Green Tea

Welcome to China, would you like a $45 pot of tea? Bear in mind a fancy Chinese feast for four in a nice restaurant might not cost $45.

Yes this is a $45 pot of tea. It's a Longjing hand roasted tea from the West Lake Region that my mother was born in.

This tea was hand roasted in a pan with a little "delicious" oil, which gives it a light oily taste on the first steeping which quickly fades to the more delicate notes in the tea with the 2nd and third steepings.

I was told that this tea is best on the 2nd steeping, thats when the flavor is the most complex and pleasing.

I'll admit it was very tasty tea, Perfectly served in a nice Tea House. I think this is the equivalent of a Coffee House from ancient China, expensive drinks served to a group of friends, to provide a nice comfortable place to hang out and enjoy each other's company.

I got a nice lesson in tea factoids from a very Quality (hehe) co-worker. The most expensive tea he has ever seen cost more then its weight in gold (>$1500/ounce) This was the same type Longjing of tea, but from one of 18 tea bushes which were declared "Gong Cha" or Imperial tea be an 18th century emperor. It is dried in the sun, Then it is wetted on the tongue of virgin girls. After this it is pan roasted again to be ready to drink. I am not making a joke. I'm kind of hoping he was.  

I can only imagine what would happen if your virgin tea rehydrators weren't virgin.. I'm pretty sure I would be able to taste the difference.

THIS ISN'T VIRGIN TEA!

-NOM!