Senior Tea Taster / Senior Tea Artist

Finally, my gold medals have arrived…

Last year, I took a two-week training in a tea college in China, and passed the exams of senior tea taster and senior tea artist which are held and certified by China government .

Now, I could proudly announced that I am a certified tea taster and tea artist.  From now on, I will open a new session “Tea School” here and share with you what I’ve learned about tea.

How to brew Oriental Beauty Tea / 如何泡東方美人茶

Oriental Beauty (Photo credit: chadao)

An alternative steeping method I learned a few days ago, it could be used in other twisted shape tea, incl. Red Jade/ TTES#18 (紅玉/台茶18號), Red Rhythm/ TTES#21 (紅韻/台茶21號), Red of 4  seasons (四季紅), or Pouchong.  

This works best for the people who do not like much in astringent  taste.  Try it sometime!

Visit a Tea Seed & Nursery Filed in Mingjiang / 拜訪名間的鴻興茶苗培育行

Left: Mr. Kang, the owner / Right: Me

This week, I paid a visit to a tea seed & nursery field in Mingjiang.  The owner, Mr. Kang, has many years experiences in nurturing tea cultivars.  He is also the person who owns the right of two newly developed cultivars from TRES (Tea Research and Extension Station) :  Biyu/ TTES#19 (碧玉/台茶19號) and Yingxiang/ TTES#20 (迎香/台茶20號)  Any transaction of these tea plants needs Mr. Kang’s approval.

Definitely the most luxury tasting in 2013 Nantou Global TeaExpo

10 Taiwanese Champion teas are ready for tasting

It is definitely the most luxury tasting I’ve ever made!!!

2013 Nantou Global TeaExpo from 5th, Oct., 2013 ~27th, Oct., 2013 is holding a “Golden Tasting” event, offering 17 different exquisite Taiwanese teas to taste, 10 teas per time, only cost NTD100.  It makes a pretty good deal…

Do you know the actual meaning of Lapsang Souchong / 正山小種紅茶?

Lapsang souchong (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A friend in LinkedIn, Thomas Kasper, asked me if I sell Lapsang Souchong (正山小種)?

I said “Sorry, I only sell Taiwanese tea.  As far as my knowledge, Lapsang Souchong is from China.”

It should be the end of the story.  But, there was something weird which arouse my curiosity.  In Chinese, we call Lapsang Souchong as 正山小種, pronounced like ” Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong”   I can relate Souchong to XiaoZhong, but Lapsang is nothing like ZhengShan.

Then, there are two questions following

1. What is the meaning of the Chinese name “Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong” /正山小種?
2. Where did the translation “Lapsang Souchong” come from? and what is its meaning?