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More seed style grade

I opened up the commercial sampler of TKY from the same Chinese supplier and this time again the leaf is compressed beyond recognition similar to the Zui Mei Ren but the 'seeds' which I'll now call 'pods' are much larger. Both are tearshape with a uniform smooth surface and a small point. So it is a grade or style of leaf and not the variety. After two 5 minute boiling infusions the pods are only puffy. This TKY has a strong pungent smell which tingles the taste buds and stomach lining with an aftertaste that lingers and lingers. This would make an excellent gongfu style tea because there is nothing to wash and the leaf never exposes itself fully to the infusion. Both drove me nuts waiting for the first infusion to indicate a sufficient color change. The subsequent infusions a little less because the color was more immediate. I use color more than time to determine the first brews of any untasted tea.

Jim

Reply to
Space Cowboy
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What's all this about the "seeds" or "pods" in tie guan yin? Are you ordering tea that comes with rolled tea leaves ~and~ Camellia sinensis fruits?

Please enlighten my un-illuminated tea brain.

Reply to
Archer

I'm going to have to look into this because you describe some really nice tea.

The only tea that I've seen that resembles seeds would be "mai cha" or wheat tea. It's drank in some of the Northern and Western areas, I've been told.

Have you seen this at the vendor's site?

Reply to
Mydnight

They were just samples that came with a pu order. The other commercial samples were recognizable leaf. Each was in it's own commercial package of about 30g. I'd say that is the way it would come with an order. You see those small packages sometimes with TKY and Dim Sum. What's also interesting each seed or pod is a whole leaf and not bits and pieces. I think it is a new mechanized grade. There is no way you could do this by hand. I know never say no way. I use a glass pot (modified tea press) so visual presentation adds to the cup. If you find out more please let me(us) know.

Jim

Mydnight wrote:

Reply to
Space Cowboy

Do you mean leaves fold in fancy ways ?

Here "pearls" and "peach blossoms", the pearls are one leaf each, the blossoms don't unfold at all.

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If not, I don't understand what you call pods or seeds. If you could find a link with a photo that would help.

Those on the photos are sold as *hand-made* and *traditional*. No idea if it's a marketing trick. They are overpriced but that's always a pleasure to watch the face of people discovering them in their cups for the first time.

Flute glasses for champagne. I don't drink that everyday. The shop has about

40 sorts (designs/flavors), in Shanghai they have many more, but usually I don't know about the region of origine of the leaves.

Kuri

Reply to
kuri

The only difference between the 'seed' of the Zui Mei Ren, whatever variety that is, and the 'pod' of the Tie Kwan Yin is the size of the leaf. I only knew that from 3 ten minutes of boiling infusion where a few popped open. Any rolled leaf I've seen is still discernable as a leaf such as surface irregularities, a beginning or end, a twist and a roll, a tuck, etc such as the herbal Kuding Pearls or the photos. All I can say as before the grade looks like a teardrop seed with point. It is completely smooth with no visible seams. The leaf looks like it has been seamlessly sealed. You can find a few irregular shapes which looks like a bulge or the end of a stem. I know rolled leaf but nothing like this. I wouldn't even think that much about it except it doesn't behave in the pot like other knots of leaf. I would say it looks rolled and then somehow seared but it doesn't looked burned or baked. Since there seems to be some interest I'll take some photos and email the curious. It won't be this week or even probably next. I'd send samples but that is all I have till I order some and then that is a shipment from China.

Jim

kuri wrote:

Reply to
Space Cowboy

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