Category Archives: review

Maojian – The Darling Buds of Spring

Posted on February 5, 2016 by northernteaist

The name of this tea translates as Downy or Furry (mao) Tip (jian). This refers to the appearance of the tea whilst still on the bush, describing the soft hairs on the unopened leaf bud.

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Biluochun – The Green Snail of Spring

Posted on February 3, 2016 by northernteaist

  Biluochun is yet another tea that invariably makes an appearance on any variant of the Famous Teas of China list, and as such is a tea well worth getting to know. The name of this tea translates as “Green … Continue reading →

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My First Taste Of Pu-erh

Posted on February 1, 2016 by northernteaist

If you like beer, then Belgium, with its dizzying array of spectacular ales, is the place for you. If you actually move there, as we did, then initially it feels as though you are the proverbial kid who has been … Continue reading →

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Put Some Pearls In Your Pot

Posted on January 28, 2016 by northernteaist

It’s said that green gunpowder tea got its English name due to the fact that it resembled the explosive charge of the same name, both being small, round, darkly coloured pellets.

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Here Be Dragons!

Posted on January 26, 2016 by northernteaist

Longjing, which means Dragon Well, is a pan-fired green tea, which comes from from the area around Longjing Village, near Hangzhou City in Zhejiang Province, China. The village itself is named after a well, the legendary home to “The Dragon … Continue reading →

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Everyday Oolong

Posted on January 24, 2016 by northernteaist

Ever since the back-end of summer, when the days suddenly started getting noticeably shorter and cooler, this has been one of my go-to teas, one I drink on a daily basis.

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Chinese Serendipi-tea – Xuefeng Ti Kuan Yin

Posted on January 19, 2016 by northernteaist

I was once told by an Italian that if I wanted decent olive oil and tomatoes then the last place I should be going was the local supermarket. The good stuff, she said, never left the Italosphere. Follow the Italians, … Continue reading →

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Tea Techniques – Balls, Bags, and Filters

Posted on January 18, 2016 by northernteaist

One of the first books I bought when I began to take tea seriously was “The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook“, by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss.

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Fuss Free Asian Infusion

Posted on January 12, 2016 by northernteaist

Last year for my birthday I was lucky enough to receive a Samadoyo E-01 teapot. The idea behind this clever device is to give you a simplified version of “Asian” style infusion, i.e. more tea leaves per volume of water, … Continue reading →

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