Camellia Sinensis

Are You Ready for the Year of the Dragon?

2012-01-19T20:44:00.000-08:00

The Year of the Dragon starts January 23! Are you ready to eat dumplings, tangerines, noodles, and a whole fish? This delicious menu will start the year off right with abundant luck and long life. And of course a selection of fine Chinese tea - perhaps a puerh or Monkey-Picked Tie Guan Yin - to finish the meal. Chinese say that whatever you do on Chinese New Year, you'll do all year long. So tea

Checking Out Beijing's Tibetan Tea Fad

2011-10-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

After leaving beautiful Wuyi Shan I traveled to Beijing to visit my ailing friend Mr. Yang Wu. Mr. Yang has defied all the doctors' predictions, fighting cancer for 6 years! This is a guy with an iron will who simply won't give in to fate.One of the things he does for health is to drink "Tibetan Style" tea. The tea comes in a bamboo mat rolled into a tube. Inside the tube is some rather

More Photos from Xiamen

2011-10-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

At the show I met tea enthusiasts from Argentina, Mexico, and China's Jiangxi ProvinceSamples of Fujian's renowned Wuyi Yan Cha being prepared for cuppingXiamen Tea's custom, stainless steel cupping tableMr. Wang, CEO of Xiamen Tea Import/Export Corp., personally gave a presentation on his company

Xiamen International Tea Fair

2011-10-24T19:33:00.000-07:00

After I recovered from giving my speech and the inevitable big dinner that followed, I walked the show to meet some of the people who weren't able to attend the Forum. There was a large crowd, but I was received warmly. When the doors finally closed we VIPs were invited to one more dinner, to celebrate a successful day.The next day we visited the Xiamen Tea Import/Export Corporation. We toured

Photos from Xiamen

2011-10-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

The speakers panel for the International Tea ForumA view into the audience waiting to hear our pearls of wisdomWe VIPs even ate our meals on stageI felt like a delegate to the UN with my big leather chair, nameplate, and simultaneous translation headsetMy dinner companions at one of the banquets were members of Sri Lanka's Tea Board

VIP Treatment in Xiamen

2011-10-21T23:49:00.000-07:00

I'm writing from Xiamen, where I was invited to give a speech about my insights into the US tea market. After a long flight, I was greeted at the airport by two young volunteers with a big sign and a bouquet of flowers. Needless to say, the sight of the cheerful young women with flowers immediately gave me a positive view of the city and the trade fair where I'm speaking.Upon arriving at the

Roy's Speech at the International Tea Industry Forum

2011-10-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

This week Roy was a featured speaker at the Xiamen International Tea Fair's International Tea Industry Forum in China. Here's are the anecdotes and insights he shared with attendees: Building a Market for Tea in the USA Hello, my name is Roy Fong; my Chinese name is 方光祥. I was born in Hong Kong 56 years ago. My family immigrated to San Francisco when I was only 13 years old. About 30 years ago

Roy Is Featured Speaker at the Xiamen International Tea Fair

2011-10-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

Roy heads back to China this week as a featured speaker at the Xiamen International Tea Fair's International Tea Industry Forum. He's one of a small panel of tea experts invited to address the group. The annual conference and exposition begins on Thursday, October 20. Roy's topic will be "Building a Market for Tea in the USA." We'll be posting his speech here on the blog later this week. Located

Latest Staff Picks

2011-09-12T23:48:00.000-07:00

Wilai at the Ferry Building store is currently drinking the Organic Jade Oolong. She likes green oolong. For her, this tea is flowery but not over the top. It’s a great every day drinking tea. She also likes it because it is organic, new, and super affordable! Wilai is originally from Bangkok, Thailand. She has officially been converted to a tea drinker after working at the Imperial Tea Court!

Enjoy the Moon Festival!

2011-09-12T23:41:00.000-07:00

In case you forgot to mark your calendar, today is Zhong Qiu, the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival. It's the night when families get together to eat mooncakes, drink tea, and admire the full moon. Tonight Winnie Yu stopped by the teahouse to share mooncakes and Topaz Puerh with Roy and his family. It's an unusually fog-free night in San Francisco, which allowed the harvest

Experimenting with tea

2011-07-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

I just brewed some tea today and it didn’t taste the same as usual. In fact it was a little bit harsh. Yes, it is possible to ruin the tea by brewing it improperly. Have you ever come to the tea house and love the tea you are drinking, but then try to brew it at home and it doesn’t quite taste the same? Brewing tea is very subjective. Different people like their teas stronger or weaker.

Roy Finalizes Tea Tour Agenda in April

2011-07-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

Roy has moved his next tea tour to the spring of 2012. It's set to depart on April 16 and visit Shanghai, Hangzhou, Fuzhou, Wu Yi Shan, and Beijing, with five-star accommodations in every city. The cost is $4,999 per person, including all hotels, meals, transportation, and round-trip airfare to China from San Francisco. Space is limited, so email us if you're interested. A detailed itinerary is

Tea Tour Update: Nine Bend Stream!

2011-07-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

Roy has just updated the tea tour itinerary with another once-in-a-lifetime experience, a leisurely bamboo raft ride down Jiu Qu Xi, the nine-bend stream in Wu Yi Shan celebrated for centuries by artists, poets, and tea lovers. Not surprisingly, it's also a Unesco World Heritage Site. As you drift down the famous river you can admire Wu Yi's signature steep cliffs, dotted with caves once occupied

Roy's Plans for a 2011 Tea Tour Start to Firm Up

2011-07-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

Roy has drafted an itinerary for a 2011 Tea Tour focusing on Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces, the home of some of China's most spectacular oolong and green tea producing regions. Traveling with Roy into increasingly rare pockets of traditional China and leveraging his almost 30 years of experiences and relationships, the tour offers tea lovers a view of China that cannot be duplicated, even with a

Come visit the tea house

2011-06-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

I moved from Boston to San Francisco in May 1997. The owner of the coffee and tea house I used to frequent in Charlestown, Massachusetts, recommended that I check out Imperial Tea Court as soon as I arrived. He thought I would enjoy the place. Who knew that 14 years later I would be a regular and still be enjoying the wide variety of amazing teas and food! Since 1997, the Imperial Tea

Update from Takada San: 2011 Japanese Spring Green Tea

2011-05-23T00:27:00.000-07:00

Takada san's covered green tea fields aim to reproduce the deeply shadowed valleys where green tea is grown near Kyoto. This year, the technique also added extra protection from radiation. Top: covered tea fields. Center: gyokuro growing under cover. Bottom: Kabuse Sencha Roy's friend Takada san, a tea farmer in Southern Japan, recently sent an

Vicarious Tea Travel

2011-05-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

Our friend and teahouse regular Diane is taking a hiatus from the workaday world to tour the tea regions of India and Yunnan. Her in-depth blog posts are fascinating reading - best enjoyed with a few cups of tea. Check out Diane's adventures in her Tea Journeys blog.

Crouching Bunny Hidden Eggs: Easter at the Tea Farm

2011-04-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

It was a warm, sunny day at the tea farm yesterday when a few friends drove up to help Roy pot 600 oolong seedlings he brought from Taiwan. There were six varieties in the batch; Roy continues to experiment to find tea that fares well in California growing conditions. There was a setback when testing revealed that water from the property's well has a pH around 8.5. Like other camellias, Camellia

Twitter Question on Fertilizing

2011-04-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

Twitter follower @Oolonggirl asked, "How often do you fertilize the tea plants?" Roy replies: For spring harvest we do it once during the fall, after trimming. If we plan on picking a fall harvest, we fertilize after spring. For my tea farm in California I am not yet sure what we will do. The decision is farm specific; you decide what to do based on the land, varietal, and how much the tea is

Cherry Blossom and Bamboo Season in Japan

2011-04-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

Roy's friend the Japanese tea farmer Takada san sent some beautiful photos of this year's cherry blossoms in Japan that we wanted to share. He commented, "We can enjoy a lot of cherry trees along the river. We feel a big happiness watching them and getting the spring wind. I will go to my bamboo forest to get bamboo shoots and bring them to my friends." When I asked Roy how to prepare fresh young

Celebrate the Season with Our Rabbit Teapot

2011-04-18T01:20:00.000-07:00

Whether you're celebrating Easter, the outstanding tea harvest in the Year of the Rabbit, or both, our unique Rabbit Yi Xing Teapot is the perfect choice. Hand-crafted from top-quality reddish brown yi xing clay, this excellent pot has the clean lines and substantial heft that distinguish fine yi xing ware from the ordinary. The smooth, rounded body encourages leaf expansion, making this pot

Video: Fog Rolling Over Shan Lin Xi

2011-04-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

When I visited Shan Lin Xi at 1 PM fog was still rolling over the mountain. Here's a brief video clip.

A Refreshing Trip to Shan Lin Xi Leads to a Promising Harvest

2011-04-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Taiwan and was met by my friend Mr. Chang. This is the last leg of my trip before returning home. I was exhausted, feeling battered and abused by China's extreme prices and the seemingly unconcerned attitudes of the tea people I deal with. For example, Mr. Chen, a tea grower, told me: "Mr. Fong, I will give you a great price, only 500 yuan per kilo, a better price than anyone else I

One Last Stop in Fang Cun, Then On to Taiwan

2011-04-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Guangzhou via China's bullet train. It only took two hours to get there from Changsha, Hunan. The ride was quiet and comfortable. I was all smiles when I got off the train with my box of dragonwell and luggage, only to find that there were no baggage carts and no porters in sight. In a mild panic, I started to pull my laptop bag and suitcase in one hand while trying to drag the 40-

Update from Takada San on Japanese Tea and Radiation

2011-04-14T22:31:00.000-07:00

Roy’s friend the Japanese tea farmer Takada san responded to questions about the safety of Japanese tea as well as the 2011 harvest. Due to widespread interest in the situation in Japan, Roy is sharing Takada san’s comments. The biggest Japanese tea area is Shizuoka. The distance from Fukushima to my sencha mountain in west Shizuoka is 500 km. The oldest tea area is around Kyoto. The distance

Photos from Hunan: Tea Classes at the University of Agriculture

2011-04-13T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hunan University of Agriculture Tea Program students and their handiworkThe tea curriculum is very hands-onA discussion around the tea-rolling machineEveryone wants to try their hand at the sha qing machine, where leaves are cooked through to arrest oxidationA plot of students' seedlings, all raised by students from cuttings taken from the university's experimental plots

Possible Tea Exchange Program with Hunan University of Agriculture

2011-04-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

After a full day of cupping yesterday I went to the hotel and collapsed. If I turn down dinner and stay in my room all night you know I'm tired! It took a full night to recover from the cupping marathon. This morning I decided to skip climbing to the next tea farm for a few days. Instead, I visited Hunan's famous University of Agriculture; their tea program rivals the one at Zhejiang University.

Changsha Surprise: An Interesting Tan Yang Confounds Expectations

2011-04-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

You know you're getting old when you turn down food and partying. I had a full day of cupping tea here in Changsha's Hunan Tea Import/Export Corp. After the first hour or so I lost count and was only going through the motions with most the the tea. I always said you're never too old to learn something new and don't make up your mind until you learn the truth, etc., but after a couple of hours of

Photos from Zhejiang: Tea & Shaoxing Wine

2011-04-12T22:48:00.000-07:00

Shaoxing-style dinnerShaoxing wine jug with a Monkey King motif.Jugs of Shaoxing wine are sealed with mud to age.Wild tea grows along the path up to the tea fields where our Snow Water Dragon Tips is picked.When the tea is sorted, broken leaves are removed by hand.Final sorting of our Snow Water Dragon Tips.Freshly picked Snow Water Dragon Tips in the withering stage.

Celebrating a Great Year for Long Jing with Shaoxing Wine

2011-04-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

We have had a tremendous long jing harvest this year! I think this is likely the best harvest in 10 years or so. This year's tea was harvested on April 2, three days before the Qing Ming Festival on the fifth. Long jing picked before Qing Ming is deemed most valuable. After having been stored in paper packets in lined urns, the tea is ready to go. This year's Imperial Dragon Well has already been

How to Store Puerh

2011-04-09T01:08:00.000-07:00

More than two years ago we started the Virtual Teahouse on Facebook as a place where tea lovers could find one another and share their passion for Camellia sinensis sinensis. Today we're excited to see over 400 members chatting, asking questions, uploading photos, taking our What Tea Are You? quiz, and more! Yesterday in the Virtual Teahouse, a member asked for advice on storing puerh cakes. In

Another Message from Mr. Takada

2011-04-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

Roy received another message from his friend Takada san, a tea farmer in Uji, Japan, who is spearheading some relief efforts for victims of the country's triple catastrophe: A big thanks to all of the countries that are worrying about our crying Japan. I continue my support to the victims through tea activity, especially with foreign people, because I have several friends in the destroyed towns.

Gong Fu Cha: 7 Steps Before You Brew Tea

2011-04-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

The following discussion of gong fu cha technique was adapted from training materials Roy prepared for Imperial Tea Court staff. Gong Fu Cha 1.0 In Chinese, gong fu means making an increased or focused effort and suggests the high skill level that eventually results from this hard work. You can say “I am going to put in more gong fu to be a better person” or “I will use more gong fu to be

Messages from Japan: Tea Can Play a Role in Healing

2011-04-03T01:09:00.000-07:00

Takada san's truck loaded with relief supplies Roy began communicating with his friend Takada san, the tea farmer in Japan who grows Imperial Gyokuro, a few days after last month’s Japanese catastrophe. Takada san is in Uji, in the south near Kyoto, far from the area devasted by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, so he and his family weren’t in immediate danger. However, like all

Gaiwan Lesson from Roy

2011-04-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

Old and new: the gaiwan on the left is great for xiao ye green tea such as long jing or bi luo chun, but the chubby one on the right is a better choice for da ye oolong or puerh When Roy and I were tasting new oolongs a couple of weeks ago, I brought out my favorite porcelain gaiwan to provide a neutral brewing environment. When matching a gaiwan to the tea I considered basics such as size

Four New Oolongs Available Soon

2011-03-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

The other day, Roy stopped by with four new oolongs - two from Taiwan and two from China. We tasted them all and they'll soon be available in the teahouse and our online store. To whet your appetite, here's a preview of coming attractions: BAO ZHONG Bao Zhong is the least processed Taiwan oolong, meaning both the green and floral elements are potent in this beloved classic. The leaves are

Happy New Year of the Rabbit!

2011-02-16T11:12:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year celebrations are wrapping up this week, and we hope you have celebrated Spring Festival with family, friends, and good tea. As the name suggests, this holiday looks forward to the arrival of spring, and in the tea world thoughts are turning to the upcoming harvest season. 2011 tea-picking will begin in just a few weeks! Roy plans to leave for China in late March and as usual,

First Tea Cuttings Arrive at the Tea Farm

2011-01-04T22:59:00.000-08:00

Today I worked on the newly arrived tea cuttings with Juan and his friend Pablo. We took large cuttings and trimmed off excess leaves, dipped them in root starter, and planted them in small heated germination stations for easy control. If this works we will expand the operation (currently 250 cuttings) to 1,000 plants or so, move them into pots, and place them in the large green house once they

Celebrating the New Year at the Tea Ranch

2011-01-04T22:31:00.000-08:00

On the first day of 2011 I planned a big New Year celebration at the ranch, with friends and staff from both stores beginning the new year with lots of spirits (as in booze) and tea. Unfortunately, I woke up that morning to pouring rain. A call to my neighbor Juan confirmed rain and heavy wind, so I tried to warn off as many guests as I could. Most of the people I caught by phone agreed that a

Fortuitous Snow Augurs a Year of Bounty at the Tea Farm

2011-01-04T22:27:00.000-08:00

There's a saying in Chinese: 瑞雪兆丰年 (rui xue zhao feng nian), a fortuitous snow augurs a year of bounty. You can imagine Roy's excitement to arrive at the tea farm on New Year's Day to find a winter wonderland. Such an event is said to foretell good fortune and an abundant harvest. 2011 is already off to a great start!

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to you and yours and all the best for a great year in 2011! We hope you're already anticipating your first cup of fine Chinese tea for the new year. Our teahouses are closed today for the holiday, but we reopen tomorrow and look forward to serving you. Rain here in Northern California has disrupted plans for a New Year barbeque at the tea farm, but Roy says not to fret: Chinese

Fun at the Ferry Building

2010-12-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

You never know what you'll find at the Ferry Building. This "pop-up opera" production from La Traviata occurred on a Saturday afternoon right outside the gates of the teahouse. Watch it on YouTube.

Roy's Holiday Update on the "Tea Ranch"

2010-12-11T16:46:00.000-08:00

As the holidays approach we're getting more comfortable at the ranch. More folks are visiting and we've moved in some furniture. I hired a local father and son team to handle the landscaping and they are wonderful. Plans are in the works to help them buy their first house in the US since immigrating from Mexico.Since Thanksgiving I have held several classes at the ranch and we hosted our first

A Kind Word from Zagat in 2011

2010-12-11T16:39:00.000-08:00

We just saw our new Zagat writeup for 2011 and we're blushing! Once again, our customers are full of praise: "A vast selection of excellent teas are prepared lovingly, along with Chinese snacks and out-of-this-world hand-pulled noodles at this unique teahouse duo." Zagat calls the Ferry Building teahouse "soothing" and praises Berkeley's "lovely" garden. We rated "20" for food and "19" for both

New Newsletter: Time to Order 2010 Jasmine Pearls, Green Tea Sale

2010-10-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

The latest Tea Readings newsletter is hot off the virtual press! Check it out for all the news about our 2010 Harvest Imperial Jasmine Pearls, just arrived in the teahouse; green tea clearance sale; Roy's newly announced private puerh classes; great teas to drink this fall; news from our teahouses and the California tea farm; and more! And to make sure you don't miss a single issue, subscribe

Nuts!

2010-10-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

Roy stopped by the teahouse yesterday with a few of the first almonds from the orchard at the California tea farm. They're delicious and incomparably fresh. We look forward to serving our own home-grown tea snacks soon!

Check Out Our Latest Newsletter

2010-09-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out the latest edition of our Tea Readings Newsletter, now online. It features out new Qi Zi Bing Cha Puerh Collection, Roy's upcoming puerh class, new black tea, teaware, and more. The popular Imperial Tea Bottle is back in stock and we've expanded our irresistible Mouse Teapot collection. Don't miss a single issue! Subscribe today and we'll send all the latest teahouse news

Water! And Big Plans

2010-09-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

We have water! My neighbor Juan not only makes awesome organic olive oil, he is an awesome worker as well! He and his two men worked 13 hours a day to complete our water project in three days. They cut nearly 3,000 feet of trenches 2.5 feet deep and laid in new pipes all over the property. Now we are totally prepared for whatever irrigation project we need. Late Thursday I joined Juan for an "

Coming Soon: Four New Yan Cha

2010-09-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

Roy brought four new Wu Yi yan cha by the teahouse for a taste this afternoon. He'll fire them this week, then they'll be available in our teahouses and online store. In a year when many favorite teas have disappointed due to terrible weather in the spring, 2010 yan cha stand out as unusual but delicious specimens, packed with great flavor and texture plus an uncommon honey-like sweetness that

Water for a Thirsty Tea Farm

2010-09-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

This past week, serious work began at the tea ranch. After months of negotiation with our neighbor, various contractors, electricians, and PG&E, we finally managed to start work. PG&E agreed to bring power to the spot where the new pump will be set up to draw water from a nearby aquaduct. A 1,200-foot line was trenched across my neighbor Juan's organic olive orchard to bring 6-inch pipe into our

Labor Day: A Day to Relax at the Tea Farm

2010-09-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

On a rare occasion when staff from both stores took a break for Labor Day, we held an all-American BBQ at the tea ranch. Over 25 people braved the long drive and congregated for a huge feast. My neighbor Juan contributed his organic olive oil and some locally grown wines from his brother. We ate, drank, and were very merry until late afternoo, when we reluctantly returned home, wishing that this

Qi Zi Bing Preview

2010-08-22T00:33:00.000-07:00

Prepping for his upcoming Seven Mountain Green Puerh Tasting Class, Roy brought one of the Qi Zi Bing bundles to the teahouse this afternoon. Fortuitously, a couple of teahouse regulars wandered in at just the right time to join us and we all had a taste of these fascinating variations on the theme of Yunnan tea. One of the benefits of the Qi Zi Bing bundles is that some of the cakes are ready

Seven Mountain Green Puerh Tasting Class with Roy Fong

2010-08-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

Roy has set the dates for his Seven Mountain Green Puerh Tasting Class next month in our San Francisco Ferry Building teahouse. To accommodate as many tea lovers as possible he'll hold two classes: Sunday, September 12, from 9-11 AM, and Friday, September 17, from 7-9 PM. In each class, students will drink their way across some of Yunnan Province's most famous tea mountains by tasting every cake

Qi Zi Bing Puerh Class Coming in September

2010-08-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

September means back to school - back to tea school in our case. After a busy summer Roy is ready to host two classes focusing on an outstanding Qi Zi Bing set of seven puerh cakes. This set, soon to be offered in our online store, comprises sheng (green) 357-gram cakes from seven different highly regarded tea mountains in Yunnan. The tasting will be an uncommon opportunity to venture with Roy

Hard at Work on the California Tea Farm

2010-08-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

We haven't seen much of Roy since his return from China. He's been spending a lot of time up at his California tea farm, growing seedlings, preparing the soil, and otherwise getting ready to put tea plants in the ground in October. Meanwhile, Grace has been setting up a small tea shop in the farm's workshop/garage. Once the tea farm is active it will be ready for visitors! Currently Roy is

Time to Retire a Favorite Yixing Teapot

2010-08-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

I loaded my favorite zhu ni (cinnabar clay) teapot with Roy's signature Monkey-Picked Tie Guan Yin and was preparing to brew a savory pot to take the chill off of a typical San Francisco summer day. As I added a dash of hot water to rinse the leaves, there was a crisp click, a sound like one tick of the clock that teapot lovers dread. I'd read about this phenomenon and now, unhappily, I've

Roy's Thoughts on Taiwanese Oolong and Yi Xing Teapots

2010-07-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

After a disappointing brewing experience, I asked Roy's advice on yi xing teapots and Taiwanese green oolong tea. He replied: "It is more difficult to use an yi xing teapot with this tea. Often, you get more concentration with yi xing, which dampens the floral aspects. You would have to use a pot that is less porous and carefully select the right combination of tea and temperature in order to do

Roy Returns from China

2010-07-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Roy touched down in San Francisco last week, after an eventful trip to Taiwan and China. Word is, his luggage was full of interesting new yan cha, Taiwanese green oolong, jasmine, and black tea from the 2010 harvest. We'll be posting details here on the blog and adding new tea to the web site soon. Meanwhile, Grace has been busy at the tea farm setting up a tea shop in the large, lofted garage.

Roy Strolls Down Memory Lane...With His Camera (Part 2)

2010-07-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

A look of distaste on the face of the woman who has to pack food for others to take away!Typical HK store selling expensive dried goodsIt's a tough job but someone's got to do it, right? Had to eat dim sum in HK all by my lonesomeAhhh, the famous Milk Tea! No respectable HK resident can go without it for long24-hour noodle and porridge shop, waiting to do business whenever you're hungryAn herbal

Roy Strolls Down Memory Lane...With His Camera (Part 1)

2010-07-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Coiled incense lit on behalf of the person whose name is written on the bottomA street fortune teller uses small birds to predict your fateTin Hou Temple was built in the 1800s. These paintings are showing their age!Multitudes of coiled incense hanging from the roof of Tin Hou TemplePilgrims are busy praying and asking for fortunes in front of the temple's main hallTears run down your eyes when

A Nostalgic Stop in HK Before Heading Home

2010-07-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

After Beijing I arrived in Hong Kong to pick up my HK ID card, which will allow me much easier access when I travel to China in the future. I also like to pause before going home to revisit the entire trip in my mind and cover whatever loose ends I may have left along the way. As it turned out, I was stuck in HK awhile, as I was not able to get on my scheduled flight to Taipei and the oolong teas

Exciting New Wu Yi Yan Cha

2010-07-16T00:32:00.000-07:00

I returned to Beijing for another visit with my ailing friend Yang Wu. I feel like each visit with him may be the last. Mr. Yang somehow fights off every prediction from the doctors and continues to soldier on for another day, each and every day. Despite having lots of tumors inside him, he always receives me in good spirits. I stayed with him for three days, chit-chatting whenever he was able.

Photos from Shaanxi

2010-07-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

Description of photos, from top:New tea factory building in Ning Qiang County, Shaanxi ProvinceA green tea production line is being installedAnother view of the green tea production lineMy tea farm property in Ning Qiang County, Shaanxi ProvinceThe moon gate in a tiny local temple dedicated to the Jade EmperorThe Jade Emperor's temple

Documents Are Signed for the Shaanxi Tea Farm and Factory

2010-07-12T22:04:00.000-07:00

I staggered into Hangzhou yesterday, thoroughly exhausted. After four hard days of drinking, eating (the photo is only the appetizer course), and negotiating, we signed the final agreement to go forward with our tea factory in Ning Qiang County of Shaanxi Province. The last little thing that needs to happen is called money. Once you pay the deposit the contract becomes binding and, obviously, you

Single and Multiple Trunk Tea Trees

2010-07-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

Two types of tea trees: the kind found in Yunnan, where multiple stalks emerge directly from the ground (top) and the kind found in Guangdong, where a single stalk grows up and branches out above ground (bottom). The famous dan cong variety is this latter type. Both of the plants pictured here grow in Mr. Wang's forest on Gu Dou Shan in Guangdong Province. The top plant is an import from Yunnan,

King of the Mountain: More on My Visit with the Eccentric Mr. Wang

2010-07-08T23:16:00.000-07:00

Bai yun cha can be made into green, yellow, or black tea. Mr. Wang made it very light in a glass teapot and he recommends cold brewing (using room temperature water and infusing the tea for a long time) or brewing it with only a few leaves and serving it after it cools. He feels that hot tea is not good for the esophagus. He said that people of Chao Zhou who drink a lot of hot gong fu tea tend to

Photos of Wild Bai Yun Cha

2010-07-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

Photos of bai yun cha near Tai Shan. Top: tender seedlings get their start in the shade. Bottom: with Guangdong's hot, humid climate and fertile soil, tea plants quickly adapt to the environment and flourish. Note the "single trunk" similar to dan cong: the plant emerges from the ground in one trunk that branches off higher up the stalk.

On a Trip to Rediscover His Heritage, Roy Finds Some Tea Plants Doing the Same

2010-07-07T18:33:00.000-07:00

Days and hours seem to flash by at breakneck speed. I am not even sure how long I have been here in China! Every day seems to end with a big meal and I waddle back to my hotel room, check email, and get some work done online. Then I wake up early the next morning and start the whole cycle again. A few days ago I went to Hong Kong. In addition to taking a break, because I was born there I can

All-American July 4 at the California Tea Farm

2010-07-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

Although Roy’s still in China, Grace convened a gathering of friends, family, and teahouse staff to observe July 4 with the California tea farm’s first barbeque. Originating from China, the US, Germany, and Vietnam, the group was the perfect mix to commemorate the birth of a nation that flourishes on diversity and big meals. We arrived in triple-digit afternoon heat that typifies summer in

Photos from Guangxi

2010-06-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

Photos from Guangxi:A feast with the tea factory gangRemains of the feastJasmine tea ready for cupping

New Idea to Take an Old Favorite to the Next Level

2010-06-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

I went to the jasmine tea factory early this morning and called a staff meeting. Everyone showed up at 8 AM sharp. The office girls served tea and we got down to business by cupping all the teas on order for this year. Due to the continuous rain in southern China, scenting has to be stopped as flowers are losing aromatics and opening before being picked. Today is the first day the sun has come

Imperial Gyokuro, Imperial Green Oolong Now Available Online

2010-06-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

If you've been wanting to try our 2010 Spring Harvest Imperial Gyokuro or Imperial Green Oolong but haven't been able to drop by one of our teahouses, your opportunity is here! Both of these fine and distinctive teas are now available in our online store: Order Imperial Gyokuro Order Imperial Spring Harvest Green Oolong

Bad Weather in Guangxi

2010-06-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

We are bogged down by rain here in Guangxi. I may not be able to work with the factory on actual production, because there are no flowers due to the rain. We are having a staff meeting today to discuss production techniques. I am considering some new production ideas and want to run it by the folks here who actually do the work.

Roy's in Guangxi: Time for Jasmine Tea

2010-06-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

After stops in Taiwan to check out this spring's green oolong harvest and Beijing to visit his ailing friend Mr. Yang, Roy is now in Guangxi, overseeing production of our 2010 edition jasmine teas. The production of fine jasmine tea is a painstaking process. In case you missed it earlier, here's an excerpt from Roy's book, Great Teas of China, describing how it works. Next month he's heading to

Takada San Explains Gyokuro's History, Technique

2010-06-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

My friend Takada san explains the history and technique of gyokuro:The old-style gardens are shaded with only bamboo and rice straw. First, they put many bamboo poles in the garden in early spring. Then, depending on the weather, they start building bamboo shelves. On the shelves they place rice straw something like 10-15cm deep to keep it dark inside. They have several gardens, so 20-30 picking

Scenes from Uji, Japan, Home of Our 2010 Imperial Gyokuro

2010-06-23T18:50:00.001-07:00

Photos of our gyokuro tea farm in Uji, Japan.From top:Close-up view of traditional straw mats used for shadingUnder the rice straw mats shading a traditional gyokuro gardenA gyokuro tea garden shaded with traditional bamboo matsFinishing the gyokuroFreshly picked gyokuro leavesTea ladies who pick gyokuro are highly skilled and well paid. An experienced tea lady can pick about 5kg of top-grade

Roy Brews 2010 Imperial Green Oolong and Imperial Gyokuro, Then Heads to China

2010-06-20T23:06:00.000-07:00

Roy stopped by briefly Friday afternoon to brew the new Imperial Green Oolong and our first ever offering of the legendary Japanese tea, Imperial Gyokuro, then he was off on his latest jaunt to Asia. First, a stop in Taiwan to check on the green oolong harvest, then it's on to Guangxi Province for jasmine tea and Shaanxi Province to finalize paperwork on his new Chinese tea farm. If there's time

New Newsletter: 2 New Green Teas, Black Jade Gaiwan, Iced Tea for Summer

2010-05-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

Don't miss our latest newsletter, packed with information on two great new green teas; our latest gaiwan, the Black Jade; delicious iced teas for summer; and more! We're excited about green tea from Shaanxi Province, enjoyed by "tea sage" Lu Yu but little known today, and a rare, exotic albino variety that we call Imperial Ivory. Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter for all the latest updates.

Latest Newsletter: More New Spring Tea, Update on Roy's Next Trip to Asia

2010-05-10T10:31:00.000-07:00

Our latest newsletter is full of news about the latest spring tea, an update on Roy's next trip to Asia later this month, and more. Most exciting, the 2010 editions of Bi Luo Chun, Imperial Green, Imperial Bai Hao Yin Zhen (Silver Needle), Organic Purple Bamboo, and Hong Mei Mao Feng are all in the teahouse and our online store now, with more great spring teas arriving soon. Be sure to subscribe

Spring Harvest: Is Earlier Still Better?

2010-05-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

During the last few years, I have often pondered if earlier harvested tea is always better. Given the current global environmental issues, weather patterns are changing - sometimes drastically. Tea-growing regions from China to India have been affected. This year, the impact on major growing regions has been devastating. The late frost caused damage in Eastern China's Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, and

Mayor Newsom Visits the Teahouse

2010-05-08T20:39:00.000-07:00

We always welcome guests at the teahouse, but there was a bit of extra excitement this afternoon when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom dropped in at the Ferry Building for a visit and a photo op with Grace. The mayor started with a slight faux pas, entering with a coffee cup in hand, but quickly apologized and replaced the coffee with to-go order of our delicious new gu zhang mao jian. Showing

Arriving Soon: 2010 Harvest Favorite Green Teas

2010-05-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

Great news for green tea lovers: the 2010 edition of two of our finest perennial favorites are now enroute from China and should be arriving in the teahouse in just a few days. One of our most popular spring teas, year in and year out, is our reliably fresh and flavorful Imperial Green Tea. The other selection, bi luo chun, hardly needs an introduction, as it's among the most famous of all

Checking in on the Tea Farm in Progress

2010-04-25T21:58:00.000-07:00

Roy and Grace invited me to tag along on their trip to the future tea farm this weekend. The rolling hills are still carpeted in green for a few more weeks before the long dry season sets in next month. Mustard and poppies are in full bloom, painting the landscape in vivid colors. The same wild mustard plants can be seen in some of China's tea-farming areas, as can the horsetail pine; according

Preview of New Tea Arriving Soon

2010-04-25T21:13:00.000-07:00

More 2010 harvest spring teas are enroute to the teahouses and should be available shortly. Roy is excited to introduce a green tea from Ning Qiang prefecture in Shaanxi Province, where he will be starting a tea farm next year. Although the area isn't well known today, it merited mention in Lu Yu's Classic of Tea back in the tea-loving Tang Dynasty. This easy-drinking, pan-fired tea is full of

California Tea Farm Update

2010-04-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

We are going up to the tea-farm-in-progress this Sunday and plan to do so every Sunday from now on, if we can. Last week, 18 koi fish went into the pond (18 for obvious reasons - a group of nine fish is believed to be lucky, as is any number with an eight). I made a deal with a local farmer to start working the land and have requested a permit from PG&E to bring power to a pump station we're

First Taste: 2010 Harvest Jun Shan Yin Zhen

2010-04-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

We're pleased to announce the return to the teahouse of a popular tea we haven't offered for a couple of years: the yellow tea Jun Shan Yin Zhen (Laird Mountain Silver Needle) from Hunan Province. A former Imperial Tribute Tea, this uncommon tea is also renowned as the supposed favorite of Hunan native Mao Zedong. Yellow teas are produced by a unique process. First, the downy young spring leaves

2010 Harvest Tea Now in the Teahouse!

2010-04-14T22:33:00.000-07:00

The first 2010 harvest tea of the season has arrived in our warehouse and is now available in our teahouses! We'll have photos and put the teas on the web site by the weekend. The shipment includes an outstanding, early-picked Ming Qian Imperial Lotus Heart Dragon Well. Our tea farm is located in a sheltered valley and, similar to last year, the unique location protected our crop from severe

First Look: 2010 Imperial Lotus Heart Dragon Well

2010-04-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

Roy sent these photos from his cupping session with the tea he selected for our 2010 harvest Imperial Lotus Heart Dragon Well. Luckily, frost damage to the early spring tea crop in Zhejiang wasn't as severe as originally feared, and Roy is excited about this tea, which should be available in our online store and teahouses in the next week or two. Cupping the 2010 Lotus Heart Infused leaves

Photos from Hunan

2010-04-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

Longevity Needles brewed in a glassSamples being prepared for cuppingGuangdong Hong Ya (Red Tips) ready for cuppingSieving Longevity NeedlesAfter sieving, the pile is reduced by halfNumber 10 sieve used to regrade Longevity NeedlesHunan Tea Import/Export Corp.'s future 200 million RMB office and factory complex. It will have the capacity to process up to 10 metric tonnes of finished tea per day.

Cupping Report from Hunan

2010-04-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

Today, April 5, is the Qing Ming Festival, a day Chinese celebrate in memory of their ancestors by visiting their grave sites to pay respect. It is also a national holiday. After breakfast this morning, Mr. Wang of the Hunan Tea Import/Export Corp. picked me up at my hotel and we went to his office to cup all of the teas his company produced this spring. I have lived in the US for so long

Roy Reports from Taiwan: Milk Oolong

2010-04-01T22:37:00.000-07:00

After over 30 hours of no sleep, I arrived Taipei at 5:50 AM. My friend Mr. Chang met me at the airport and we headed toward the mountains. There's been a lot of buzz in the US about Taiwanese "milk oolong" tea. I haven't entertained the notion of selling it, as most of what you find on the market was produced by spraying a milk-like flavoring agent onto the leaves. However, the original

New in the Teahouse: Two Delicious Green Oolongs

2010-04-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Good news if you love floral, full-bodied green oolong tea from Taiwan: in general, Taiwan's winter harvest disappointed last year due to excessive rain, but Roy kept looking and managed to acquire a few kilos of a terrific 2009 green oolong that one of his suppliers had stashed away for his own drinking pleasure. Roy was so impressed with this tea that he designated it our 2009 Winter Harvest

Tea Quantity: Roy's Rule of Thumb

2010-03-30T00:47:00.000-07:00

Roy passed along this tip in case you're faced with brewing an unfamiliar tea and aren't sure of the quantity. For the first pass, try covering the bottom of your brewing vessel plus one third. That should be a good starting point that will give you a benchmark for adjusting quantities to taste in future sessions.

Latest 2010 Spring Harvest News from Roy

2010-03-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

Roy has passed along another weather advisory from his sources in China. They told him to delay arrival in Hangzhou (home of dragon well) until April 10 due to the cold weather. Therefore, he'll start his trip in Hunan, west of the areas that were worst hit by the cold snap. Tea lovers know Hunan as the home of several great varieties of both green and yellow tea, so we're eager to see what

Sale on All Green Tea!

2010-03-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

Our latest newsletter announces a sale on all green tea through April 15! Enter coupon code 6h5sgnzu at checkout and you'll receive a 10% on all green tea purchases, including some of our most popular: Organic Putuo Compassion, Cui Feng, Tai Ping Monkey King, Imperial Dragon Well, and more (the discount won't appear until you enter the coupon code). Help us make room in the warehouse for the

2010 Spring Tea Harvest Update

2010-03-29T00:32:00.000-07:00

Roy heads to China Monday for the spring green tea harvest. He'll have quite a challenge finding the quality and quantity of early spring tea Imperial Tea Court customers have come to expect, given the devastating freeze that descended on eastern China earlier this month. As if that weren't bad enough, there's a serious drought in Yunnan that's also affecting tea production and quality. One

Roy Heads to China for the Spring Harvest

2010-03-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

Roy is packing this weekend for a month in China. He leaves early next week to supervise the harvest on some of the tea farms that are our longstanding suppliers. He'll also be frequenting wholesale tea markets in search of other interesting selections to offer customers. As always, he'll be blogging and sending photos with updates on this year's challenging harvest conditions and tales of his

First Look at a Future Tea Farm

2010-03-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I drove up to the new tea farm property with Grace and Roy. It sits over the ridge to the east from Napa Valley, amidst fruit and nut orchards that have just burst into bloom in the spring sunshine. A mild breeze carried the scent of fresh grass and sun-warmed wildflowers, while hosts of birds darted and twittered in the trees and tall grass. Even apart from tea ambitions, it's a lovely

Sudden Bad Weather at Harvest Time

2010-03-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

The latest word from China is that a powerful cold snap has spread snow, ice, and frost throughout eastern China as far south as Guangdong - not the forecast you want to read as the harvest approaches and tea plants are producing tender shoots. And there may be more bad weather on the way. One bright spot: it appears that Yunnan, in the far southwest, escaped the damage. Roy is hopeful that

It's Official: Roy Closes Escrow on the Tea Farm Property!

2010-03-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

Thursday marked an important milestone in the history of Imperial Tea Court: Roy closed escrow on the 23-acre property here in Northern California that he's planning to turn into an active tea farm! We're all excited and can't wait to visit the site we've heard so much about. Now Roy has turned to making travel arrangements for his imminent trip to China to manage the spring green tea harvest,