s personal taste for aged teas lead him to a miraculous find. A very unique sort of silver needle grown from tea bushes over 100 years old. Silver needle is a white tea made entirely of buds; a strikingly beautiful tea with an invigorating and refreshing taste.

To explore the differences between the regular and the old bush silver needle Tao tasted them side by side.

Just looking at the dry leaves you can tell this is not your regular silver needle. The colour is a wonderful mix of dark green and silver. The hairs you can expect to find on a white tea called tricomes are less visible and the leaves are noticeably stronger and less brittle to the touch. The smell is sweet and vegetal conjuring up memories of fresh cut grass.

The first step in preparing this tea is to subject the leaves to humidity. Water at 80 degrees Celsius is poured into the steeping cups then discarded. The leaves are then placed into the cups and covered to immerse them in humidity. Then more 80 degree water is poured over the leaves and left to steep for 1:10.

The first steep of the old bush produces a liquor of brilliant yellow. It has a much more sweet fragrance as opposed to the more grassy silver needle. The liquor is notably thicker and has a remarkably smooth texture. The tea has a sweet but full bodied taste with an incredibly long lasting aftertaste leaving your mouth watering.

Next Tao steeped the leaves for 20 seconds. The old bush starts to develop a wonderful floral smell while retaining its strength, smooth texture and aftertaste. In contrast, the regular silver needle develops a more vegetal sweetness with a thinner more clean texture. 

The following steep is for 30 seconds. The old bush has retained its colour while the regular silver needle’s pale yellow has turned towards clear. Along with the loss of colour, it is noticeably less flavorful. The old bush however is as strong as ever. This resilient tea has kept its flavor, texture and aftertaste while the floral aroma grows with each steep.

Overall, the old bush silver needle is a remarkable twist on the silver needle family. The regular silver needle remains one of the best white teas in the world. It may be more suited to people new to white teas looking for something with a pure vegetal sweetness. The old bush shifts away from the light and clean taste and gives tea drinkers something a little bolder.

Our tea sommelier has returned from China with exceptional fresh teas. Tao Tea Leaf invites you to join our 3rd annual Spring Tea Tasting event. Travel through our 2012 tea tour stories and photos. Taste our newly arrived fresh and rare teas.

In order to provide everyone with a great experience, the 2012 Spring Tea Tasting events will only hold a small group (maximum 10 people per event). The tasting events are not just about freshness; you will taste some very unique tea available only at Tao Tea Leaf.

$10 / person. Tickets are limited so BOOK EARLY.

Each ticket is redeemable for $5 towards shopping over $25, or $10 towards shopping over $50.

Use the following calendar to view the schedules and sign up, or call 647-728-3858 to make a reservation.

Note:

1. Please make sure not to use too much perfume or cologne when you come to a tasting.

2. Private tea tasting events are also available. If you have a group of 6-10 people, please call 647-868-9858 for more information.

Children should not drink strong tea; drink weak tea instead.

Old people should not drink too much green tea; drink black tea or pu-er instead.

Young people should not drink too much black tea, for it generates heat; drink green tea or oolong tea instead.

Women during menstrual period should not drink tea and should not drink green tea immediately before or after it.

Expectant mothers should not drink green tea; drink black tea insted , better with brown sugar.

Middle-aged (menopausal) women should not drink green tea.

People with stomach diseases should not drink strong tea; drink weak tea instead.

 It's already been a whole year since our first tea tour! Tao has been in Yunnan, China since last month, sourcing puer tea. This month, on April 14th, Tao will guide three new people through the famous tea regions in Southern China. The trip will follow a route similar to the first tea tour: visiting Suzhou and Yixing in Jiangsu Province, historical and famous sites in Yunnan Province, and the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province. Visit our blog to read more about the 2012 Spring Tea Tour.Shortly after the end of the trip, Tao will be back in the shop with the new spring tea of 2012 (around mid-May). In June, we will have a tea tasting event to allow our customers to sample the new tea.

Engage in the process of tea making with Tea Sommelier Carol Ann Savage and Mingzhu Gao from Tao Tea Leaf.

Saturday, April 14th, 2012
2:30PM - 4:30PM
$50.00 Per Person

Features Sparkling Rose Wine from Chateau des Charmes.

Please RSVP 
Kiesha James | 416.324.1472 | KIESHA.JAMES@HYATT.COM

Reservations: 416.324.1472

What does “Spring Tea” Mean?

Although you have probably seen Spring Tea appended to the name of one of your favorite Chinese green teas, a lot of people don't know what the phrase actually describes. Spring Tea is translated from “Chun Cha” which is a traditional Chinese tea season name. The Chinese have a festival called “Qing Ming” that occurs on the first day of the fifth period of the lunar calendar, which is usually April 5th(April 4th on leap years). It is a day to grieve for lost relatives by sweeping and weeding graves and tombs as well as leaving offerings. This period is called the spring season.

In Chinese tea culture, Qing Ming has a new meaning: the cutoff for the earliest and highest quality Spring Tea harvests. Normally Spring Tea is used for only green tea and white tea. Teas called “Pre-Qing Ming” (Chinese “Ming Qian”) were harvested before the Qing Ming festival and are the earliest tea harvests of the year. The harvest start date depends on weather conditions but the end of the picking date is always the Qing Ming date. Pre-Qing Ming teas are always more expensive when compared with other seasons since in spring, the temperature is moderate and there is sufficient rainfall for the tea after six months in winter, making the spring bud stout and green, the leaves soft and rich in vitamins (especially amino acids). The spring green tea or white tea tastes fresh with a pleasant aroma and is full of health benefits.

Pre-Qing Ming isn’t the only important quality for spring quality, but it’s a really good start to making the very best green tea or white tea.

Tao is in the tea mountains in Yunnan, China right now for the Spring Tea 2012 and new teas will be coming soon.

2012 Tao Tea Leaf China Spring Tea Tour

General Information
In April 2011, Tao, founder of Tao Tea Leaf, taken a small group (3 people) with him to China for a wonderful tea tour. The participants involved were: Tao Wu, founder of Tao Tea Leaf and leader of the tea tour; Bill Kamula, chef instructor at George Brown College responsible for teaching the Tea Sommelier course; Matthew Wocks, a Toronto based photographer (http://flimnit.com); and Tim Johns, chief software designer at Icewire Technologies. Read more about Our 2011 China Tea Tour

In April 2012, Tao is planning to bring another small group (at most 5 people) with him to China for a wonderful tea tour. During the tour, the group will meet tea masters and visit tea gardens of Pu-er tea, Black tea, Oolong tea, White tea, and Green tea; also we will meet Yixing Tea Pot master, the master will show us how to appreciate and use this type of teapot, will make a pot in front of you and you will have a chance make a Yixing clay cup by yourself.

Base on 2011 Tea Tour, The food will be great and the scenery will be breathtaking, resembling something out of National Geographic.

The tour will begin when all guests meet in Shanghai on April 14^th and end on April 30^th. To register for the tour, please contact us by email: info@taotealeaf.com or telephone: 647-728-3858 before February 28,2012.

Tour Details
Tour date: April 14 (Beijing Time)– April 30, 2012 (exact dates subject to change)
Duration: 17 days in China
Tour cost: $ 3600 CAD
Single room supplement: $600
Minimum deposit: $1,500 (refundable until February 28, 2011)
Tour cost includes: All local travel, all meals, all hotels, and all entry fees to events/museums from April 14 to April 30.
After meeting in Shanghai, all costs are covered by tour cost.
Tour cost does not include: Airfare to and from Shanghai, local shopping, visas, immunizations, or tips

Day-By-Day Itinerary*
*Details are subject to change.

Day 1 (April 14):

To be on time for the beginning of this tour, you must arrive in Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport (airport code PVG) no later than Thursday, April 14, 2012(Beijing Time). After having dinner together, we will take a night walk on Nanjing Road, one of the world’s busiest shopping streets, to The Bund (Wai Tan), from which we can enjoy the best view of the amazing night skyline of Shanghai.

Day 2-3 (April 15-16):

In the morning of April 15th, we will travel to Yixing in Jiangsu province.This county-level city is famous for its exclusive Yixing clay (also called Zisha - Purple Sand) used for making Yixing clay teapot. We will start by visiting the Yixing teapot museum the Dragon Kiln from Qing Dynasty and the old village, also we will have a chance to see how they make the stone to Yixing clay. Then, we will meet the teapot master and the master will show us how to appreciate and use this type of teapot, will make a pot in front of you and you will have a chance make a Yixing clay cup by yourself. In this city, we will taste the local black tea Yi Hong.

In the evening of April 16, we will travel by car to Dong Shan (East Mountain) in Jiangsu province.

Day 4 (April 17):

The green tea Bi Luo Chun from Dong Shan is considered the best. We will hiking the Bi Luo Chun tea mountain and watch the tea being processed. We will also get to explore the South Tea Culture Museum and the old village. On this day, we will taste the Bi Luo Chun with a local tea master.

In the evening of April 17, we will travel back to Shanghai.

Day 5 (April 18):
We will then fly to the city of Xishuanbanna (Jinghong Airpot) in Yunnan province where we will stay overnight.
Our pu-er tea tour will start from here:
Pu-er tea is produced in almost every county and prefecture in Yunnan province, but the most famous pu-er areas are known as the Six Famous Tea Mountains. These tea mountains are located in Xishuangbanna and are renowned for their climates and environments, which not only provide excellent growing conditions for pu-er tea, but also produce unique taste profiles in the produced pu-er tea. This is why we will start here.
On our Pu-er tea trip, the local tea master will guide us to some tea village families and modern tea manufacturers, where we will observe the development of Pu-er tea, and learn about the difference between traditional and modern tea processing techniques. We will see more detail and more local culture while we will visit local ethnic minority villages to view their unique housing and building styles, and taste their food.

Day 6 (April 19):
We will bring some food with us for our lunch on the trip.
In the morning, we will drive about 3.5 hours to BanZhang Mountain to visit Xin (“new”) Banzhang and Lao (“old”) Banzhang villages. Banzhang is a Hani ethnicity village in the Bulang Mountains. In the Chinese tea market, Lao Ban Zhang is famously referred to as the King of Raw Pu-er tea because it is known for producing powerful and complex teas that are bitter with a sweet aftertaste. We will taste the difference between New and Old.

Day 7 (April 20):
We will visit the Yunan Puer Research Garden, in this garden; we will see many different varieties of Pu-er tea plants and the Pu-er tea culture. After this we will drive to Puer city which is China’s tea town, where we will learn about the processing of Dian Hong (Yunnan black tea) with a tea master.

Day 8 (April 21):
We will drive to Ninger. This county gets its name from pu-er tea due to its historical role in the tea trade in Ancient China. In Ninger, we will visit some famous tea manufacturers, learn about the modern processing techniques of pu-er tea, such as fermenting the Shu Cha, and taste many different teas.

Day 9 (April 22):
In the morning, we will watch the special process of "Cha Gao". This process refers to gradually removing the water from brewed pu-er tea (decoction) until it forms into a kind of tea jelly. It is pure pu-er tea essence that can be brewed on the go using either hot or cold water. Then will go the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Along this road, you will experience the process of ancient Chinese caravan. In the afternoon, we will drive to Kunming.

Day 10 (April 23):
From Yunnan, we will fly to Fujian province where we will stay in the Wuyi Mountains. Our oolong, black and white tea tour will start from here.
The Wuyi Mountains are a mountain range located the north of Fujian province.Mount Wuyi was listed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites, both natural and cultural. Numerous types of tea are produced around Mount Wuyi; it is the origin of the real Da Hong Pao tea and Lapsang souchong.

Day 11 (April 24):
In the morning, we will ride a bamboo boat on the River of Nine Bends where we will view the lovely scenery of the Wuyi Mountains. Then, we will hike up Mount Wuyi where we will see three of the original Da Hong Pao tea bushes. The Wuyi Mountains are renowned for their high diversity of fauna, which includes many rare and unusual species. About halfway up the mountain, we will have tea in a traditional tea house.

Day 12 (April 25):
We will drive up to Tong Mu Village which is located in the Wuyi Mountain National Natural Reserve and is the home of Lasang Souchong. We will meet the local most famous tea master and visit the old tea manufacturer which is over 100 years old, built by wood. We will learn about the whole process of producing smoked Lapsang Souchong. We will taste and learn about the most famous and expensive tea “Jinjunmei”.

Day 13 (April 26):
We will visit two famous oolong tea manufactures, meet the famous tea masters, visit some tea gardens, and learn about the old and modern processing of Wuyi Oolong tea. We will see different bushes, different roasting techniques and experience the difference in taste for different grades oolong tea.

Day 14 (April 27):
We will drive up to Zhenghe, the home of white tea, jasmine tea, and the famous black tea Zhenghe Gongfu. We will visit the small old village, see some wild ancient white tea plants,we will meet some tea masters and visit the tea garden to learn how they process white, black, and jasmine tea. Of course, we will taste the fresh spring teas.

Day 15 (April 28):
In the morning, we will visit the famous bamboo tea tray and accessories factory. We will see many different styles of tea related bamboo products. Afterwards, we will drive from Zhenghe to Mount Wuyi. We will then go to the local tea shop to have some tea and shop in Wuyii’s famous San Gu Market.

Day 16 (April 29):
In the morning, we will visit the very unique snake garden. In the afternoon, we will fly from the Wuyi mountain to Shanghai. Later, we will take a night walk on Nanjing Road.

Day 17 (April 30):

We will fly from Shanghai back home.

Preparations

To register for the tour, please contact us by email or telephone. After signing up for the tour, the first things you should do are: get your Chinese visa, make sure you have adequate health insurance and travel insurance for travelling in China, and discuss immunization options with your doctor. Touring the Chinese countryside is physically demanding. On this tour, be prepared to walk, hike, and travel by bus and bamboo boat

After register, you will receive a full list for your preparations.

What to expect

"If you love or even have a passing interest in tea, you owe it to yourself to take the Tao Tea Leaf tour. I took the tour in 2011 and had such an amazing time. Having Tao as our tour guide really did “make” the whole experience. Tao speaks Chinese, which proved invaluable, but he also speaks the language of tea. We had access that I would not think possible, from picking our own tea in Jin Ping village to sampling some of the finest Pu-erh tea in old Banzhang villiage.

One of my favorite memories from the trip was the amazing food. Every province and town had a different cuisine and we tried everything. Tao made sure that no two meals were alike and he even got me a birthday cake on my birthday..

One of my favorite places on the tour was Xishing, where clay teapots are made. Not only did a teapot master build a teapot before our very eyes, he even guided us into forming and shaping our own clay cups.

I have nothing but positive things to say about the tour and would take it again in a heartbeat. I can’t imagine going back to China without Tao as my guide, he truly is the master of tea." — Matthew Wocks, Flimnit.com

“The 2011 Tea Tour was a wonderful and life changing experience. I never knew such simplistic beauty existed behind the beverage that is tea. I now drink tea every day and with each sip I am reminded of the heartfelt effort that went into its production.”  — Tim Johns, Icewire Technologies

Maximum 30 participants per event ▪ Reserve your spot early!

Dear Valued Customer,

Please join us in December as we celebrate our second year of providing quality products and services to people who share our love and passion for tea.

With over 130 types, our loose tea selection has largely expanded to over 50 USDA-Certified Organic teas as well as a number of teas from other countries.

DETAILS

Special “Mystery” Tea Tasting – Chinese Snacks – Meet Fellow Tea Lovers

Free Gift Raffle !

 Location: Tao Tea Leaf, 934 Yonge Street

 Timing: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. each Saturday

RSVP: info@taotealeaf.com

Note: be sure to state in your RSVP email the date you want to attend and the number of guests who will accompany you. We will confirm your registration via return email.

Be sure to watch our website for Online Shopping Specials during November and December over the next two months.

We look forward to seeing you! Remember, book early. Sessions fill up quickly!

All the best,

Tao Tea Leaf

Since tea naturally contains fluid, it can strengthen tooth enamel and help reduce the formation of plaque by controlling bacteria in the mouth. It thus acts as a defense against gum disease.

Animal research suggests that the consumption of both green and black tea may reduce the risk of cancer-particularly lung, colon, and skin cancer. It is thought that components in black tea may have an antioxidant effect, helping to prevent the formation of cancer-inducing substances in body cells.

Various research programs conducted over the last few years indicated tea’s possible benefits against heart disease, stroke, and thrombosis. The reason for this is thought to be because the caffeine in tea acts as a gentle stimulant to the heart and circulatory system, and thus helps to keep the walls of the blood atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It helps to inhibit the absorption of cholesterol into the blood stream and help to prevent the formation of blood clots.

The caffeine in tea can increase concentration, alertness, and accuracy, and enhances the senses of taste and smell. It also stimulates the digestive juices and the metabolism, including the kidneys and liver, thus helping to eliminate toxin and other unwanted substances from the body.

1. Amount of Tea Leaves

Compared with other kinds, steeping Oolong tea needs more leaves. Use about 7g which is about one-third to one-fourth space of the teapot, and the loose-bar Oolong leaves take up half the space.

 2. Water Temperature

The new tea trees provide the raw material for manufacturing Oolong. Certain fragrance are enhanced only through strong heat. Boiling water at 100° brings out the rich taste and fragrance that is unique to Oolong.

3. The Steeping Time

Warm up the tea ware before steeping. Rinse the leaves: Pour some hot water in the Gaiwan/Yixing Teapot, swish the leaves around a bit, and pour the water off. It really brings out the roasted smell and flavor of the tea.

For South Fujian and Taiwan Oolongs, wait 50 seconds after tea rinse, after which add 10 seconds for each infusion. North Fujian and Chaozhou Oolongs are faster - 15 seconds for the first infusion. Better “watch the tea,” as different tea breeds have different characteristics. Generally speaking, subsequent infusions take longer, so that the teas liquid have similar density each time.

4. Number of Infusions

Oolong teas endure repeated infusions, usually 5-7 times. It is said, “Fragrance remains at the seventh infusion.” Properly made, Oolong tea can endure more than seven infusions.

 South Fujian Oolong tea is lightly oxidized, mainly produced in south Fujian counties, such as Anxi, Yongchun, Nanan, Pinghe, Huaan, etc. Anxi Oolong is the best known.

Smelling as fresh as green tea, Anxi tea endures repeated infusions, and is characterized by natural flowery fragrance and black tea’s strong and mellow taste, with a lingering aftertaste. To retain the flowery fragrance for a longer period, the tea leaves are oxidized and lightly baked. The tightly curled emerald-colored “grain-shaped” leaves are very different from Wuyi Yan Cha.

Anxi tea has a variety of breeds, including the most popular “Four Elites”. Tie Guan Yin, Huangjingui, Benshan and Maoxie, together with Meizhan, Qilan and Large Leaf Oolong, each unique on its own, Tie Kuan Yin is the most popular.

Tie Guan Yin (Tie Kuan Yin)

Made from the tender leaves of the Tie Guan Yin trees, it is the king among Anxi teas. The name Tie Guan Yin refers to both the tree and the tea. Anxi Tie Guan Yin is said to have been discovered in Xiping Town, Anxi, during the Qing Dynasty.

The falvor is strong and enduring, with the fragrance of flowers and fruits. According to recent studies, Anxi Tie Guan Yin contains various aromas. The clear and golden tea liquid has a strong and mellow taste, with a sweet aftertaste and lingering fragrance. The steeped leaves are thick and as bright as silk. Tie Guan Yin’s unique fragrance fills the room as soon as you lift the cover of the teapot.

 Huangjingui

Huangjingui is mad from the tender leaves of Huangdan tea trees. Therefore, crude tea leaves are called Huangdan in the production area. Huangjingui is among the best Anxi teas. It grows in Luoyan area of Anxi Gounty. It is reproduced through asexual methods. Huangjingui derives its name from its golden (Huangjin) tea liquid and because of its taste of the osmanthus (gui).

The tea leaves are bright yellow, compact , soft and thin with a yellowishgreen center and red edge. The tea liquid is mellow, with the fresh fragrance of the osmanthus.

Benshan

Originally growing in Xiping Town of Anxi, Benshan is a “close relative” of Tie Kuan Yin, sharing its good quality. However, it is taller and easily adapts to environmental changes.

The yellowish-green leaves are strong and heavy, striped light green and edged red, similar to Tie Guan Yin in quality but without its unique charm. The orange tea liquid has an orchid-like aroma, mellow taste and light and sweet aftertaste.

Maoxie

Originally growing at Daping County of Anxi, Maoxie adapts well to environmental changes. It is easy to cultivate. The yield is high.

The dark green dry tea leaves are compact, curly, spiral, with sharp ends. The tips of the tender tea leaves are covered with white hair, giving the tea its name Maoxie (hairy crab). The hair is easy to brush off. After infusion, the tea liquid turns bluish-yellow or golden, with a strong orchid-like fragrance, tasting light and mellow.

Besides Anxi tea, there are many other precious South Fujian Oolong Teas.

Yongchun Buddha Hand (Yongchun Foshou)

Buddha Hand tea leaves look like the hand of Buddha. Among all the Buddha Hand teas, the one produced in Yongchun is the best. It is made from the tender leaves of Buddha Hand tea trees growing on the mountains at an altitude of 600-900 meters. Sukeng and Yudou in Yongchun are the two villages producing most of Yongchun Buddha Han tea. Because of its low yield, Yongchun Buddha Hand tea is very precisous.

 Buddha Hand tea trees can be divided into red sprouts and green sprouts based on the color of the spring sprouts. The red sprout is of superior quality. Buddha Hand tea leaves could be as large as human hands. Buddha Hand tea is very popular in Fujian, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, and Southeast Asia.

Buddha Hand tea can soothe nerves, expel toxins and lower blood pressure. It is effective in supporting treatment for asthma, gallbladder pain and digestive problems, such as gastritis and colonitis. Local people drink Buddha Hand tea to get relief from the heat. They make it into salt tea (adding salt in the water), honey tea and grapefruit tea for treating diarrhea, heatstroke, high blood pressure, etc. grapefruit tea is considered as premium gift by the local people for their overseas relatives.

Besides the above mentioned, other famous South Fujian Oolong teas include: Baimaohou, Almond Tea, Fengyuanchun, Taoren, Zoumianji, Dahong, Houye, Xueli, etc.

• Tea Steeping Guide

• Oolong
• North Fujian Oolong
• Puer:
• Pu-er: How to Pry Pu-er Tea Cake and Brick

• A Lesson in Cleaning Clay Teapots
• Instructions for Using Cast Iron Kettle

North Fujian Oolong is high oxidized. It mainly grows at Wuyishan in north Fujian. There is a small yield from Jianou, Jianyang. The picking and processing start from late April.

It has two sub-categories, Wuyishan and North Fujian Daffodil, the former being more popular.

1. Wuyi Yan Cha (Wuyi Rock Tea)

Wuyi Yan Cha is the earliest type of Oolong. Its semi-oxidized processing was invented by villagers in Wuyishan during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

Wuyi Yan Cha has a very strict and sophisticated process, which is so far the only one to be approved by the United Nations as an non-material cultural heritage in the class. The process follow one by one or it would be a waste for everything which already done:

Sunlight Withering --> Air Drying --> Shaking and Cooling (This step determines the quality of the Wuyi rocky tea, which lasts about 10-12 hours.) --> Frying (The fire should be controlled appropriately to ensure the fragrance of the rocky tea.) --> Twisting --> Roasting till Semifinished --> Selecting and Removing stalks and unacceptable leaves --> Sorting --> Ventilation and Selecting --> Bagging and Kneading --> Elementary Roasting and Cooling --> Secondary Roasting and Cooling, and then the tea can be packaged for delivery in One month.

Yan Cha, Charm of Rock

Yan means rock in Chinese. Wuyi Yan Cha gives a unique fragrance of “flowers growing on the rocks.”

The tea grows on and is enriched by the rocks. Wuyi Mount is situated in the northern part of Wuyi Cordillera, facing southwest, covering 70 sq.km. It has 36 peaks and 99 giant rocks, with meander streams. Surrounded by other mountains but not connected, Wuyi Mountain has the good climate, temperature, rainfall and soil for tea plant growth. In 1999, UNESCO enlisted Wuyi Mount in The Directory of World Natural and Cultural Heritage.

The fragrance of the tea plantations mingles with the clean mountain air. Wuyi Yan Cha absorbs both, and the tea gives off its “charm” of “freshness, fragrance, sweetness and vividness.” The enduring fragrance is a mixture of green and black tea – light and rich – with freshness of bright yellow tea liquid, pure and clear. Sip it you will experience its sweetness and the enjoyable aftertaste. Appreciate of the “green leaf red edge.”

During the Qing Dynasty, there were four famous bushes chosen named Dahongpao, Baijiguan, Tieluohan and Shuijingui, they are given special names according to the tree shape or their growth environment. Famous bushes are considered the “King of Yan Cha.” The small output and good quality make the famous bushes precious.

Da Hong Pao

A premier Oolong tea is the most famous among Wuyi Famous Bushes. The original plants (mother plants) grow at Jiulongchao, amid the steep cliffs of Wuyi Mount, nurtured by the various mountain springs. The organic ingredients in the water and the soil make an ideal environment for Dahongpao.

The mother plants are invaluable treasures. Today,there are only six Dahongpao trees in Jiulongchao. For hundreds of years, they have been giving only small yields. In the 1980s, the local tea research center successfully planted Dahongpao in other areas of Wuyi having similar environment. In 2006, the local municipal government issued  laws to protect the mother plants, including banning cropping and closely monitoring the environment, to prolong the lifespan of mother plants.

Today, the Dahongpao found in the market is from grafted plants.

Carefully picked and processed, each leaf is compact, bright green edged with red. The tea liquid is bright yellow. The most outstanding feature is its strong fragrance of orchids and the sweet “charm of rock” aftertaste. Dahongpao endures repeated infusions (term henceforth used for brewing leaves). In 1988, the first Wuyi Famous Bushes Evaluation Conference was held, during which water nine times without losing its taste. (Other Famous Bushes are tasteless after the seventh infusion.)

Tie Luo Han

Tieluohan is the earliest Famous Bush among Wuyi Yan Cha, growing in the Ghost Cave of Yanhui Rock in Wuyi Mount. Surrounded by steep cliffs on each side, a stream runs through this area. In recent years, small yields turn up in the market. It is said that Tieluohan (literally Iron Arhat) was first discovered by a strong, dark-skinned arhat (monk) of Huiyuan Temple, and hence the name.

The compact leaf is bright green and brown, with a flowery fragrance. The tea liquid is golden, with a rich taste and sweet aftertaste. The steeped leaves are soft and semi-transparent with red edges.

Bai Ji Guan

Baijiguan (literally “white crest”) was discovered earlier than Dahongpao, in the period of Ming Dynasty, in the outer Ghost Cave of the Fire Peak of Huiyuan Rock (the hill at the side of the Wengong Temple behind Wuyi Palace). The soft, thin, light green and white new leaves contrast with bright and rich green of ripe leaves. The ripe leaves are curled and hairy, with a white crest which give it its name.

Among all the Wuyi tea trees, Baijiguan has the most unique shape. The dry tea leaves are lighter in color but strong with its unique fragrance and Yan Charm. The tea liquid is a vivid orange, rich in taste and sweet aftertaste. The brewed leaves are thick and soft.

Shui Jin Gui

Well-known since the Qing Dynasty, Shuijingui grows at the Half Rock of Tianxin Rock’s Duge Village. According to legend, once, the fence around the tea garden in the Tianxin Temple collapsed due to heavy rain. The tea trees were carried by flowing water to the Half Rock and took root there. Subsequently, the Leishi Temple was built at this site and tea was named “Shuijingui.” A legal warfare ensued from 1919 to 1920, with both temples claiming ownership of the precious Shuijingui. The Leishi Temple won the case because the trees were brought there by nature, and not stolen by them.

This red-barked tea tree with slightly curved branches produce long elliptical leaves, bright green in color.

There are also many other types of Wuyi Yan Cha, ie: Wuyi Rou Gui, Wuyi Shui Xian and more.

Wuyi Rou Gui (Wuyi Cinnamon)

Wuyi Rougui is made from the tender leaves of cinnamon tea trees first discovered in Huiyuan Rock. Today, through a major asexual reproduction drive, it is found in Shuiliandong, Sanyangfeng, Matou Rock, Guilin Rock and Nine Bunds. Wuyi Rougui has become the major breed of the Wuyi Yan Cha and is produced on a large quantity.

The compact and curly dried leaves are oily brown and green with a sharp cinnamon flavor. The tea liquid is rich in taste and the steeped leaves are edged red. It’s flavor and pungent taste are the most outstanding features marking its uniqueness.

Wuyi Shuxian (Wuyi Daffodil)

Know as a premium quality Wuyi Yan Cha, Wuyi Shuixian was discovered before Wuyi Rougui.

The dry tea is thick and symmetrical, twist at the edges and is yellow at the tip, with a black middle and red base. Wuyi Shuixian has the rich fragrance of orchids. The tea liquid is strong in taste with a sweet aftertaste.

2. North Fujian Shui Xian

North Fujian Shui Xian is the other main type of North Fujian Oolong tea, which has fruitike fragrance, and its yield is good. The tender leaves of Shui Xian tea trees are the raw materials used for Oolong, and are named according to the place of origin.The bar-shaped North Fujian Shui Xian is made from Shui Xian growing in north Fujian Province. First discovered around Dahu village of Shuiji Town of Jianyang city in North Fujian about 100 years ago. Now is produced on a large scale at Jianou and Jianyang city, Different from the traditional north Fujian Oolong teas, tody, mass rolling is an added process to compress and curl the leaves.

It is named Shui Xian due to its daffodil-like fragrance. It grows near the Zhuxiantao Cave, near Jianou and JianYangcity. The leaves are compact and heavy, curled at the top, green in color, they look like a frog’s skin, and have the rich fragrance of orchids. The tea liquid tastes mellow and thick, with a sweet aftertaste. The thick but soft steeped leaves are yellow, edged or spotted red.

Tip: Cast iron kettles are not suitable for use in microwave ovens.


On April 18, the instant we all stepped out of the plane and felt the heat and moisture in the air, it was obvious that the next few days would be spent in a much different climate from the region we had just left. Xishuangbanna is one of the sixteen prefecture-level divisions of Yunnan and home to many minorities, such as Dai, Hani, and Wa. We met up with three people who would be with us during our time spent in Yunnan: a driver, who would drive us everywhere we needed to go; a man who was in the tea business; and a woman who owned a farm where she grew many different crops, including tea. Tao told us that he could not understand our guides when they spoke in their native dialect (which sounded similar to vietnamese to my ear). We all enjoyed the sights of urban Xishuangbanna during the drive to a small tea plantation in a rural area of the city.

  

Before reaching the tea farm, we stopped at the local elephant shed to see some wild elephants that were being cared for.

        

When we arrived at the tea plantation, we were surprised to see such short tea bushes after hearing about the "old puer tea trees in Yunnan". However, when we learned that these tea plants were regularly trimmed and that their age could be assumed by examining the stems, things made more sense. Upon closer inspection, the stems were seen to be virtually covered in lichen and moss, which must have taken many years to grow. The next part to observe were the leaves, which were huge in comparison to those of the tea plants we'd recently seen. Only the tea plants in Yunnan have such large leaves. Rubber trees could be seen growing with the tea plants, but on separate rows, to provide shade for the tea and rubber to sell.

           

Back in urban Xishuangbanna, we had a very tasty dinner full of locally grown vegetables paired with some decent sheng puer tea. We then explored an area comprised mostly of tea shops and chose one in which to sample some puer tea. Finally, we visited the very popular night market before turning in for the night.

  

In the morning, our driver brought us to the first mountain we would be visiting: Jingmai. The drive up the mountain was very long, winding, and bumpy, but entirely worth it. After having a big breakfast, we were lead through the village where we saw the simple town full of hardworking locals.

     

Then began the education, starting with the oldest tea farm in Jingmai mountain. At the farm, we could not call the plants before us "tea bushes"; these were tea trees. The tea trees in the farm are natural, meaning they are untrimmed and generally uncared for. However, they were planted by villagers many years ago so they are not quite wild. In comparison to all of the tea farms we had seen up until this point, the tea plants in this farm were much more thinly dispersed. Among the many tea trees, near the edge of a dirt road, was the king tea tree of Jingmai Mountain. It was chosen due to its towering height and is said to be over 500 years old. Our guides taught us that the general leaf harvesting standard for puer tea in Jingmai Mountain is one bud, three leaves. This means that harvesters would harvest anything from a single bud to a bud attached to three leaves. Again, when we looked closely at the stems and branches of the tea trees, copious amounts of lichen and moss could be seen. On some stems, there was something else growing that resembled a tiny prickly pear cactus without the spines. We learned that the common name for this growth is "Crab Legs" and that it is used as tea or consumed other ways, and is normally expensive.

                          

After a short drive to a different part of the mountain, Tao introduced us to a woman who owned a small tea factory. At the factory, we saw familiar equipment used to process tea, although the entire processing procedure of puer tea is unique (as with the other types of tea). The instruments included: a heated rotating drum for kill-green, new and old rolling machines, large woks for processing by hand, and a large bamboo mat on which to dry the leaves.

                 

Naturally, after visiting the tea farm and viewing the tea factory, we were awarded with tasting three different sheng puer teas manufactured and steeped by the factory owner. They all tasted exquisite, with the Moon White puer being the lightest in both colour and flavour. It may be difficult for some to imagine that a single factory can produce many varying kinds of puer tea. However, by altering elements of the tea's processing procedure, such as performing kill-green or rolling by hand contrary to by machine, being more selective of the leaf standard, or drying the leaves indoors versus under the sun (resulting in "Moon White" puer versus regular puer), the resulting product can differ greatly in taste, volume, and value. Furthermore, after the processed leaves are dried (at this point, the leaves are referred to as "maocha"), they can undergo further processing to become sheng puer cakes or shu puer cakes. Further still, sheng puer cakes are commonly aged to become smoother in taste and more valuable. With all of this information in mind, three different puer teas from a single factory doesn't seem like so many.

        

Next stop: Banzhang Mountain. Due to a recent increase in the popularity of its tea, Banzhang Village is now very wealthy. The reason for this is not due to marketing or any changes in the tea, but rather the collective voice and opinion of tea drinkers all over China. The houses in this village looked more modern and luxurious than those we saw in Jingmai. Upon arriving in the village, we met with a tea factory owner who taught us about the puer tea making process and then steeped us some of his own factory's tea. Relative to tea from other mountains in Yunnan, the puer tea from Banzhang Mountain is quite strong with a pleasant aftertaste.

     

The puer tea process begins with harvesting the leaves of tea plants in Yunnan. According to the many people we spoke with in Yunnan, any tea plant in the province can be used to make puer tea but some specific farms are more often used to make black tea or green tea. The facts that the leaves come from tea plants in Yunnan and are processed in a specific way are collectively what define the puer tea category. The first step to processing the leaves is withering, which can either be done by spreading the leaves out on a mat left under the sun (or indoors with a cool temperature) or by lightly heating the leaves in a wok and tossing them like a salad. We were lucky enough to witness the latter method being done by a skilled worker. During withering, the leaves are intermittently checked for dryness by being bent between the fingers. If the leaves bend but don't break, they are prepared to endure more agressive processing and thus the withering step is complete. The next step is kill-green, which can either be done using a rolling drum machine or by hand in a highly heated wok. This step's goal is to slow the oxidation of the leaves to a near halt. Once kill-green is deemed complete, usually due to a specified time limit, rolling can begin. If a machine is used for kill-green, the rolling step would be done with a rolling machine, otherwise the wok containing the leaves would have its temperature lowered to moderate heat and the worker would roll the leaves by hand. Finally, the leaves are spread out on a bamboo mat to be left outside to dry under the sun. Alternatively, the leaves may be left to dry indoors if "Moon White" puer is the intended product.

              

After a short visit to the oldest tea farm of Banzhang Mountain, where we saw the enormous king tea tree and the smaller (but still large) old tea trees, the factory owner steeped us tea from New Banzhang Village and Old Banzhang Village so that we could taste the difference (which was quite apparent!).

           

What I remember most about this part of the tour are the amazing views of the landscape that were constantly in perspective. Continue reading the 2011 Tea Tour Recollections with the next part: Part Four: Puer Old and New (coming soon).

August is a very important month for jasmine tea. The best quality of jasmine flowers are ready to be picked soon after mid-July. The best quality will be processed with spring green tea to make high quality jasmine green tea.

The main goal of the traditional jasmine green tea process is to transfer the fragrance and scent from the flowers to the green tea. The process of scenting jasmine tea is strictly particular; usually it take 3-9 times of re-scenting, even more for some special grades.(Re-scenting is after the green tea absorption, the flowers will be filtered, and use another fresh flowers release fragrance, which make the jasmine tea still have nice fragrant and taste after many steeps.)

Basic Steps

Preparing the green tea prior to scenting → maintaining the flowers → layering the flowers with the green tea → dividing the mixture into sections → heaping → separating the flowers from the tea leaves → heating → cooling → re-scenting → taste sampling → packaging

1.Preparing the Green Tea

The high grade green tea is harvested in the spring and prepared prior to scenting, months before the jasmine flowers are harvested. The leaves are spread out indoors to prevent them from rotting before the jasmine flowers are ready.

2.Preparing the Jasmine Flowers

Since jasmine flowers open up during the night, they are harvested after 10 AM and brought to the manufacturer. The fresh flowers are then spread out thinly to allow for breathing and force their temperature to be between 32℃ and 36℃, which is the optimal range for encouraging the flowers to open. If their temperature drops to 30℃, the flowers are piled into heaps for more heat, and if the temperature rises to 38℃, the flowers are spread thinly to cool down. When all of the flowers are around 60% open, they are placed on sifters and shaken by hand to remove the green buds and flower stems. During this process, the flowers will open further. When the flowers are 80% open, they are ready to scent the green tea.

3. Layering

This step is considered to be the most important of all. After making a starting layer of jasmine flowers, green tea is placed on top to make a second layer, followed by more jasmine flowers, and so on until a certain height to form one heap. Each heap of layers will rise to a certain temperature and be left to sit for a certain amount of time. Depending on the intended grade, the amount of flowers, the temperature, the height of the heaps, and the time left to sit vary greatly. For an average grade, the wanted temperature is between 45℃ and 48℃ and the total time from Layering to Separating is 10 to 12 hours.

4. Tong Hua (Dividing the Mixture into Sections)

When the temperature of the heaps rises to between 40℃ and 48℃, usually taking 5 to 6 hours, they are divided into sections. This all

ows for cooling, promotes oxygen ventilation, and encourages the flowers to release more fragrance to the tea. The heaps usually take 0.5 to 1 hour to cool.

5. Shouduifuyin (Piling)

Once the heaps cool to about 1℃ to 3℃ above room temperature, the layered heaps are shoveled into piles 20 to 30 cm in height. After 5 to 6 hours, the piles should reach a temperature of 40℃ and the flowers should be fully opened and withered, light yellow, and have no scent left.

6. Separating

At this point, the scent from the flowers should be completely transferred to the tea leaves which should be slightly humid. The piles are placed in a sorting machine that separates the jasmine flowers from the tea leaves.

7. Heating

The tea leaves are then heated to remove excess water in preparation for packaging or possible re-scenting. The heating temperature is relatively high, generally between 90℃ and 110℃, so that the process is fast enough to retain the jasmine fragrance within the tea leaves. The standard humidity of the leaves for this step is 17% to 18%. After heating, the leaves are spread out to be as cool as possible, no higher than 40℃.

8. Re-scenting

Aimed at improving the degree of the tea, a few large fresh jasmine flowers are mixed into the leaves for about 6 to 8 hours in 8% humidity. The flowers are then removed and the leaves are left to cool to be ready for packaging.

9.Taste Sampling and Packaging

The jasmine green tea is sampled in order to determine the grade and then packaged into corresponding boxes.

Tip 1: Due to the processing technique of jasmine tea, the fresh tea should be drunk one week after the finished process, due to the baking step which promotes too much heat in Chinese health culture.

Tip 2: For high grade jasmine green tea, almost no flower petals should be present (with the exception of a whole flower for decoration).

Tip 3: For low grade and bad quality jasmine tea, the jasmine flowers from the end of the separating step are mixed in with unscented green tea.

STEEPED IN TRADITION

THE MIRROR - Friday,August 12, 2011

PROFESSIONAL POURING: Tao from Tao Tea Leaf demonstrates a traditional Chinese tea ceremony at Downsview Library. Residents were invited to learn about the Chinese tea culture and history.Tao showed how to steep the Chinese Gong-Fu tea and also showcased the tea set and tea accessories.

Kettle: Kettles come in many different varieties. Electric temperature control kettles are made from steel and allow you to dial in the precise temperature for your tea. Cast iron kettles are a more traditional choice. They are generally preferred because their teapot like spout makes it easier to pour the water into a Yixing or Gai Wan. They can be heated on an induction plate or over a charcoal pit called a brazier. Other kettles can be made from glass, clay or in some cases volcanic rock. The choice of which kettle to use is a matter of person taste.  

Teapot: The teapot is normally Yixing clay or ChaoZhou clay teapots. Glass, porcelain or celadon teapots may also be used. They are usually small in size, allowing for shorter brew times and multiple steeps.

Gai Wan: Gai Wan literally translates as covered cup.  It can be used as a brewing vessel as well as a drinking cup. They always come in 3 piece sets consisting of a small bowl with a lid and a saucer. They are normally made of porcelain or glass and can be used to brew any type of tea. Like the teapot, the size of the Gai Wan allows for multiple steeps and shorter steeping times.

Gong Dao Bei: This is also known as the serving glass. Most commonly made from porcelain, glass or clay; the Gong Dao Bei holds the tea after brewing as to not over steep the tea. The tea is then portioned out to individual cups.

Tea Cups; Appreciation (Pinming Bei) and Aroma (Wenxiang Bei): These two cups are used to introduce the guests to their tea. First the tea is poured into the (usually taller) aroma Cup. The guests then pour the tea into the appreciation cup to drink. The smell left over in the aroma cup is different from the dry leaves and the brewed tea. As the cup cools the aroma subtly changes. The two cup system is not always employed. In most cases only the appreciation cup is used, but to really experience the aroma to its fullest, we recommend using both.

*The previous Items are needed for brewing, serving and consuming tea. The following items are necessary components for the tea ceremony.*

Tea Tray (Cha Pan): This holds all the items to brew the tea as well as collects all the waste water. Tea trays are most often made of wood or bamboo. Occasionally you may find one crafted from clay, ceramics, stone or jade. Some tea trays are single layered and connected via a small hose to a waste bucket, and some are double layered and can hold the waste water inside.

Waste Bucket (Fei Cha Tong): This is a bucket stored underneath the table and serves to catch the waste water from the tea tray. They are normally made out of wood, bamboo, plastic or metal.

Strainer (Lvwang) & Strainer Holder (Lvwang Jia): The strainer is placed on top of the Serving cup before the tea is poured from the steeping vessel. This prevents any tea leaf residue from getting into your cup. The strainer can be made from metal, plastic or even natural calabash gourd. The strainer should be placed on the holder when not in use. The holders come in all shapes and sizes and can be made from almost any material.

Tea Holder (Cha He): These are small, mostly porcelain plates used to momentarily house the dry leaves before steeping. Presenting the tea in this fashion allows the drinker to examine the leaves with ease and is efficient for releasing the aromas.

Coaster (Bei Dian): Used to hold the tasting and serving cups. The coasters can be made out of wood,  metal or bamboo.

Tea Serving Tray (Feng Cha Pan): Made from bamboo or wood, these trays are used to carry the teacups when serving tea.

Tea Props (Cha Daoju): Also known as Gong Fu Tea tools, this set contains 6 different pieces often made of wood or bamboo.

-          Tea prop holder: A cylinder with an open top used to hold the remaining 5 pieces.

-          Tea funnel: The Funnel rests on the mouth of the teapot to widen and to stop the leaves from spilling out.

-          Chaze: A spoon used to measure the amount of tea.

-          Tea Scoop: A small scoop used to move the tea onto the serving tray.

-          Tea Needle: A long spike used to clean the spout of the teapot.

-          Tea tongs: These tongs are used pick up hot cups or picking out the tea dregs.

Pot Brush (Yang Hu Bi): A brush used to gently clean the outside of the Yixing Tea Pots. This is an important tool because Yixing teapots cannot be cleaned using conventional cleaning products and if they are handled too much, the oil from your skin will be absorbed by the clay.

Pu’er Tea Knife (Pu’er Dao): This is a long dull knife used to break apart tea cakes and other compressed teas. It comes in two different shapes, either a flat knife or a thin needle.

Tea Canister (Chaoye Guan): A container used to store tea. These can be made from metal, glass, porcelain or clay. A good tea canister should be both light and airtight.

Pot Holder (Hu Cheng): This is used to hold the teapot. They are mostly made from clay, ceramic or porcelain to match the teapot.

Lid Holder (Gai Zhi): A small pillar used to hold to lid of the teapot when brewing the tea.

Tea Cloth (Cha Jin): A very absorbent cloth used to clean any water or tea stains from the other tea ware.

Water Calyx (Shui Yu): A Large bowl used to place any waste water, tea dregs or unfinished tea during the ceremony. The bowl can be made from porcelain, glass or clay.

Processing of Yellow tea

Our yellow tea hails from Junshan Island in the middle of Dong Ting Lake in Hunan Province. This location is perfect for growing this style of tea. Fog from the lake blankets the island, leading to high levels of humidity and low temperatures. The gardens are surrounded by flowering trees, adding to the natural floral aroma of the tea. The first step in producing yellow tea is to pluck the buds. The buds are picked very early in the harvesting season with an extremely high standard of quality unmatched by other types of tea. They are picked based on size, colour, weight, moisture level and shape. Next the buds are withered to remove any and all moisture. Then the buds are heated by stirring them in heated pans by hand. The fourth step in the processing is what makes yellow tea so unique. “Menhuang” also called steam oxidation or smothering is a slow oxidation technique used to give the buds their pale yellow colour. The leaves are spread out on the ground and covered with a damp cloth for anywhere between four and ten hours. This gently warms the leaves evoking rich and flavourful aromas. After, the leaves are dried at temperatures reaching 110 to 120°C in order remove any remaining moisture. The processed buds are then hand sorted buy size, shape and quality.

Appearance and Taste of Yellow tea

Though very rare, many experts and tea lovers make a special effort to track down yellow tea because of its wonderfully rich flavours, vivid liquor and fruity aromas. The tea consists only of buds. In shape, the buds are thinner than and not as soft as white tea. This is caused by the heating and slight oxidation processes. The flavour of yellow tea is something unique and very special. The body of the tea often is thick, full and well rounded. The tea achieves this while remaining soft and gentle. The flavours are often sweet like honey (reminiscent of the closely related white tea) but with fruity and floral undertones. This combination is exclusive to yellow tea. Certain yellow tea (such as Jun Shan Yin Zhen) has an initial smoky aroma reminiscent of Lapsang Souchon. The smokiness lies gently on your pallet for only a few seconds then the floral and fruity flavours take the wheel and the smokiness dissolves into the background.  The liquor the tea yields is a bright golden colour that smells sweet with a subtle smokiness that evokes memories of summer nights spent in the woods.

Health Benefits of Yellow Tea

Yellow tea has been prized for its unique aromatic qualities and flavours, but its popularity also stems from the health benefits it provides to its drinkers. Similar to white tea, yellow tea consists mainly of very young buds plucked before they have the opportunity to bloom into leaves. Buds picked at this age are very special because of their sweetness and high antioxidant content. To help the leaves open and grow, nature provides the buds with an extra shot of glucose and Polyphenols. The glucose makes the buds extra sweet, while the Polyphenols act as antioxidants in the human body. Regular intake of antioxidants may help with maintaining healthy skin, teeth and bones. Some studies have shown antioxidants to have cancer fighting properties as well. The tea has also been said to help lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol, as well as reduce stress and aid in weight loss.

Growing Regions of Yellow Tea

Yellow tea is relatively rare and often mistaken for green tea. You may also find the occasional tea dealer who will try to fool buyers into thinking they are getting yellow tea when in fact they are getting green tea. This can cause the casual tea buyer trouble when seeking out yellow tea. Remember that the best yellow tea comes from only three regions in China.

-           Sichuan: Located in central China, just north of Yunnan.

-          Anhui: Located in Eastern China.

-          Hunan: Located on the South East side of the Country.

Today, the demand for yellow tea is fairly low. This means that there are very few yellow teas being cultivated. However, as the market for this variety of tea increases, the number of gardens producing it will be sure to follow.

Tips for Steeping Yellow Tea

Yellow tea is similar in its composition to white and green tea. As such, it should be brewed using similar methods. It is very easy to steep this type of tea improperly. The most common mistake is to steep the tea using water that is too hot. The temperature of the water should be roughly 80°C, any hotter than this and the teas subtle sweet and floral qualities will be lost to an overbearing bitter taste. The best way to make sure your water is the right temperature is to get a temperature varying kettle. However; you can also bring your water to a boil and let it stand for 5 minutes before steeping your tea. The wonderful complexity of yellow tea lends itself perfectly to short steeps in small amounts of water. We suggest using a Gai Wan to brew yellow tea. When using this method the tea can be re-steeped upwards of 5 times and the flavour, body and aroma will evolve with each steep.

On the night of April 16th, we arrived at the hotel that is part of the Jiangnan Tea Culture Museum on the east mountain of Dong Ting, Jiangsu Province, where we would stay for one night. The Bi Luo Chun from Dong Shan ("East Mountain") is considered the best, probably due to the optimum amounts of sunshine and humidity. The hotel itself was very majestic and the outdoor property was vast and elaborately adorned with exotic trees, stone pathways, and bridges over small rivers.

  

The next day began with an educational tour of the tea culture museum. With the help of the museum guide and Tao translating to English, we learned a great deal about the history of Bi Luo Chun green tea and Chinese tea in general. Walking through the museum felt like being given a firsthand peek into the history of Chinese tea with artifacts such as an ancient guqin (a musical instrument that has been paired well with tea drinking for centuries), a bronze sculpture depicting a boy blowing air into a tea kettle stove to serve royalty, and ancient tea caddies that were found in a sunken ship with preserved loose tea inside. We learned that the tea once known as Xia Sha Ren Xiang ("Scary Fragrance") was renamed to Bi Luo Chun ("Green Snail Spring") by the Kangxi Emperor during the Qing Dynasty while viewing a modern sculpture depicting the scene. We also learned that the steps to the Bi Luo Chun tea ceremony, as described by the Tea Culture Museum, are as follows:

• Note: for this tea ceremony, tall glasses are used instead of tea cups.
•    Step one: Warm the glass using hot water.
•    Step two: Observe the colour and shape of the dry leaves.
•    Step three: Carefully pour the hot water from the kettle into the glass carefully, filling it to about 50-60%.
•    Step four: Gently pour the leaves into the glass.
•    Step five: Witness the tea steeping, the leaves slowly opening and dropping to the bottom of the glass.
•    Step six: Observe the water while the tea is steeping. You will see many tiny bubbles from the tea leaves.
•    Step seven: Pour more hot water into the glass by tipping the kettle three short times in succession.
•    Step eight: Smell the fragrance from the glass, reminiscent of a spring forest.
•    Step nine: To taste the tea, first sip a little bit to experience the spring tea's fresh, clean fragrance. Then, sip a bit more and let the tea rest in your mouth while you taste the comforting sweetness before swallowing, when you will find a sweet and fresh aftertaste. Finally, take a slightly larger sip and hold the tea in your mouth to appreciate a lasting good taste and nice fragrance.

                    

Soon after the lessons in Bi Luo Chun history, we advanced to the East Mountain Tea Factory where we would learn about modern Bi Luo Chun tea processing. As with many other kinds of tea, the processing technique and leaf harvesting standard of Bi Luo Chun tea varies depending on the intended grade. For top grade Bi Luo Chun, the leaf harvesting standard is pure buds from the first harvest of the season and for grade five Bi Luo Chun (the lowest grade), the standard is closer to two leaves and a bud from the later harvests of the spring season. Directly after the leaves are harvested, the first step of the process called kill-green, which is intended to halt oxidation in the leaves, is either done in special woks for grades three and higher or in a large machine for grades four and five. The next step, called rolling, creates the spiral shape of the leaves and encourages the flavour to be released from the leaves more slowly during steeping. This step is either done in the special woks by hand or in a rolling machine depending on the grade, as before. The final step to making any tea is drying and is performed with a drying machine inside the factory.

                 

Naturally, after watching massive amounts of Bi Luo Chun being processed, it was time to taste the final product. We sat down in the tea shop that is attached to and owned by the factory. We were promptly brought grades 1 through 5 of Bi Luo Chun tea, with grade 5 being the lowest grade and grade 1 being the highest before the special grades. At the table, our foremost interest was to visually compare the dry leaves of the different grades. The most obvious difference in the dry leaves was the amount of trichomes (white hairs). Since buds have the most trichomes, the grade 1 dry leaves appeared to be the most hairy and, thus, the lightest colour. Likewise, the grade 5 leaves appeared the darkest and had the longest leaves due to the harvesting standard. While making our observations, we tasted grade 1 Bi Luo Chun steeped in glass cups. It was useful to see the steeped leaves in the glasses because we could clearly see that they consisted almost purely of buds that would not open (refer to the last photograph in the group below).

                    

Since the day was still young and the weather was ideal, we decided to hike up the mountain that held acres of tea plantations where we could examine the tea bushes up-close and see harvesters hard at work. We had a local guide to lead us to the top of the mountain who was able to answer questions and give us information during the climb. At the top of the mountain, the view was incredible. Mountains covered in tea bushes could be seen for miles in every direction. However, we would soon learn that this was minute compared to what we would see in Yunnan. On the way back down, we unexpectedly met our local guide's mother who was on her way to the factory after filling her basket full of fresh tea leaves. As with most tea harvesters, her right thumbnail was black due to the plant residue from hours of pinching stems.

        

To end the educational part of the day, we visited a historic site for which our local guide was kind enough to give us tickets. Once inside, we learned about a small portion of Chinese history and experienced age-old traditions such as transporting fruits and vegetables with a wooden cart over a cobblestone road.

              

And thus ended the green tea part of the tour. Continue reading the 2011 Tea Tour Recollections with the next part: Part Three: Puer Tea in Yunnan.

Thank you everyone who attended our Toronto 2011 tea tasting events (32 participants on the 4th).

In 4th event, we steeped 7 different famous 2011 Spring Chinese teas:

• Green Tea
• Long Jing (Dragon Well) Origin: ShiFeng, ZheJiang Province.
• Bi Luo Chun Origin: East Moutain, Jiang Su Province.

• White Tea
• Silver Needle Origin:ZhengHe, Fujian Province.
• White Peony Origin:ZhengHe, Fujian Province.

•  Yellow Tea
• Jun Shan Yin Zhen Origin: JunShan Island, HuNan Province.

• Oolong Tea
• Phoenix Dan Cong– Almond Flavor Origin: Phoenix Mountain, GuangDong Province.

• Pu-er Tea
• Jing Mai (Sheng) Origin: Jing Mai Mountain, YunNan Province.

We were very surprised to have Colin Farrell come to the shop just after the tea tasting event. Apparently he is a fan of good tea.

The Best Chinese Green Tea

Dragonwell was ranked the #1 best Chinese tea by China.org. This legendary tea is the pinnacle of Chinese Green tea.  It has a delicious mix of sweet flavours and underlying roasted notes. Bi Lou Chun is a light green tea with a powerful aroma. This tea has a wonderfully floral taste that quickly moves towards a sweet vegetal and roasted flavour. Tai Ping Hou Kui is a wonderful green tea with long, flat, brittle leaves resembling dried seaweed. An ji bai cha is often confused for white tea because of its appearance. It is fast become one of Chinas most popular teas. It has a sweet and smooth flavour, floral and fruity.

The Best Japanese Green Tea

Sencha is the most famous and popular Japanese green tea. This sharp tea has a much darker and bolder flavour than the green teas you will find in China. Genmicha (Also known as the sushi tea) is very popular mix of Japanese green tea and roasted brown rice giving it toasty popcorn like tastes. Matcha is a traditional drink in Japan. It consists of the sencha leaves that have been ground up into a fine powder. The powder is then whisked in water until it is frothy.

Processing of Green Tea: Green tea is more processed than white tea, but is still less processed than oolongs, blacks and pu’er teas. The leaves are picked several times throughout the year with the first harvest taking place in late March or early April. The best leaves are called ‘leafsets’ which have one bud and two leaves. Once the leafsets have been harvested, they are then withered or air dried to rid the leaves of moisture. The dehydrated leaves are heated so that the enzymes that cause oxidation are weaker. This stage is also called ‘fixing’ the leaves. The leaves are then rolled to release the aromatic oils that are contained within the leave. Then during the drying process the oils released dry coating the outside of the leaves. Finally the leaves are sifted to check for broken leaves and sorted by size. With Japanese green tea the leaves are steamed to prevent oxidation rather than pan or oven heated. This gives Japanese green tea a much stronger and bolder taste.

Appearance and Taste of Green Tea: Green tea comes in many different varying shapes, sizes and colours. The tea can be long and needle like (such as An Ji Bai Cha.) Some greens are dense and heavy (such as Gunpowder.) Others are long flat and brittle (such as Tai Ping Hou Kui.) The colour of green tea is just as diverse. Some green tea like An Ji Bai Cha is often mistaken for white tea because of the light white and silvery colours. Others are light green ranging to dark green and even bordering on neon green. The taste of green tea varies greatly based on what kind of green its and what area it comes from. Chinese green teas can be light, sweet and occasionally floral, similar to white tea but a little heavier. Japanese have a noticeably less sweet and bolder taste. They have a much more vegetal sweetness as opposed to the more honey like sweetness of Chinese green teas.

Health Benefits of Green Tea: Green tea is often recommended based on its high antioxidant content. In the same way as white tea, the younger buds contain more glucose and Polyphenols than teas picked further into the harvesting season. Nature provides this to the buds to help the leaves survive the sun and predatory bugs. Luckily for us, Polyphenols work as antioxidants in the human body. Antioxidants may help with detoxification, maintaining healthy skin, teeth and bones. Some studies have shown that they may have cancer fighting properties as well. Green tea also contains EGCG complex which may help boost metabolism, suppress appetite an aid in weight loss.

Growing Regions of Green Tea: Although green tea is now grown in tea gardens world wide the best green tea comes from China and Japan. The most popular growing provinces in China are Fujian, Anhui and Zhejiang. In Japan the most popular regions for growing green tea are Zhizuoka, Kyushu and Honshu.

Tips for Steeping Green Tea: Green tea (similarly to white tea) can easily be improperly steeped. A common problem when making green tea is improper water temperature. Green tea should be brewed with water around 80 degrees Celsius. Hotter water will result is a harsh and bitter tasting cup. The best way to achieve the correct water temperature is to use a varying temperature kettle. If you are looking for a more cost effective method, you can boil water in a regular kettle and let it stand for about 5 minutes before steeping the tea. In our experience many people who dislike green tea have only had green tea brewed with water that was too hot. If you have tried green tea and found it too bitter, we strongly recommend you try it again paying special attention to the temperature of the water. 

Buy Green Tea Online at our Online Store you will get Free Shipping over $35 in North America.

White teas (also known as Baicha or Bai Cha) are semi oxidized teas consisting mainly of buds from the Camellia Sinensis plant. The higher quality white teas will be all buds and the lower grades may contain leaves as well. White teas were once reserved exclusively for members of the Chinese royal family. It was only around 200 years ago that white tea was made available to the public. Even after its release, it remained within China until fairly recently. Today White tea is highly revered and sought after by many tea lovers. White tea contains much less caffeine than other types of tea. This coupled with their light flavour makes them perfect for mixing with herbal teas for extra health benefits.

The Best White Tea: It is very hard to declare a white tea as the best. But there are a few that stand out.

-          Silver Needle: Ones of Top 10 Chinese Teas, also known as Baihao Yinzhen, it is a very rare tea; only top buds (leaf shoots) are used to produce the tea, picked over a very short time during the harvest period.

-          Peach Blossom White tea: This is a white tea with natural Peach scents. We recommend this as a perfect summer Iced tea.

-          White Peony: A tea containing both buds and leaves. Making for a beautiful brew.

Processing of White Tea: The buds are picked very early in the harvesting season (early spring) before the leaves have time to fully bloom. The refinement process for white tea is simple. The buds are plucked and withered. Withering or ‘air drying’ is where the buds are left out to dry until all the immature chlorophyll dies off and they are free of moisture. 

Appearance and Taste of White Tea: The tea has been labeled ‘white’ because of the silver colour of its buds and the pale yellow/silver liquor it produces. Once brewed white tea has a remarkably soft, crisp and sweet flavour. This is because of the stage of their development when they are picked. The young buds are picked right before the leaves open for the first time. To aid them in their first steps nature gives them an extra boost of glucose. This makes the undeveloped buds much sweeter than the fully grown leaves.

 Health Benefits of White Tea: White tea is prized for its high antioxidant content comparable with that of greens and oolongs. This means it may help promote healthy skin and teeth, detoxification, hydration and some studies have shown white tea may have cancer fighting properties. White tea may also help with cardiovascular health and may help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Today, white tea can also be found in many anti ageing products.

Growing Regions of White Tea: White tea is traditionally grown in the Fujian province of China. Although this tea is now being produced in many other parts of the world (Sri Lanka, Darjeeling, Kenya and South Asia) the highest quality white tea still comes from China.

Tips for Steeping White Tea: White tea is a delicate tea and can easily be made bitter by improper steeping methods. We recommend you use glass or thin ceramic. These methods allow heat to escape the brewing vessel which adds to the light flavour of the tea. For the best tasting brew, make sure to use water that is slightly less than boiling (around 80-85 degrees Celsius.) If you do not have variable temperature kettle, boil water in a regular kettle and let stand for 5 minutes. Read more about which water to use for different tea at our Tea Steeping Guide. White teas can also be re-infused several times.

Buy White Tea Online at our Online Store you will get Free Shipping over $35 in North America.

On April 14, we all arrived and met up in Shanghai, where we had a delightful dinner followed by a memorable walk along Nanjing Road and The Bund.

     

The next morning, we took a bus to Yixing, Wuxi, Jiangsu, where we met Mrs. Ge and Master Zhou, who drove us to the town of Dingshu. After having a great meal with them, we went to Mrs. Ge's local shop where we saw a relatively small number of her amazing wooden scupltures (she owns a few shops and multitude of wooden sculptures).

     

Finally, it was time to see Master Zhou's teapot shop and studio. Zhou Yu Ming (Master Zhou) and his nephew, Zhou Jing, are Yixing teapot makers. Master Zhou has been making teapots for over 30 years and has taught many students, including his nephew. He also practices Tai Chi for two hours every day and makes calligraphy as well as artistic paintings. The first floor of Master Zhou's property is his teapot shop where he can also serve tea to customers and friends on his large tree root tea table. Zhou Jing steeped a nice white tea for us while Master Zhou spoke to us about teapot making and his daily routine, with Tao translating to English.

  

Master Zhou then took us upstairs to his studio, where he has an abundance of very nice artifacts and works of art.

        

After he steeped us the local favourite Yixing black tea called Yi Hong, Master Zhou lead us out to visit the abandoned Yixing clay mining site, Yellow Dragon Mountain. He taught us how to determine the quality of clay and showed us examples.

     

As we were heading back to Master Zhou's shop, we had a chance encounter with his Tai Chi teacher who treated us with an exceptional demonstration of Tai Chi.

Back at the shop, Zhou Jing served us Yi Hong tea while we learned about Yixing teapots with Master Zhou.

  

The following day, we went to see another famous local Yixing teapot artist in his display studio. He sells his teapots by auction. Some have sold for over 200,000 Canadian dollars apiece!

  
        

We then went to tour inside the famous Yixing Ceramics Museum. All of the wooden furniture is owned by Mrs. Ge. In one section of the upper floor, teapot making students were hard at work.

                    

At last, it was time to see some tea in the making! For this, we went to the Yixing Linggu Organic Tea Plantation. After watching the local tea farmers sort their freshly picked leaves, we got to taste the finished products; two delightful green teas.

                    

The next stop was a local modern kiln used for firing Yixing clay products. It is used by many local potters. Master Zhou has a small kiln of his own on the third floor of his property.

  

Our final big treat before leaving Yixing was watching Master Zhou make a Yixing teapot before our very eyes. He works very carefully yet quickly with his hands and he has many tools and parts to work with. He told us that he tests each of his teapots after they are whole to make sure they pour water well and if they don't, he tries to fix them as best he can before declaring them complete.

        

These first three days were absolutely great, though we still had many more interesting things to see, people to meet, and places to travel. The adventure continues, on Part Two: Bi Luo Chun.

Tea Tasting - Snacks - Meet Fellow Tea Aficionados

Three Saturdays: June 4th, 11th, and 18th

Dear valued customers,

Tao Tea Leaf will be hosting a Tea Tasting Event for Spring Tea 2011!

Tasting will take place on three different Saturdays in June. Snacks will be served. Special gifts will be raffled at each event.

Saturday June 4th

2:00 to 3:30 PM (1.5 hrs.)

Saturday June 11th

2:00 to 3:30 PM (1.5 hrs.)

Saturday June 18th

2:00 to 3:30 PM (1.5 hrs.)

Please RSVP at least one week prior to each event via email.

Maximum of 30 participants per Saturday event.

When emailing your RSVP at info@taotealeaf.com, please provide us with your:  

- Name

- Number of people joining you

- Date you wish to attend

We will confirm your registration via email.

Note: If you have any suggestions regarding the timing or other aspects of these events, please don't hesitate to contact us by phone or email.

All the best!

Tao Tea Leaf

Processing of Oolong Tea: Oolong tea gets it eccentrically diverse flavours from years of refining its processing. The first stage is plucking. The leaves are generally older and more mature than those used for white or green tea. Next the leaves are withered. This normally takes place outdoors under direct sunlight for roughly two hours. The next step is the most important for creating oolong tea: the oxidation process. The withered leaves are subjected to (either manually or mechanically) temperatures of about 28 degrees Celsius and are consistently stirred or rotated for anywhere between 12 and 18 hours. This breaks down the leaves cell structure, allowing their natural oils to be released. After the oxidation process has been completed the leaves are then heated to quickly stop the oxidation process. This is usually done in large cylinders that continuously rotate the leaves. Next the leaves are giving their unique and defining shape and texture in the rolling stage. This can be done mechanically with a rolling machine or by hand on a bamboo mat. Next the leaves are dried in a rotating cylinder for roughly 15 minutes. Finally the leaves are subjected to a quick (10-20 minute) extreme burst of heat reaching around 300 degrees Celsius during the firing stage. Each individual style of oolong has a slightly different take on the processing steps to give them their own identity.

Appearance and Taste of Oolong: Oolong teas vary greatly in appearance and taste. Some teas are less oxidized causing them to be chemically closer to green teas therefore giving them a lighter more vegetal sweetness with a warm honey-like finish. Others are thicker and heavier with a stronger sweet flavour more reminiscent of molasses or fresh baked bread. Despite their wide variety of differences, most oolongs share some common traits. They generally have an overall sweet flavour to them. Whether that be a soft vegetal honey taste of the lighter oolongs, or the bolder more roasted sweet flavours of the darker oolongs. The body of oolongs is generally similar, most often their bodies are medium to heavy and nearly all oolongs share an incredibly rich and smooth finish. Oolongs vary just as much when it comes to appearance. This all depends on the rolling process of their cultivation. Some oolongs are tightly rolled balls (Tie Guan Yin.) Others are long and needle like (Phoenix Dan Cong.) Occasionally you can find oolongs compressed into cakes.

Health Benefits of Oolong: Oolong tea has gained a lot of notoriety in recent years for its health benefits. Because the tea resides between green and black tea, benefits from both types of tea can be found within oolongs. Drinking oolong regularly may help to reduce bad cholesterol and blood pressure. It has been used as an all around cardiovascular booster. Oolongs are also full of Antioxidants which may help to maintain a healthy complexion, strong teeth and bones. Some studies have shown antioxidants may help in the fight against cancer. Oolong’s caffeine content gives you a great energy boost and is perfect for those trying to lose weight. Oolong tea has been known to increase metabolism and stop fat from being absorbed in the body making this tea the perfect weight loss tonic.

Growing Regions of Oolong Tea: Because of the growing popularity of oolongs, they are being grown in many of the great tea growing regions: Nepal, Darjeeling, Indonesia, Assam and Kenya. However the highest quality of oolong still comes from their hometown. Oolongs originated in China in the 17^th century in Fujian province. The most prized oolongs come from a small region in Fujian called Wuyi Mountain. This beautiful area is highly elevated, rocky and hilly. The abundance of rocks makes the soil rich in minerals which are what gives the Wuyi Rock teas their unique characteristics. Another famous exporter of oolong tea is Taiwan. Taiwanese oolongs or ‘Formosa Oolongs’ are delicious and include High Mountain (jade oolong) and Dong Ding.

Steeping Tips for Oolong tea: Oolong tea is best brewed at hotter temperatures. Depending on the level of oxidation the tea should be steeped with water at between 93 and 100 degrees Celsius. Oolongs have wonderfully rich and warm flavours that can be lost to an overwhelming bitterness if steeped too long. Steeping times will vary based on the steeping method. If you use a Gaiwan we recommend shorter steeps. The first for 50 seconds, the second for 15 and the third for 20. Quick steeps will allow you to appreciate the evolving flavours of each brew. For a regular teapot or mug we recommend steeping for 2-4 minutes depending on your taste. Remember, oolongs can be re-steeped several times. As the leaves are steeped, their tight curls slowly open up. The tea can be steeped again and again until the leaves are completely open.

Chai tea has been enjoyed for centuries in India, Nepal and Tibet. The sweet, creamy, cinnamon flavor of chai is very popular worldwide. The blend, consisting of black tea and a mixture of several spices, offers a number of health benefits including antioxidants and natural anti-inflammatory compounds.

Although every chai has four basic components (tea, sweetener, milk and spices), there is no fixed recipe or method of preparation. Different cooking methods produce completely different-tasting chai. When Tao was taking the Tea Sommelier course at George Brown College, a part of it dealt with chai tea. One of the nights, the class was split into 3 groups, all of which got the same materials for cooking the chai. Nobody in the first group had chai cooking experience, and they put all the spices and black tea together into the boiling milk, resulting in a drink that tasted like black tea, milk and spices simply mixed together, but without any fragrance. The second group did a bit better; two of the boys in the group were Indian, and though they never made chai by themselves before, they remembered their mother cooking chai. They put all the spices (without ginger) into the boiling milk, and they used another pan for boiling the tea and ginger in water. After that, they put the two together in the same pan to boil once more. The smell was much more fragrant this time around, but the taste was still not perfect.

The perfect chai was cooked by the third group, the one that Tao was in. Luckily, they had an Indian lady who cooks chai at home at least twice a week for her kids. Tasting this chai totally changed changed Tao's mind about chai; he never thought it could be so tasty and fragrant. On that night, they used the typical chai tea ingredients: 2 cinnamon sticks, 9 cloves, 7 black peppercorns (or red or white of Australian native), 9 green cardamoms, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and 1 knob of ginger (dried/fresh). She didn’t follow the ingredients; she used the spices, but without black peppercorns, and she didn’t use the exact proportions. She explained that the recipe it depends on personal taste, and she used the same ingredients for her kids, who like it tasty, but not too strong.

Here, she's boiling the milk first, without spices or tea.

Sheused most of the spices, but no black peppercorns, and she didn’t make it as strong as the other groups. As a finishing touch, she ground some nutmeg and allspice.

She put all the ground spices she into the milk and kept stirring it. After 15 minutes, everyone in the room could smell the delicious fragrance.

After that, she put the black tea in the boiling milk.

She only put half of the tea compared to the other groups, because she figured it was better to use less tea for the night time than one would have in the morning.

She also put less sugar in the chai than the other groups, making use of the sweet taste of ginger instead.

If you would like to try cooking chai at home, this is the way to go. I highly recommended it.

How long have you been in business?

We founded Tao Tea Leaf in September 2009, and have been working full time since December of the same year, when the retail store opened. We already had a rich background of knowledge when it came to tea, and a great relationship with the tea growers and vendors in China. And, of course, we did a lot of research before we started selling tea in Canada.

What is the size/scope of your business?

We are a small business in Toronto. We import the finest teas from China, Japan, India South America and Africa, but we focus on Chinese Tea. Our retail store, Tao Tea Leaf, is located in the fashionable Yorkville / Rosedale area of Toronto. From there, we showcase elegant tea wares, hold educational workshops, host tea ceremonies, celebrate cultural events and organize our Chinese Tea Culture Tour.

We have a professional Online Tea Store which is secure and easy to use. Take a quick look and you'll find it has a considerable selection of loose leaf tea and herbal teas, prompt shipping, great pictures and descriptions, and helpful customer reviews and rating. It's definitely user-friendly. What's more, we've also got our teas available in special sample-size pouches - Tao Tea Pouch. This convenient format allows the tea drinker to sample many varieties before choosing to move on to larger sizes. The online store also links to our Tea Education Blog, where you'll find our Tea Guide, Yixing Teapot Guide, Tea Tasting Event Calendar, and Tea Tour Information.

We also have a wholesale element to our business, which is why you'll find us at different events, such as the Canada Coffee & Tea Show, which we were happy to be a part of last year. In Canada, we're suppliers to a number of restaurants, tea shops, cafes and spas with fine teas. We are also planning to supply Chinese teas to our China clients directly, in order to meet different market requirements and to reduce costs and the amount of shipping necessary. On top of all this, we offer private labels services to solve retail packaging problems.

Why tea?

I’ve talked about my connection with tea, and the role it’s played in my life. I guess the question to ask is “why did we choose fine, loose-leaf tea?” The thing is, more and more people are starting to become aware of the differences between different qualities of tea. There are so many excellent teas out there, and they are all so unique and such an experience. We provide teas that are an alternative to commercial-grade tea. We’re making the effort to make traditional-style, fine-quality teas as accessible and affordable as anything else. And we believe that once you try fine tea, you’ll understand why we’re so passionate about making these more available to tea enthusiasts, and you’ll understand why we chose to make it our focus.

How did you get the ball rolling on your venture?

I was raised in Wu Yi Mountain, well known for its oolong and black teas in Fujian province. I fell in love with oolong tea when I was 18; I travelled to many tea plantations, and met with many tea masters. In 2007, after coming to Canada, I read some news about an Indian immigrant who opened a successful tea business. That was what planted the business idea in my mind. From there, I started my research in 2009, and got the Tea Sommelier Certificate (certificated by Tea Association of Canada) shortly after. December of that year, we opened our shop, which we've decorated with traditional-style Chinese furniture and décor.

What do you feel is the biggest strength of your business?

The biggest strength of our business is quality and education. Quality is key to keeping a business lively, and education is key to promoting the tea culture and the knowledge that make a tea business wholesome.

Our quality comes from our Chinese tea background and our good relationships with tea manufacturers, plus our annual Tea Tour, which gives us a chance to go to the source to choose our teas in order to strictly control the quality of our tea. After we source our excellent tea, we have seasonal tea tastings, weekly tea workshops, private workshops, TV appearances, and special tea events, working with organizations like the Toronto Public Library, which help the local tea enthusiasts learn more and try new teas. We also have website visitors from around the world who read our tea blog and browse our gallery, where we share tea culture, knowledge, tea tour information, useful tips and so on. 

What were/are the biggest challenges of getting into/being in the tea business?

Our biggest challenge is educating our customers. We have an excellent selection of high-quality tea, but the fine tea market is not too big. Through our events and all the other things we provide, we hope to educate our tea friends about the differences between teas from different regions, seasons and grades. We also want to help them develop their sense of smell and taste when it comes to tea and to help them distinguish between different teas so that they can choose the best tea for themselves. I find that once people learn to to appreciate good teas, that appreciation sticks around and gives them a strong preference towards higher-quality teas.

What would you do differently, if anything?

We are sourcing and will soon offer more Organic and Fair Trade Certified loose leaf teas directly from tea gardens around the world. We will also be sending our tea to compete in the North American Tea Championship. We also want to offer more professionally-judged award-winning teas to our friends.

How's business?

Business is good and growing. Thanks to all our lovely customers’ support.

What advice would you give to someone who aspires to be in the tea business?

Fall in love with tea; and never stop learning about it. You should know as much as you can about your tea, because the tea business not just about selling; we are promoting tea culture, history and a healthy lifestyle. Do as much research as you can about the tea market and your target market, and keep at it! The tea market is always changing, especially for North America. And, of course, I would wish them good luck.

Processing of Pu-erh Tea: The first few steps in processing both Sheng and Shou are the same. The leaves are plucked from the famous Da Ye trees. The leaves are usually large but for some Pu-erhs younger leaves and buds are used. After they are plucked, the leaves are withered for about 2 hours in the sun. Next the leaves are heated for short periods in pans over large wood fires. The leaves are then rolled. This can be done by hand on bamboo mats, or my rolling machines. Occasionally there is a second heating and rolling that takes place. Once the leaves are rolled they are dried by the sun or mechanically. Next the leaves are sorted by hand. The tea is separated by size and quality. At this point, the uncompressed tea is called maocha. The next steps are where the two types of Pu-erhs differ.           

• Sheng: The leaves are separated into 9 different size categories. After, the maocha is compressed into the desired shape. Most often round cakes, bricks or small nest shaped cakes called Tuo Cha. The cakes are then left unwrapped to remove any moisture. Finally the cakes are packaged by wrapping them in paper and then grouped together with 6 other cakes and wrapped in bamboo bark. The cakes are then left to age in dark rooms with temperature between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius and with humidity levels of between 60 and 70 percent.                                                                                                                            
• Shou: Shou was developed as a way to achieve the flavours of Sheng Pu-erh quickly. They achieve this by subjecting the leaves to high levels of heat and humidity for around 2 months. The leaves are placed in a temperature controlled room and covered with a damp cloth. After the leaves are fermented they are compressed into cakes or bricks.

Appearance and Taste or Pu-erh: The two types of Pu-erh vary in both appearance and taste. Sheng Pu-erh is generally lighter in colour. Browns, dark greens and silver buds all mixed together. Shou is much darker, dark browns, blacks with golden streaks throughout. Their liquors differ as well. Sheng ranges from pale silver to a rich mahogany, while Shou is often very dark amber almost like molasses. In taste Sheng ranges from sweet and brisk to heavy and earthy. Shou is often heavy and malty with strong earthy flavours. Both varieties have a remarkably smooth texture and finish.

Health Benefits of Pu-erh: Pu-erh has been used for centuries to purify the body. Drinking Pu-erh after a large mean may help aid digestion. Pu-erh has also been used as a hangover cure. Regular consumption may also help to reduce bad cholesterol and blood pressure. In China Pu-erh is widely consumed during hot weather as it has the ability to cool the body. Pu-erh may also help in appetite suppression and weight loss. The tea also contains antioxidants which may help maintain elasticity in the skin and keep teeth and bones strong. Studies have shown that antioxidants might also be helpful in the fight against cancer.

Growing Regions on Pu-erh: It was made official by the Chinese government in 2008 that for a tea to be called a Pu-erh it must be made from large leaf trees in Yunnan Province however this has not stopped other regions from applying the same processing methods to their teas. Similar teas have come out of Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos. On top of international growers, other provinces within China such as Hunan and Guangdong have added Pu-erh to their repertoire. Despite the availability of Pu-erh from other regions, the best and most prized still comes from Yunnan.

Tips for Steeping Pu-erh Tea: Pu-erh has a wide range of flavours but many people are put off by them because their first experience was with an improperly steeped Pu-erh. The most common problem with Pu-erh is over steeping. These teas (especially Shou) have a habit of becoming overly strong and bitter. To counter act this make sure to steep the tea for a short period of time. We recommend you only steep for one minute your first cup and with each steep gradually increase the time to discover your ideal strength. If you are brewing in a Gaiwan we recommend you make the first steep 50 seconds, the second 20 and the third 20. Some Pu-erhs are made from younger buds and leaves and some from older mature leaves so depending on the Pu-erh we recommend using water between 93 and 100 degrees Celsius.    

We wish you all a healthy, happy and successful 2011.

Tao Tea Leaf

Jan 10, 2011

2011 Tao Tea Leaf Spring Tea Tour

General Information
In April 2011, Tao, founder of Tao Tea Leaf, is planning to bring a small group (at most 3 people) with him to China for a wonderful tea tour. The tour only has One more space available, so if you plan on joining, please register as soon as you can. During the tour, the group will visit tea gardens of pu-er tea, black tea, oolong tea, white tea, and green tea. The food will be great and the scenery will be breathtaking, resembling something out of National Geographic. The tour will begin when all guests meet in Shanghai on April 14th and end on April 30th. To register for the tour, please contact us by email or telephone beforeFebruary 28,2011.

Tour Details
Tour date: April 14 (Beijing Time)– April 30, 2011 (exact dates subject to change)
Duration: 17 days in China
Tour cost: $ 3400 CAD
Single room supplement: $600
Minimum deposit: $1,500 (refundable until February 28, 2011)
Tour cost includes: All local travel, all meals, all hotels, and all entry fees to events/museums from April 14 to April 30.
After meeting in Shanghai, all costs are covered by tour cost.
Tour cost does not include: Airfare to and from Shanghai, local shopping, visas, immunizations, or tips

Day-By-Day Itinerary*
*Details are subject to change.
 

To be on time for the beginning of this tour, you must arrive in Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport (airport code PVG) no later than Thursday, April 14, 2011(Beijing Time). After having dinner together, we will take a night walk on Nanjing Road, one of the world’s busiest shopping streets, to The Bund (Wai Tan), from which we can enjoy the best view of the amazing night skyline of Shanghai.

Day 1 (April 15):
In the morning, we will travel by high-speed rail and car to Dong Shan (East Mountain) in Jiangsu province. The green tea Bi Luo Chun from Dong Shan is considered the best. We will visit the Bi Luo Chun tea gardens and watch the tea being processed. We will also get to explore the South Tea Culture Museum. On this day, we will taste the Bi Luo Chun with a local tea master.

Day 2 (April 16):
From Dong Shan, we will drive to the city of Yixing. This county-level city is famous for its exclusive Yixing clay (also called Zisha - Purple Sand) used for making Yixing clay teapot. We will start by visiting the Yixing teapot museum. Then, we will meet some professional teapot makers and watch them at work. Afterwards, we will go to see the Yixing teapot kilns where we will learn about the final steps of making a Yixing teapot. We will also explore the original local teapot market. In this city, we will taste the local black tea Yi Hong.

Day 3 (April 17):
From Yixing, we will travel back to Shanghai by bus. We will then fly to the city of Xishuanbanna  (Jinghong Airpot) in Yunnan province where we will stay overnight.
Our pu-er tea tour will start from here:
Pu-er tea is produced in almost every county and prefecture in Yunnan province, but the most famous pu-er areas are known as the Six Famous Tea Mountains. These tea mountains are located in Xishuangbanna and are renowned for their climates and environments, which not only provide excellent growing conditions for pu-er tea, but also produce unique taste profiles in the produced pu-er tea. This is why we will start here.
On our Pu-er tea trip, the local tea master will guide us to some tea village families and modern tea manufacturers, where we will observe the development of Pu-er tea, and learn about the difference between traditional and modern tea processing techniques. We will see more detail and more local culture while we will visit local ethnic minority villages to view their unique housing and building styles, and taste their food.

Day 4 (April 18):
We will bring some food with us for our lunch on the trip.
In the morning, we will drive about 3.5 hours to Bulang Mountain and Lao Man Er where we will see the tea fields and the ancient tea tree forests. Afterwards, we will drive to BanZhang Mountain to visit Xin (“new”) Banzhang and Lao (“old”) Banzhang villages. Banzhang is a Hani ethnicity village in the Bulang Mountains. In the Chinese tea market, Lao Ban Zhang is famously referred to as the King of Raw Pu-er tea because it is known for producing powerful and complex teas that are bitter with a sweet aftertaste. We will taste the difference between New and Old.

Day 5 (April 19):
We will drive to Jingmai Mountain where we will visit ancient tea tree gardens and watch the local tea farmer pick up the fresh leaves to show us how they process the pu-er tea (sun dried, shaqing etc.). We will taste the Jingmai pu-er, visit local family homes, and probably stay overnight in the ethnic minority house which is built from wood and bamboo if all group members agree.

Day 6 (April 20):
We will drive to Bangwei mountain to visit the the king of transitional tea trees, which are over 1,000 years old, testimonies of Yunnan as being “the source of tea”. We will harvest the tea leaves from other ancient tea trees and we will have special tea cakes made for us as an exquisite souvenir for this unique trip.

Day 7 (April 21):
We will drive to Simao which is China’s tea town, where we will learn about the processing of Dian Hong (Yunnan black tea) with a tea master, and why the taste differs by grade. After lunch, we will drive to Ninger. This county gets its name from pu-er tea due to its historical role in the tea trade in Ancient China. In Ninger, we will visit some famous tea manufacturers, learn about the modern processing techniques of pu-er tea, such as fermenting the Shu Cha, and taste many different teas. Also, we will visit the stunning hand carved tree root tea table studio.

Day 8 (April 22):
In the morning, we will watch the special process of "Cha Gao". This process refers to gradually removing the water from brewed pu-er tea (decoction) until it forms into a kind of tea jelly.  It is pure pu-er tea essence that can be brewed on the go using either hot or cold water. Then will go the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Along this road, you will experience the process of ancient Chinese caravan. In the afternoon, we will drive to Xishuanbanna.

Day 9 (April 23):
From Yunnan, we will fly to Fujian province where we will stay in the Wuyi Mountains. Our oolong, black and white tea tour will start from here.
The Wuyi Mountains are a mountain range located the north of Fujian province.Mount Wuyi was listed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites, both natural and cultural. Numerous types of tea are produced around Mount Wuyi; it is the origin of the real Da Hong Pao tea and Lapsang souchong.

Day 10 (April 24):
In the morning, we will ride a bamboo boat on the River of Nine Bends where we will view the lovely scenery of the Wuyi Mountains. Then, we will hike up Mount Wuyi where we will see three of the original Da Hong Pao tea bushes. The Wuyi Mountains are renowned for their high diversity of fauna, which includes many rare and unusual species. About halfway up the mountain, we will have tea in a traditional tea house.

Day 11 (April 25):
We will drive up to Tong Mu Village which is located in the Wuyi Mountain National Natural Reserve and is the home of Lasang Souchong. We will meet the local most famous tea master and visit the old tea manufacturer which is over 100 years old, built by wood. We will learn about the whole process of producing smoked Lapsang Souchong. We will taste and learn about the most famous and expensive tea “Jinjunmei”.

Day 12 (April 26):
We will visit two famous oolong tea manufactures, meet the famous tea masters, visit some tea gardens, and learn about the old and modern processing of Wuyi Oolong tea. We will see different bushes, different roasting techniques and experience the difference in taste for different grades oolong tea. 

Day 13 (April 27):
We will drive up to Zhenghe, the home of white tea, jasmine tea, and the famous black tea Zhenghe Gongfu. We will meet some tea masters and visit the tea garden to learn how they process white, black, and jasmine tea. Of course, we will taste the fresh spring teas.

Day 14 (April 28):
In the morning, we will visit the famous bamboo tea tray and accessories factory. We will see many different styles of tea related bamboo products. Afterwards, we will drive from Zhenghe to Mount Wuyi. We will then go to the local tea shop to have some tea and shop in Wuyii’s famous San Gu Market.

Day 15 (April 29):
In the morning, we will visit the very unique snake garden. In the afternoon, we will fly from the Wuyi mountains to Shanghai. Later, we will take a night walk on Nanjing Road.

Day 16 (April 30): We will fly from Shanghai back home.

Preparations

To register for the tour, please contact us by email or telephone. After signing up for the tour, the first things you should do are: get your Chinese visa[Click here], make sure you have adequate health insurance and travel insurance for travelling in China, and discuss immunization options with your doctor. Touring the Chinese countryside is physically demanding. On this tour, be prepared to walk, hike, and travel by bus and bamboo boat

After register, you will receive a full list for your preparationas.

In order to celebrate our one year anniversary and to give thanks to our lovely customers, on December 4th, 11th, and 18th, Tao Tea leaf hosted 3 successful tea tasting events.

Thank you everyone who attended our first anniversary tea tasting events (23 participants on the 4th, 26 participants on the 11th and 46 participants on the 18th).

 In each event, we steeped 6 different famous Chinese teas:
Oolong: Da Hong Pao and Phoenix Dan Cong (Honey Orchid), Steeped by Tim;
Green: An Ji Bai Cha and Tai Ping Hou Kui, Steeped by Kevin;
Pu-er: Ice Island Pu-er (Sheng) 2010 Spring and White Moon Pu-er (Sheng) 2010 Spring, Steeped by Tao.
The White Moon Pu-er (Sheng) is our 1st anniversary limited edition tea. This special tea is crafted from large-leafed tea plants grown in Jinggu, Yunnan. The buds are harvested in early spring and are carefully selected to have a consistent shape, resulting in a perfectly round cake with distinctly visible white leaves like silver needles. The liquor is an attractive amber colour and has a pure natural fragrance which complements the light tasting hint of sweetness. This unique tea was chosen by Tao for his tea friends to celebrate the first anniversary of Tao Tea Leaf.

We provided all participants with a small gift as well as some special gifts that were be raffled at each event, including: our anniversary limited edition White Moon Pu-er tea cake, Yixing teapot, Libre tea cup, and ceramic tea canister.

Congratulations to all prize winners, we hope you all enjoy that!

We would like special thanks to some people for this event:
Tim (Tea Steep Volunteer):

Kevin (Tea Steep Volunteer):

Jean (Always helps Tao Tea Leaf and give us great idea): 

Ingrid ( Bring wonderful dessert to 11th event which made by herself);

Libre Tea (Kindly provide some Libre glass ’n poly tea mug which specifically designed for tea ‘on-the-go’)

Also we would like to give thanks to all of our lovely customers and people who helped and supported us in the past. Tao Tea Leaf can’t grow without your lovely support, and we will try our best to provide more high quality teas and share our experiences with more people in the future. Thanks again and please enjoy your life with tea.

This informative workshop will teach about the Chinese tea culture and history.  An introduction to tea sets and accessories will be provided and the art of making a special Yi Xing tea pot.  Audience members will be invited to model traditional Chinese Dress from the Tang Dynasty or Zhuang periods.  An intergenerational program.  Register in person or call 416-395-5980.

York Woods Library

Tuesday, April 12

1:30 – 3 p.m.

Library Theatre

1785 Finch Ave. W.

Toronto, ON M3N 1M6

416-395-5980

Tao Tea Leaf hosting frequent tea workshops for which anyone is welcome to sign up and experience a Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony while gaining knowledge about tea.

See more photos at our Tea Tasting&Workshop Gallery

The available workshops include:

    •  An Introduction to Tea ($25)
    •  Green & White Tea Workshop ($25)
    •  Oolong Tea Workshop ($25)
    •  Black Tea Workshop ($25)
    •  Pu-Er Tea Workshop ($28)
    •  Private Group Session ($25)

Note: all prices are per person. Cash, debit, and credit are all accepted.

Use the following calendar to view the monthly schedules and sign up for a workshop.

Information About Tea Workshops

An Introduction to Tea ($25)

This workshop is recommended for people who are new to the different types of tea. We recommend that patrons who have not attended a workshop in the past start with this one. Guests will sit down with Tao himself and experience a Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony (Read more). Tao will share his useful knowledge which he has gained over many years of experiencing the various kinds of tea. Photos will be shown and Tao will talk about where and how tea is grown, how to define the major types of tea (green, white, oolong, black, and pu-er), how to determine the quality of tea, and how to taste the tea properly. Patrons will also learn about the health benefits of various teas and how to prepare tea with a basic teapot. Guests will be provided with a formatted sheet of paper to optionally record the key points discussed by Tao.

Green & White Tea Workshop ($25)

Guests who attend this workshop will learn about both green tea and white tea while tasting a few of each, which may include Jasmine Dragon Pearl, Dragon Well, Bi Luo Chun, White Peony, or Silver Needle. In this workshop, Tao will perform a Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony for all the guests while talking about ways to judge the quality of tea, differences between Japanese and Chinese green tea, how to properly steep green tea and white tea (using water that is not boiling), and other topics or answers to questions. Guests will be provided with a formatted sheet of paper to optionally record the key points discussed by Tao.

Oolong Tea Workshop ($25)

In this workshop, the topic of discussion is oolong tea, such as Da Hong Pao (A.K.A. Big Red Robe), Tie Guan Yin (A.K.A. Iron Goddess), Shui Xian Lao Cong, or Oriental Beauty. While performing a Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony for the guests, Tao will explain the difference between light oolong and dark oolong tea, the complicated process of creating oolong tea, the importance of oolong tea in the Gongfu tea ceremony, how to properly steep oolong tea, and other topics or answers to questions. Guests will be provided with a formatted sheet of paper to optionally record the key points discussed by Tao.

Black Tea Workshop ($25)

The focus of this workshop is black tea, such as Keemun, Golden Monkey, Darjeeling, or Assam. As with all tea tastings, Tao will perform an interactive Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony for the attending customers while discussing the various regions where black tea is produced, the very different tastes and processes of black teas, and other topics or answers to questions. Guests will be provided with a formatted sheet of paper to optionally record the key points discussed by Tao.

Pu-Er Tea Workshop ($28)

This workshop is all about Pu-er tea, such as Ice Island, White Moon, Classic, or Shou. Tao will perform a Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony in which guests will have the privilege of tasting rare Pu-er teas such as Tao's special edition White Moon. During the tasting, Tao will explicate the complicated process of producing Pu-er tea, the interesting history of how Pu-er tea came to be popular, the uniqueness of Pu-er compared to other types of tea, the health benefits and healing properties of Pu-er tea, and other topics or answers to questions. Guests will be provided with a formatted sheet of paper to optionally record the key points discussed by Tao.

Private Group Session ($25*)

Private group sessions can be arranged for groups of 3 - 6 people. Tao Tea Leaf has hosted and participated in many events in the past, and thus has much experience and flexibility. In any tea tasting workshop, Tao will perform a Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony. To schedule a private group session, please contact Tao Tea Leaf via email with the following information: the time and date for the event, the number of participants, and the subject of the event (e.g., Yixing teapot history and information, green tea tasting, bubble tea workshop, etc.). We will try to reply to your message as soon as we can.

* All prices is per person. Cash, debit, and credit all accepted.

Each highly convenient Tao Tea Pouch contains just the right amount of tea (between 5 and 7 grams depending on the tea) for a single tea steeping instrument (teapot, gaiwan, mug, etc.). The tea in each pouch can be infused multiple times by simply adding more hot water. All teas sold at Tao Tea Leaf are available in Tao Tea Pouch packaging. This means that a certain amount of any tea (e.g., 50 grams) can be purchased in either: multiple Tao Tea Pouches or a single larger bag.

Tao Tea Pouch packaging is also available in filtered form, as opposed to loose leaf. These German-made filters from t-sac are chlorine-free, for the protection of your health. We recommend loose leaf Tao Tea Pouches when using a gaiwan, Yixing teapot, or any tea steeping instrument that has its own filtering system. Filtered Tao Tea Pouches are recommended for personal use in a regular cup or mug for a situation like being at the office, when a gongfu tea ceremony just isn't an option.

Before using a new teapot, it is important to clean it in order to prepare it for your tea of choice. Naturally, the handcrafted clay absorbs and retains some of the smell and flavour of the tea after each use, a property which makes each tea ceremony more enjoyable than the last. However, this means that each teapot should only be used to steep one kind of tea.

Luckily, this cleaning technique can also be used to "reset" a teapot so that it can be used for a different kind of tea; for example, a teapot used for light oolong teas such as Tie Guan Yin and Jade Oolong can be reset to become a teapot for green tea, for dark oolong teas, or for any of the many varieties we have available, if you just follow these instructions:

Boiling the Teapots (Recommended)

Select a boiling pot that is large enough to contain your teapot(s) submerged in water. Make sure the boiling pot and lid are very clean and have no oil. Never use soap, cleansers, or scrubbing brushes on your Yixing teapots.

Carefully place your teapots in the boiling pot with their lids off and fill it with water until the teapots are all submerged. If you have a clean cloth, you can wrap the teapots to protect them from damage during the boiling.

Set the stove to "boil" and wait until the water reaches a rolling boil.

Once a full rolling boil is reached, set the stove to "simmer" and wait for the boil to slow down. When the water is boiling gently, set a timer for 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes are up, turn off the stove and leave the teapots in the boiling pot with water to let them cool gradually. Cooling the teapots too quickly may damage them.

Cleaning the Teapots with Tofu (Optional)

Note: The following process is only necessary for newer teapots that have a clay-like smell.

Many tea drinkers find that tofu is excellent at ridding a teapot of any odours. First, fill each teapot with plain unflavoured tofu. Place the teapots in the boiling pot, fill it with water, boil, simmer, and cool as before.

Treating the Teapots with Sugarcane (Not Recommended)

Some teapot owners believe that using sugarcane can bring moisture and a blush to Yixing teapots. In our experience, we found that this process does not affect the moisture or shine of a teapot. The steps are the same as with tofu, but using sugarcane instead.

Seasoning the Teapots (Recommended)

This process is used to enhance the relationship between the teapot and tea. Each teapot should be boiled individually along with the tea to which you wish it to be bound. After placing a teapot in the boiling pot with water and the tea leaves, proceed as with the previous two examples.

Now your Yixing teapots are clean! Use them in good health and with good company. :-)

Tea Social

Tea Tasting - Snacks - Meet Fellow Tea Aficionados

Three Saturdays: December 4^th, 11^th and 18th

Dear valued customers,

Tao Tea Leaf will be hosting a tea tasting event to celebrate its first anniversary!  

Tasting will take place on three different Saturdays in December.  Snacks will be served. Special gifts will be raffled at each event.  We would like to encourage three people to volunteer to help steep our teas.

Saturday Dec.  4^th

2:00 to 3:30 PM  ( 1.5 hrs.)

Saturday Dec.  11^th

2:00 to 3:30 PM  (1.5 hrs.)

Saturday Dec.  18^th

2:00 to 3:30 PM  (1.5 hrs.)

Tao Tea Leaf

934 Yonge Street, Toronto, M4W 2J2

Please R.S.V.P. at least one week prior to each event via email

Maximum of 25 Participants per Saturday event

When emailing you RSVP at INFO@TAOTEALEAF.COM - Please provide use with your

 - Name

 - Number of people joining you

- and date you wish to attend

We will confirm your registration via email.

Note: If you have any suggestions regarding the timing or other aspects of these events, please don’t hesitate to contact me by phone or email.

All the best!

Tao Tea Leaf

Now, there is a problem, when you have a Pu-er tea cake, how to prepare it? We will use some photos explain how to pry the Pu-er cake, and share some unique tips from experience.

1. Tool

Pu-er Knife

A Pu-er knife, is a special tool be used to pry the Pu-er cake, is similar to an oyster knife or a rigid letter opener, use the Pu-er knife you will minimize leaf breakage.

Pu-er knife has awl and knife two different shape; it can be made from metal and wood/bamboo different material.

Pu-er Tray (Not Required)

When prying Pu-er tea cake, use this convenient tray to collect loose leaves fallen from the cake, the special designed opening corner is perfect for using the knife and helps you to pour leaves into tea pot, cup or other containers.

2. Try your best to minimize leaf breakage.

Tea Cake

Put the cake on the tray, let the tea cake back up, use one hand press and hold the cake, look for the space between the tea leaves to insert the knife to avoid crashing the tea leaves, insert the Pu-er knife into the edge of the cake, gently turn the knife lightly up and down, remove the knife and find the other space repeat until the tea loosens and falls off. This will usually break a chunk of tea from the cake. You can remove the loose chunk from the tea cake and break the chunk easily by hand now.

Tip: Insert the Pu-er knife into the edge of the cake; gently turn the knife lightly up and down.

Pry from the back first, make the cake looks good (like whole cake) from front.

Tea Brick

Look for the space between the tea leaves to insert the knife to avoid crashing the tea leaves, insert the knife into the edge of the brick, gently work the knife lightly up and down, remove the knife and find the other space repeat until the tea loosens and falls off. This will usually break a chunk of tea from the brick. You can remove the loose chunk from the tea brick and break the chunk easily by hand now.

Tuo Cha

We recommended use a tea awl to pry Tuo Cha. Tea awl is easier insert to the Tuo Cha than knife. Find the space between the tea leaves to insert the awl, gently work the awl lightly front and back until the tea loosens and fall off.

Oolong Tea Workshop

Bubble Tea Workshop

Fun, colorful, tasty and even chewy!

In this unique tea workshop, Ming talking about

What is bubble tea?

It gets its name from the foam on the top created after shaking the tea. The meaning of bubble is not tapioca.

History of bubble tea:

Since the 1980's when it first became popular amongst schoolchildren in Taiwan.

How to Make Bubble Tea:

Bubble tea can also be made warm, without the ice, but it cannot be made too hot, because it is impossible shake the shaker when the shaker contains too hot beverage.

Of course we tasted different yummy bubble teas!

1. Anji Bai Cha from the Zhejiang Province -green

An Ji Bai Cha Green Tea is a special green tea that contain an amount of amino acid, which is calming to the nervous system. An Ji Bai Cha Green Tea grows in a very sandy, rocky and rich in minerals soil. This environment has a powerful impact on the An Ji Bai Cha Green Tea.

2. Iron Goddess "Top Grade" - oolong

This is one of best-seller teas.An intensely floral oolong tea.

- incredible sweet floral aroma to the dry leaves.  It comes in a small one-serving-size vacuum foil pack so it smells heavenly and fresh when you open it.
- very soft, floral flavour with a full, buttery mouth feel
- pale green liquor

3. Iron Goddess - oolong

- a seaweed aroma from the fresh wet leaves, like a Japanese green tea...
- but the liquor was sweet, smooth and buttery. 

4. Dragon Well - Top Grade - green

 dry leaf shows a short leaf/bud, bright yellow-green, flattened leaf typical of Dragon Well

5. Dragon Well - Grade 1 - green

- dry leaf is similarly coloured but is longer and more often you can see there are two leaves and a bud
- the wet leaves smell nutty and of buttery popcorn which is my typical nose for Lung Jing
- BIG wonderful flavour - there's just more breadth and depth to fresh tea: toasty, buttery popcorn

5 different oolong teas blind tasting.

Compare and remember the differences between different oolong teas after blind tasting.

Tea sommelier course students group study

April 16, 2010

Tea sommelier course students group study

We are invited set up an interactive tea booth at Rexdale Community Health Cneter's, introduced to tea and health benefits of tea.

5  students of Tea Sommelier Course  meet at Tao Tea leaf prepare for  final competency exam.

One student do the Indian Black&Chai tea presentation.

 Mar 18, 2010

Black Tea Tasting

March 19, 2010

Network: Tea Drinker Meeting

Lapsang Souchong&Green

Mar 14, 2010

Pu-er & Jasmine Tea Workshop

 March 25, 2010

Tea course students group study.

6  students of Tea Sommelier Course (Created by George Brown College & Tea Association of Canada)  meet at Tao Tea leaf prepare for  final competency exam.

Feb 20, 2010 

Oolong Tea Workshop

Feb 27, 2010

Pu-er Tea Workshop

Feb 28, 2010

Pu-er Tasting

Tao's friend Raymond is a Pu-er tea specialist, Raymond bring more than 6 different of Pu-er teas and introduced to Pu-er.

Oolong Tea Workshop

Jan 18, 2010

Tea Introduction

Jan 30, 2010

Green&White Tea Workshop

An introduction to Chinese tea

   Trade show hours:                Sunday, September 26  12:00 – 5:30 pm

                                                 Monday, September 27 12:00 – 5:00 p.m.

  Please come to visit us exhibitor at Toronto International Centre – Booth #238.

 

Not just another ordinary tea shop, Tao, growing up from a tea business family, is thoroughly knowledgeable and passionate in all things tea, demonstrating workshops of tea ceremony, hosting tea cultural events and activities within the community. It boasts are over 120 kinds of tea, including more than 50 flavors of Organic Certified tea. Drop by for some hot tea or something cool with Bubble Tea, as well as light snacks over a tranquil atmosphere.

All the best tea from China---A new shop on Yonge St. offers choice leaves and a better tea experience,

Published On Sat Feb 27 2010 By Jennifer Bain (Food Editor).  

Click here to read the artile on thestar.com.

The first step in a Chinese tea ceremony is, of course, picking the right tea.

"I need to know your taste," says Tao Wu, gesturing to more than 50 canisters of black, white, green, oolong, pu-er and blooming tea.

Jasmine, I say, in the form of tiny "pearls" that unfurl in my cup. Wu nods gravely. Tea ceremonies, he says, usually involve oolong.

"Under oolong there are two kinds of taste," Wu continues. "One is close to green tea. One is close to black tea. I think you will like one close to green tea. It's called Anxi Tie Guan Yin. It is also called Iron Goddess of Mercy."

He carefully transfers seven grams of the precious leaves to a dish. So begins my Chinese KongFu tea ceremony at Tao Tea Leaf.

Wu, 28, opened the tea house on Yonge St., north of Davenport Rd., in December with his sister Ming Zhu, 33. They are from Wuyi Mountain in China's northwestern Fujian province, where their parents run a tea garden and their brother has a tea shop and exports tea.

There are tea shops in Toronto, places like the House of Tea, the Tea Emporium, Davids Tea and Ten Ren Tea Co. Most import from all the world's tea-growing countries. Some double as tea salons. Inspired by Montreal's Ming Tao Xuan tea house, Wu specializes in Chinese tea in a traditional tea house setting.

Wu boils water in his Breville kettle with buttons for green tea, white tea, oolong tea, French press and boiling/black tea.

He pours water into the wooden tray he performs tea ceremonies on, and lovingly cleans it with a bamboo brush. Then he cleans two Buddha tea decorations and a trio of "tea pets" – three-legged clay toads with coins in their mouths.

The Chinese keep most of their best-quality tea, says Wu, forcing Chinese Canadians to ask friends who visit China to bring tea back. Wu hopes to change that, while enticing everyone to care more deeply about tea.

"Before I steep the tea, I will warm the cups," says Wu, rinsing them with boiled water. He puts the leaves into a YiXing clay teapot, explaining that this ceremony is about controlling the steeping time and water temperature.

"The first tea will take 1 minute," says Wu. "The second and third will take 20 seconds and 30 seconds. We will also pour the hot water outside (the teapot) because we need to make the temperature inside and outside the same."

Everything in Tao Tea Leaf has been imported from China, including four gorgeous wooden tables that seat 18. There are tea sets, tea pets, teapots and tea tools for sale alongside tea. Chinese traditional music sets a tranquil tone.

Wu, who studied economics in China and is now taking a tea sommelier certificate at George Brown College, picked Yonge St. to be on "the main street of Toronto." He created www.taotealeaf.com and a Facebook fan page.

Because of his family background and experience in China, Wu calls himself a tea master. He deftly steeps my tea, strains it into a glass teapot and then transfers it between two sets of cups.

"The flavour will live in the cup," he says, rubbing the first, empty cup between his palms, closing his eyes and inhaling. "You can feel how the flavour is. You can smell deeply. The better smell is from the second steep and the third steep."

It smells beautiful already.

"Now you can taste the tea," announces Wu, demonstrating how to slurp the fragrant liquid and roll it around his mouth.

Wu wants to teach people how to select and brew loose leaf tea. It's a bit of a disconnect but Tao Tea Leaf also sells bubble tea (mostly for student customers) and alongside green tea cookies and freeze-dried pineapple snacks are Kit Kats and Oreo Cakesters.

"I like chocolate," confesses Zhu, a commerce graduate who handles the shop's bookkeeping and bubble tea making.

Bubble tea goes for $2.69 and there's free Wi-Fi. Takeout cups of tea are $1.79 to $3.99. Small teapots of tea are $2.79 to $5.99. Loose leaf tea ranges from $5 to $35 per 50 grams. Tea ceremony workshops are $12 to $18.

Wu removes the teapot lid.

"Now you can see the tea leaf is a little bit open and it's wet and also hot," he says, pleased. "It means you can make the taste come out."

This tea ceremony goes by the name KongFu.

"One word means fighting," says Wu. "The other word means you do more preparing for the tea. You wash the cups. You use different tea tools and tea cups. You make different preparations. The main point in the tea ceremony is to use the right temperature and the right time."

Wu sends me on my way with Anxi Tie Guan Yin, to be brewed at home at 100C (212F) for three to four minutes.

 Welcome to TaoTeaLeaf Blog! Please feel free to click around, there’s something you might be interested in.

My name is Tao, founder of the Tao Tea Leaf, was raised in Wu Yi Shan, known for its poetic landscape and as a center for Oolong and Black teas in China's northwestern Fujian province; I was born in a tea family and I am a certificated tea sommelier. My goal is to promotion tea culture and education the tea friends, purveyors of the finest teas and tea wares.  

My greatest joy comes from conveying my knowledge and enthusiasm to our customers. I spoke with many of you in my store during the past few months. I know many of you have your own happy memories and experiences.Thank you all for your love and support!

Today, we start a new blog for sharing our story and knowledge to all our lovely tea friends, we have so many things would like to share with you. In the coming days, this blog will fill up with posts about various categories such as:

• Tao Tea Leaf News;
• Tea Guide;
• Brew the Perfect Tea;
• Tea Manufacture;
• Tea Trail;
• Tea Customs and Culture;
• YiXing Pottery;
• Workshops;
• Recipes;
• Media videos and photos;
• And much more…

And as always, we love to hear your input on how we can make things better around here — so feel free to drop us off a comment at any time.

Enjoy, and thanks for visiting our tea blog!

I look forward to seeing you in our store soon.

Processing of Black Tea: Black tea leaves vary greatly in age. Some are made from very young leaves or even buds like Golden Needle, while others are made from much older and much more mature leaves like Lapsang Souchong. After the leaves are plucked they are withered. This usually takes place on the ground or bamboo racks. The leaves are laid out and sired often for five to six hours allowing them to lose most of their moisture. Next the withered leaves are rolled. This step has two functions. The first it to give the leaves their desired shape and the second is to break down their cell structure and trigger oxidation. This is usually done mechanically with a machine designed to press the tea in order to release its enzymes. Now that the oxidation process has begun the tea is places on the ground and covered with a damp cloth for between eight and twelve hours. The leaves are then laid on conveyor belts and blasted with warm air in order to remove any moisture that has remained from the oxidation process. Finally the leaves are sorted by size and quality and any residue is removed. Because black teas vary so much, each individual stage may be slightly altered to achieve different and distinctive flavours.

Appearance and Taste of Black Tea: Black tea gets its name from the dark colour of its dry leaves the same as green and white tea. The leaves are often short and slightly twisted or bent. In the case of a tippier black tea, the black colour is interrupted by golden streaks woven throughout. Black tea is sometimes called ‘Red Tea’ referring to its red, mahogany or copper colored liquor. Despite the wide array of flavours and styles of black tea, many share some common traits. The most distinguishing taste characteristics of black tea are its full body that effortlessly floods the palate and tongue. It often has a strong deep robust flavour with incredibly smooth malty finishes. The tea can vary from lightly sweet like honey to heavy and bitter. Because of its rich and malty flavours black tea is perfect for mixing with milk, sugar or honey.

Health Benefits of Black Tea: Black tea has a fair amount of caffeine which can wake and invigorate, making it a perfect alternative to your morning coffee. Black teas are most famous for their heart healthy properties. Studies have shown that regular consumption of black tea may vastly lower the risk of heart attack or stroke. It may also help to lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol. Black tea (Especially ones containing younger leaves and buds) contains antioxidants which may help to maintain healthy skin, teeth and bones. Recent studies have also shown antioxidants might help in the fight against cancer.

Growing Regions of Black tea: Though some scholars have suggested that black tea may have originated in the Wuyi Mountains in North Fujian, the resilient tea has spread worldwide and as such, is now being developed all over the world. However the best and most popular cultivars or black tea are China (Yunnan, Fujian, Anhui) and India (Darjeeling, Assam, Ceylon.)

Steeping Tips for Black Tea: Black tea is best brewed with water at higher temperatures. Boiling or just under boiling is recommended (97-100 degrees Celsius.) If you are brewing your tea in a Gaiwan or a Yixing teapot we recommend you brew the tea for shorter periods of time. This allows the flavour of the tea to evolve as the number of infusions increase. When brewing in a larger mug or teapot we recommend you steep the tea for between 3 and 5 minutes. If you are planning on adding milk to the tea we suggest brewing the tea for a minute or two longer to insure the strength of the tea remains. Feel free to experiment with steeping times to refine your own personal taste, but changing the temperature of the water is strongly not recommended. If the water is too cool the complex and rich flavours of the tea may be weak or lost.