Excerpt:
As we tasted each tea and experimented with food pairings, Roberta explained where they were grown and how they are processed, providing visual aids to show the distinctiveness of each region's tea manufacturing process.
News & Announcements
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Throughout the tasting, Cinnabar shared information about tea production and development in different countries across Africa. In many countries, tea production is limited to three seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn), so it can be surprising to learn that tea is grown year-round in countries like Kenya.
TRUE TEAS OF AFRICA
Hosted by Cinnabar Wright (Phoenix Tea)
At this focused tasting on May 21st, we tasted teas grown and produced in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Rwanda. There were an array of widely different teas selected from the categories of white, green, black, oolong, and a "dark" tea (puer style). Each country's teas have their own distinctive character, and these teas were all high quality and carefully produced, not the commodity teas that African countries are known for producing. The teas in the tasting were all true teas, from the Camellia sinensis plant, not herbals like Rooibos, which is grown and produced in South Africa, or Karkady, which is grown in Nigeria and Sudan.
AGARWOOD PUERH TASTING
Hosted by Jeffrey McIntosh (Teabook)
On April 16th, we journeyed to one of the most ancient and elite experiences from the East. The featured item for this event was the renowned Agarwood Puerh Tea. This wood, in combination with tea has been used for its strong health benefits and calming effects for thousands of years. We tasted this rare and unique tea first hand and engaged in live conversation with tea master Jeffrey McIntosh about the agarwood and puerh.
TEAS OF VIETNAM
Hosted by Cinnabar Wright (Phoenix Tea)
Our March 19th World of Tea event was a focused tasting of five different teas from Vietnam, with selections of green, black, and oolong teas. These are fine teas that are not typically found on offer from tea sellers in the United States. We hope you found them surprisingly delicious.
A TREASURE TROVE OF JAPANESE TEAS
Hosted by Heather Porter (Hanamichi)
This was an adventure in tasting several of the fine Japanese teas that were brought back by Heather Porter (who writes the blog Hanamichi) on her most recent trip to Japan. On February 20th, we tasted several excellent quality teas, using fine Japanese tea wares in their preparation and consumption.
A couple of the teas:
Kamigokoro is a kabusecha from Ocha no Kanbayashi in Uji. The Kanbayashi family began producing tea in Uji in the mid-16th century and are the only tea family in the region to continue to produce tea through the upheavals of the Meiji Restoration and into modern times.
Tougenkyou from Cha Cha no Ma in Tokyo was hand-plucked from new tea plants in Shizuoka. The name is Japanese for Shangri-la, the Peach Blossom Land, and refers to the delicate peach overtones of this sencha.
LUNAR NEW YEAR PARTY!
Hosted by Phoenix Tea
We started off the 2016 World of Tea series on February 12th with a new year party, celebrating the Year of the Monkey! We had exciting and delicious Chinese teas, but nothing picked by monkeys!
A TASTE OF GEORGIA
Hosted by Perennial Tea Room & Phoenix Tea
The December 19th World of Tea event was an exploration of tea and culture from the Republic of Georgia. Georgia was established as a tea growing region during the Soviet era, and small farms continued producing high quality teas in small batches long after the collapse of the USSR. We tasted three different teas grown and produced in Georgia, and guests had the opportunity to try two versions of a Georgian specialty called a Churchkhela, made with concentrated grape, with nuts and sometimes coconut. The event began with a film on Georgian tea production, featuring one of the producers of the teas we tasted. Georgian teas are bold, distinctive, and wonderful!
Excerpt:
While we listened to traditional Georgian polyphonic singing, Cinnabar shared a gorgeous example of teaware that might be used in Georgia, with handle-less teacups closely resembling bowls.
World of Tea Series: A Taste of Georgia
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As with previous years, having all that tea in one place seemed to chase the clouds away, providing festival-goers with warm weather and blue skies. This year, a minor layout change provided more space for workshops and vendor booths and more room for movement for the amazing number of attendees.
Northwest Tea Festival 2015
