In the same way that zazen's significance is even more profound in that it is "just sitting" (and yet so much more?), the experience of a fine beverage is, if anything, enhanced by "just sipping" and nothing more or less.
I was just rooting around in some pu'erh and found this sample that must've fallen into effective invisibility among the larger Hou De bags.
So I preheated a kyusu, and spooned 4.8 grams of leaf to several ounces of water cooled down slightly from a rolling boil to infuse for 3 minutes.
The result was the fine cup of tea shown here.
It's a thick, dark brew with a clean, earthy smell. While I love my white, yellow, and green tea, I was raised on strong tea the Southern tradition, and this one hits the spot.
Weekends allow you to do normally crazy things with abandon, like drinking obscene amounts of tea. Sign me up!
This morning I had a few cups of Miyabi sencha to part the haze of sleep. On a normal day, you don't necessarily need any more boost to get through the day.
So are we done? Heck no!
It's too nasty outside to go play, so it's time to get teadrunk.
Tea? How about a little yerba in the mix.... [digs around, produces re-purposed Adagio sample tin containing...] Guayaki!
The Guayaki was a hardcore deep brown, with a pleasant "Saturday morning" sort of aroma and a light smokiness it took my a while to put words to.
I liked it. Time passed.
What will pair well with chicken, veggies, and rice for lunch? How about one of these nameless tuo cha salsero sent me?
These are compressed single-serve shou puerh tea nuggets, and need to be rinsed a bit in boiling water to open them up for the actual infusion process.
After that, they're good for multiple infusions.
Time passes. So..... What else is in this box here?
Next comes Lochan Premium Assam Tips, 2nd Flush.
Wow, is this some good tea, perhaps the most enjoyable of the day thus far. (Not turning my back on Miyabi, Ed, I swear!)
There are far worse ways to spend a day after a long week's work than with tea and snacks.
But even at work, I manage to treat myself a bit.
Yesterday, for instance, I was breaking in a new gaiwan at the office, which I saw fit to record for posterity.
