I've read from a couple of sources (following links from here) that if one buys young Puerh and stores it, one should take care to keep it away from odors that might contaminate its flavor. Does this mean that if I were to keep a cake or bowl of Puerh in a paper sack with some fresh peaches, it would take on the aroma and flavor of peach? (I would find this quite desirable).
stePH
-- GoogleGroups licks balls.
This certainly makes sense and is worth experimentation, keep us posted. I would use dried peaches though and not fresh because you don't want to introduce that much moisture.
There is a type of oolong that is stored inside of a Pomelo skin (a Chinese citrus fruit resembling a grapefruit) and it defiantly takes on the citrus flavor.
Mike Petro
Teas in general are noted for taking on the scent of a neighbor good or bad. I like using dried blossoms of nectars like honeysuckle,rose,cherry,orange,apple,peach,etc. I add them individually to the cup at the last minute. If you've got a supply make a bed and cover the puerh with a blanket of the stuff. When it more fall I'm going to try smoking some. I'll use the wood from some dead cherry trees. Other teas like LS use wood from trees. Puerh meets the general desirable requirements of storing any tea. The only additional requirement is the air circulation while other teas closed containers.
Jim
stePH wrote:
Jim, IMHO it is a waste of good puerh. I smoked a black and a green bingcha using Maple while I was smoking off a couple of boston butts last year, naturally I did not let them come in contact with the pork. I kept the temperature around 200f the whole time (mainly because thats the temp the pork required) and smoked them for about 2 hours which was when the green bing had turned light brown, the cooked bing only got darker. The results were not impressive, reminded me of some of these aged/roasted oolongs you see, however the pork BBQ was fantastic. Hou De Fine also sells a "Wood Roasted Puerh Tips" that I found equally unimpressive.
Mike
Too bad I'm not a Texas AM alumni. My granddad who is long gone had a great smoke shed where he cured meats. I've been looking for an excuse to buy an Indian chimney pot. When I want roasted pork I go to Chinatown which comes with that special mysterious dipping sauce which I've avoided in the past but not anymore when I drink the cooked pu.
Jim
Mike Petro wrote:
Mike snipped-for-privacy@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com8/31/05
11: snipped-for-privacy@mikepetro.org
Mike and Jim,
Your points are of course well taken and amusing. Coincidentally, I'm finishing off some Lan Gui Ren this morning -- that's the gensing infested blobular bits you sent awhile back. Much as I've tried to dislike it, being put off by blendings and mixings that god did not intend, I can't. Moving on to Jim's suggestion, when you consider the many half-way decent but in no way spectacular cooked Pu'erhs available, a sprinkling of the bits he suggests would not be at all a bad thing, IMHO. What about the Pamelo (sp?) casing we had talked of some time ago?
Michael
I still drink my teas straight up. I have an assortment of tisanes for diversion and guests. This year I got the blossoms from a branch on a cherry tree. Dried flowers when added to the cup tend to overwhelm the tea. I need to try a scent method. Another good group for tea besides the flowers is dried fruit. The only spices I use is chai. I have an Arabic brand scented with cardomon which I haven't tried. I take a pass on anything bergamot or ginseng. There is a large herbal shop in the next town and your nose is your best guide. I've been drinking cooked puerh everyday for the past six months and like beer I'm starting to like it. Every cooked puerh taste different enough. I still don't have a pomelo gourd or a column to finish off my puerh architectural collection.
Jim
Michael Plant wrote:
I just had another thought -- what of those "dessicant packs" that sometimes come in boxes containing other merchandise, to keep moisture away from the merchandise? Would those be useful in storing Puerh or would the dessicant somehow contaminate the tea? (I have no idea what's in those little packets)
stePH
-- GoogleGroups licks balls.
That would be equally bad. I too went down that road once until I dug into it. To age puerh you want conditions that are comfortable for humans. Around 70% humidity more or less. Dessicant can easily acheive conditions that are too dry. Many puerh experts even recommend following the seasons, ie alternating high and low temp/humidty to simulate the natural conditions of the four seasons, as being the best way to age puerh.
Mike
It's silica gel. And the problem with it is that it absorbs all free moisture, which may dry the tea out too much. But I have seen the Japanese pack it with tea before.
--scott
Right, but the packers of Sencha aren't aiming for slow microbial fermentation like the packers of Puerh.
/Lew
Packers of Puerh, Lew? All I've ever seen is a loose bit of thin paper!
(Heh, couldn't resist being just a tiny part of this thread ... the makings of a tiny artificial gem).
That was my point: Puerh's packaging is designed for air flow including, of course, air-borne moisture.
Your prose is, as always, lapidary.
/Lew
Repetition of 'tiny' ... sigh
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