This morning?s Chinese green tea files. Here?s what...

This morning?s Chinese green tea files. Here?s what I?ve got pictured above:

1. Most important, of course, are the tea leaves themselves. These three are all green teas, which means non-fermented. From the left: ?white? tea, the youngest freshest handpicked leaves, dried flat; jasmine tea, my go-to everyday drink, which is usually medium-quality green tea tossed with jasmine blossoms; and a high-quality Shandong province tea with beautiful whole twisted leaves.

2. The three tools: water pot, teapot, tea cup.?Like most Chinese people, I use an electric water pot because you can just plug it in and forget about it. Single-serving clay teapot; clay is preferred for purity and depth of flavor. Tea cup can be any small cup, though today I?m using a Chinese lidded teacup with heat-sensitive dragons on it which will change from black to bright colors when hot water is introduced. A small espresso cup works just as well. Or a sake cup.

3. Tea leaves go straight into the teapot. Unit of measure? A ?teaspoon? is a good way to measure tea; one heaping teaspoon of tea leaves is good for one cup. Once you pour in the freshly boiled water, you?ve started the events from which there?s no turning back! Which is a good thing, because we?re talking about very relaxing and enjoyable events. The fanciest Chinese tea drinkers will actually do one quick pour of hot water and pour it out, to rinse and warm everything, but I?m not that fancy. I pour in the hot water, put the lid on the teapot, and chill out.

4. Green tea steeps for four minutes before the first pour. As you pour, you raise the teapot higher to aerate and gently splash the tea into the cup.?

5. Sit down. Seriously, tea must be enjoyed while sitting, it?s not something you slug down on the fly. You sit still. Notice the dragons have turned colors. Then you bring the cup up to your face, allow the steam to waft over your face, and smell. Then you sip. Then you dissolve into joy.

Now go enjoy some tea and make the world a happier place. :)

Source: http://zuky.tumblr.com/post/40535627018

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