We stopped into the Berkeley shop today to taste Mr. Fong's Spring
2007 greens that he's just brought back from China. We tried both Imperial Green and Downy Cloud Tea. These are both proprietary names and I hestitate to suggest what they are - I think Downy Cloud may have been E Mei E Rui. This tea was extrordinarily delicate and soft with a lingering sweetness and a somewhat nutty finish. The leaves were very tiny, each with a down-covered bud. Needless to say, quite a delicious tea. The Imperial Green, this Spring, unlike last year's was much more vegetal, with a fragrance and initial flavour similar to freshly steamed asparagus and moving into a candy-like sweetness and quite an astringent finish. Both teas - totally refreshing and thirst-quenching in the early summer heat. Luckily, we chose some matcha and sugar-toasted walnuts to munch on with our teas. A terrific combo! If your in the Bay area, stop by, try the new greens - quite a nice experience. Shen- posted
16 years ago