Introduction!~

Let’s start with the introductions, shall we?

My name is Lisette and I have a big passion for tea. In this blog I will be talking about tea and what I love so much about it. My passion for tea led me to the ITC Academy, where I started my journey to become a Tea sommelier. So, I have a lot to talk about! This entry will mostly serve as an introduction to my world of tea and some general information.

I’ve been drinking tea for as long as I can remember. Of course, like most people I grew up with drinking tea. Although the tea I mostly drank came from using teabags. At home we often used brands like Pickwick or Lipton. They are good brands, the tea is of good quality but they are often mixed with aromas. I can’t exactly remember, but one day my mom brought home some leave tea. And well, once you drink leave tea, you’ll never want to use teabags again. At least for me it worked that way. Since then I’ve been drinking tea, using tealeaves.

People often think that the tea in teabags is of less quality then tealeaves. But that is not necessarily true. For teabags, tea dust is used. Dust is a leftover product from producing tea. The quality of the dust depends on the quality of the processed tea leaves. To make sure the product is affordable good quality leave dust is often mixed with the lesser quality. This doesn’t make the tea from teabags a ‘bad’ tea to drink of course. But for me personally, I often find the tea to bitter to drink. So I prefer my tealeaves. Even tea from tealeaves can be bitter. When Green tea is steeped with boiling hot water for a longer time, it too, will become bitter. Everyone has different tastes. That’s a good thing. The world would be pretty boring if everyone liked the same stuff.

Regarding Green tea, sometimes I do like it to be bitter. It’s kind of refreshing to drink bitter tea once in a while. Although, to enjoy the tea to its fullest, drinking it bitter is not preferred. Since everyone has their own tastes and own preferences, there are a lot of different ways to prepare tea. When tealeaves are bought, costumers are often provided with an advice about the ideal temperature and steeping time.

In general the following is advised:
The amount of tea used per liter water is 10-12 grams. Of course, more or less tea can be used.

Steeping time and temperature:
Green tea: 50-80 degrees and 2 minutes steeping time.
Oolong tea: 80-95 degrees and 90 seconds-2 minutes steeping time.
Black tea: 80-95 degrees and 2-5 minutes steeping time.
White tea: 70-80 degrees and 90 seconds-2 minutes steeping time.
Pu erh: 90-100 degrees and 2-5 minutes steeping time.

But, the most important thing is to drink tea according to your own tastes. I do love to tell others about my way of drinking tea, and the teas that I serve to my guests. My guests are often surprised by the teas I serve them. Even though most of them can be bought easily, it is also a matter of preparing the tea.

For now, let’s leave it at this. I hope to write an entry on a regular base, talking about my study to become a Tea sommelier and the teas I drink. I will conclude this entry with a list of the teas I have (or by now, had) at home. The next entry will be about my first two schooldays!

Cheers! ~Liset

Teas:

Green tea:

- Japanese Cherry

- Japan Kukicha bio

- Chun Mee

- Lentedauw Mao Feng (Spring thaw)

- Pi Lo Chun Green

- Snow Bud Lu Xue Ya

- Genmaicha

- Kabuse Sencha

- White Jasmine Pearls

- Japanese Bancha

- White Buddha

- Gunpowder

- Korean Jade Dragon

Oolong tea:

- Oolong Green

- Oolong Formosa

Black tea:

- Lapsang Souchong

- Witte puntjes (White dots)

- English Melange

- China Melange (It's a milder Lapsang I guess)

- China Golden Downy

Fermented tea:

- Pu Erh

White tea:

- China Pai Mu Tan

Non tea:

Rooibos:

- Rooibos natural

- Rooibos winter

- Rooibos Chai

- Rooibos Green

- Rooibos with Chocolate and caramel

- Rooibos with Cocos and chocolate

Melanges:

- Rest melange