Cupping the Great Outdoors

Tea Cupping Set and Airpots

Given the incredible SF Weather the past couple of weeks, I took my ritual tea cupping time to the great outdoors.  This project was all about finding inspiration for the next great addition to the T-We Tea lineup.  I, a Virgo, find my peace and harmony surrounded in greenery and vast expanses so what better place than the picturesque Golden Gate Park.  I packed up my little Echo with a gym bag of vendor tea samples, cupping sets in their perfect containers, and an airport of just boiled water.  Little did I know what kind of journey this would bring…

My first choice of location was the Chinese Pavilion located on Stow Lake.  I was just there a few days prior visiting with a friend, and the serene water and pure beauty of the pavilion is the idyllic spot to revel in tea.  I parked my car and begin my journey of schlepping tea things (story of my life) to the bridge to cross onto the island where the pavilion is located.  To my suprise, a construction truck met me at the bridge crossing with a sign translating “None Shall Pass.”   Me being an outstanding citizen with a high morale code decided not to rent the paddle boat to cross onto the forbidden island and taste tea.  I moved on…

Cupping Keemuns. One on the right was the best!

Next stop, I found the most spectacular glen equipped with vast picnic areas with benches, grills, and what other material may be required to host a party equipped with a moonjump.  The expanse of this valley was stunning, and the countless tables guaranteed that I wouldn’t be bothered by another soul.  Here, I setup shop and began my ellarborate OCD procedure for tasting teas.  I dove into a battle of 3 Keemuns all vying for my love and final sales order.  I was in my element.  Inspired by the alluring smokey aromas, I was on journaling away in this serene and peaceful environment UNTIL a band of 8-10 rogue hipsters decided their ideal ‘Snoop Dog Themed Picnic’ location was located 10 feet from my table.  WTF!  Out of the 100 empty tables presenting them self to the hipsters, how come they need to cluster next to the guy with some wacky airpot and little porcelain sets.  When one shouted, “What we drinking?” to the response of “PBR” (seriously, it doesn’t get more cliche than this), I knew it was time for me to admit defeat and pack up and move onwards.  Ohh hipsters…

Last stop was a small expanse of grass where I just setup shop on the ground in a little dirt patch.  Here, I was able to get two more cuppings finished looking at Indian Black Teas and then a round of Chinese Greens and Oolongs.  At this point, the game of homeless man frisbee that I was volunteered as the center of the throwing field did not sway me in my spot and I stood my ground to finish the damn tea cuppings.

Moral of the story, next time I think I will just open my window from my apartment.

Tea Cupping the Great Outdoors

Cooking with the Single Guy Reviews DIY Tea Blending

Hey tea friends,

From my recent back to back DIY Tea Blending Class (Thanks Daily Candy!) at Workshop, I had the pleasure of meeting a new tea friend Ben, a great food blogger from  the site, Cooking with the Single Guy.  In his review he shares his journey in creating his own signature tea blend.  Artfully done and I am appreciative for his insight.  Check it out!!!

Cooking with the Single Guy – Blog Post – Blending Tea at Workshop SF

Christopher C

Tea Outside the Box

Frisco Teapot Box in Dolores Park

G’Day Everyone!

This weekend I had quite a lovely Sunday in Dolores Park.  I had the pleasure to serve tea at the Frisco TeaPot’s experiential event on “Place”.  Never ceasing to amaze, TeaPot built an experiential box that looked out onto the cityscape.  It was one of the most glorious November days I have ever experienced with warm air, sunshine, and tea.  I served up some Vietnamese Organic Nam Lahn Black Tea, a Chinese Dark Oolong, and the fabulous Hawaiian Coffee Cherry Tisane (previous blog post).  It was a perfect symphony focusing on place utilizing pure single origin teas.

Check out the friscoteapot.wordpress.com blog to be in the know on where they will pop up next.  Also, “Like” them on Facebook to see what all the fun is about!  TeaPot Facebook

Guerrilla Tea Party This Weekend

A Lovely Invitation

Hi Tea Friends,

Come one, come all!  Tea drinkers are invited to join a movement to take back the tea party!  Enjoy an afternoon of community, beauty, and tea.  Free!  Wear your rainboots and bring an umbrella, rain or shine.  Bring a picnic blanket too!

Date/Time: Sunday, August 1, 2pm

Takeover Location:  Alamo Square Park, Painted Ladies, @ Steiner and Hayes.

Bring what:  Rainboots, umbrellas, picnic blanket, whimsy.

See you there!

Make tea, not war…

Christopher C

Something’s Steeping in San Francisco

Hi friends!

Mark your calendars. Sunday, August 1, 2pm, Alamo Square Park.  A tea revolution is coming. Rain or shine, wear your rainboots and bring umbrellas.

Free!

Details to follow…

Happy 4th of July!

Hello tea friends!

Today I wish you a special day of relaxation and fun, celebrating with each other and our nation’s special day.

It has been quite a relaxing day thus far.  I went on a run, which quickly turned into a walk.  I had a fantastic brunch, and right now I am sipping my cup of tea (Assam from the Molkalbari Estate).  I also used this special occasion to open my vacuum packed New Zealand oolong tea, which I am interspersedly enjoying alongside the Assam.  More information to come about the Zealong tea in the coming days.

Also, I am working on a fabulous new tea movement which I will invite you to immediately once the date is set.

TTFN!

Did the Tea Gent Just Say Coffee Cherry Tisane?

Coffee Cherry Tisane

I wanted to mix things up this morning in my daily cupping session, so I ventured into what some tea specialists considered “no man’s land.”  Coffee!  Ok, so I haven’t been struck down by a lightning bolt just yet, but as a tea specialist, I want to push the culinary aspect of the leaf and try to incorporate new and innovative ideas into my developing tea blends.

This little gem is known as the Coffee Cherry.  It is the fruit that surrounds the coffee bean.  In order to make the tisane, the growers sun-dry the hull that surrounds the coffee bean.  Talk about using every bit in the production of a product!  I sourced this gem from a great company in Hawaii, Coffees of Hawaii (buy American!), and I am doing my best to find the perfect recipe to incorporate into my blends.  I see a very bright future for this concept and hope I can bring you a stellar mix.

The initial smells I got were cayenne pepper and cocoa nibs.  There is also an inherent sweetness in the scent.  The elixir brews golden/orange/brown with little flecks like you see in the bottom of your coffee mug.  The flavor is so interesting you just want to dive in further.  Ripe berries, pomegranate, feint taste of that coffee fruit note, lingering tartness, oh my!  The fruit surrounding the coffee bean is loaded with antioxidants, so if that doesn’t motivate you enough, just drink it for the incredible flavor.  It is known to have a small amount of caffeine.

Thank you for listening…

Does TEA Cure Everything?

When I tell people I am a Tea Specialist, I generally get the question yearning for quick fixes. “I need a tea that will help me slim down, I need a tea that will help me pass my LSAT exam, I need a tea that will cure my Hepatitus C,” all of these are valid needs in our lives but can damage the impression that is TEA.

Now I remember the times I have guzzled a cup of hot tea right before an interview thinking it will summon my creative mind and channel elloquency. Beyond a burnt tongue, I don’t know if the tea did all that it was destined to serve in that instance. What it did do was create a moment of ritual where I told myself I will become creative and elloquent, and I believe there is a lot of beauty and power in that act.

Tea cannot instantly cure and solve those instances. In regards to body and weight, tea can begin and inspire a healthy lifestyle where one replaces more harmful bevs (the sugared, the coffee, the fattening) with something that serves to hydrate and provides you with the countless flavors found in the beauty of tea.

Here is a recommendation: try an oolong tea and instead of just steeping it once, steep it throughout your day. The flavors of oolong teas are known to develop, providing you a flavor-filled experience throughout your day. Each cup will possess a lower amount of caffeine than the previous and each will serve to hydrate you more than the previous. Plus I’ve experienced an incredible amount of focus doing this through the entire day.

Dru Yoga, Sir Hops-A-Lot!

So tonight I took an exploration into the unordinary and attended a session of Dru Yoga.  Dru Yoga was developed in the UK so is a very western take on the yoga practice.  Not knowing what I was getting into, a super cute Canuk (that’s Canadian) led the practice and explained that this is not your average yoga.  ”Sure, I said!” not thinking it was not like my average yoga.

Lo and behold we begin with an exercise of hopping to some of the cutest darn music I’ve heard in years, almost like the Rugrats theme song.  Hopping aimlessly into space.  Channeling youthful energy.  Up and up we go!  Then we start slapping every part of our body to awaken and relieve stress.  I giggle as we start slapping our butts.  A remarkable experiment into being young again.

Philippe Halsman had a theory called jumpology where one’s true identity was revealed in how one jumped and he captured those moments at the height of their leap.  Food for thought…

Philippe Halsman Jumpology

A Moment for Beauty

I’m sitting here drinking a cup of Ginseng Oolong (Courtesy of my brother from his trip to China), and I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on an instance of gratitude for that which is beautiful in the world.

I did one of my favorite things in the world today!  Bulk bin shopping at Rainbow grocery with my gal pal Chelsea!!!  Today my focus was gathering every color of the rainbow in lentil beans.  It is absolutely wondrous that there is so much variety in a simple bean, and I took this photo to showcase that beauty.  It may be silly that I write about beans, but to me that is one more instance for beauty in this world.  One more thing, if you haven’t dipped your hand into a bin of beans (of course after washing it), you haven’t lived.

The fruits of my bulk bin trip today