All tagged Taiwan

Do you really need to take tea tasting notes?

Do you really need to take tea tasting notes?

Anna Mariani
Tastings

After 5 years of tea blogging and countless other tea-related topics to research and write about, I had felt a bit of fatigue and lack of inspiration when taking tasting notes of tea. Luckily, I was determined to dig deeper into the process and found a better way, as well as a much needed creative spark. Read on to discover: The benefits of tea tasting notes. Taking my tea tasting notes to the next level. My tips and tricks for easier tea tastings. How I used Teawala’s Tea Tasting Journal. My tasting notes.

Ice brewing different types of tea

Ice brewing different types of tea

Anna Mariani
Tastings

You might be familiar with cold brewing tea but have you tried ice brewing it? I’ve only ever seen ice brewing applied to Japanese green teas and I was curious to experiment with it, which is why I decided to test this method for different tea types from different origins.

The San Francisco International Tea Festival 2017

The San Francisco International Tea Festival 2017

Anna Mariani

It's 9:30 on a Sunday morning. On a regular Sunday, I would still be in bed, snoozing. But it’s not a regular Sunday. A line is forming in front of the San Francisco Ferry Building. I join it with a sigh of relief, virtually patting myself on the back for getting there early. Passers-by approach the volunteers who are managing the line, they want to know what event people are standing in line for (and what they are missing out on). They are stunned that tea is the reason drawing such crowds.

My tasting notes: Tung Ting Mi Xiang oolong

My tasting notes: Tung Ting Mi Xiang oolong

Anna Mariani
Tastings, Pairings

How do you taste tea? I’ve realized that I need my “tasting environment” to be conducive and, most importantly, I need to be concentrated, especially when taking tasting notes. I’m very sensitive to sound and a quiet environment is essential for me. Also, a minimalistic and de-cluttered environment can help me focus on the task at hand. You want all your senses to be alert and not distracted by what’s around you. What do you think? What’s your experience?

Oolong tea and passion fruit affogato

Oolong tea and passion fruit affogato

Anna Mariani
Recipes, Pairings

Despite being located in California, San Francisco has little in common with the rest of the Golden State when it comes to its climate. Summers in San Francisco should not be called summers. Can we all agree on a different name, please? What do you call a foggy, overcast and cool season? Fall? Oddly enough, fall in San Francisco is the best time of year. We’re experiencing a heat wave right now and warm and sunny weather is expected to last until early November. No pumpkin-spiced anything for us, at least until then. To beat the San Francisco heat, I’m making plenty of ice cream. The best way to pair any ice cream with tea? Read on to find out! 

My tasting notes: Oriental Beauty oolong

My tasting notes: Oriental Beauty oolong

Anna Mariani
Tastings, Pairings

Oriental Beauty is a “bug-bitten” oolong tea from Taiwan. Let's take a moment to appreciate a tiny insect, the tea green leaf hopper. The plant defense mechanism against the attack of leaf hoppers makes the tea delicious by releasing chemicals which contribute to its flavor. Read on to find out more.

My tasting notes: Nantou Dark

My tasting notes: Nantou Dark

Anna Mariani
Tastings, Pairings

Between un-oxidized green teas and fully oxidized black teas there is a spectrum. This oxidation spectrum represents oolong teas. At one end of the spectrum, you will find oolongs that are more similar to green teas, whereas at the other end, there are oolongs that resemble black teas. Their beauty lies in their differences along this spectrum. Nantou Dark is a lightly oxidized oolong that is roasted (high fired). You can compare it to this other oolong I tasted here on the blog; they’re both oolongs but couldn’t be more different.