Belgium
The first thing I think of when I hear Belgium is Smurfs thanks to an extra credit question my sister's high school Sociology teacher always asked. In fact, when I was a child, my grandmother made me a cake that looked like a Smurf house, and decorated it with Smurf miniatures. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of it, but that is a distinct advantage of having a grandmother who decorated wedding cakes. We got totally awesome birthday cakes.
From my 8th grade French class, I remember that Belgium is a country that borders France. The other thing I know about Belgium is that lace making by hand is still on display for tourists to marvel at. Specifically, bobbin lace. While I know that the ladies who work at the bobbin lace rooms are much better at making it than me, I still try (and enjoy it). Belgium is a highly urban country with a high population density, and they are at a language crossroads with people speaking Flemish, French, and German. They have a tiny border on the North Sea. While it is described as a low lying country, the landscape in the southeast rises to the Ardennes.
The only reference I found to tea was a short video showing some architecture of the region, followed by having a cup of very pale tea with some treats. I wracked my brain for a tea that pale, and came to the conclusion that it must be something like silver needle tea. So I had to go out and buy some to try.
This is my absolute first tasting of this tea. It is a little more expensive, but not out of the league of some of the other teas I have boughten. I decided I had to give it a gong fu brewing for first taste. Silver needle tea is a white tea made from the bud of the tea plant.
Yes, I got my very pale tea. This was after the rinse and the first brewing.
This was at the end of the session. These leaves hold up really well to gong fu brewing. I use a 16 oz thermos to hold my water for brewing, and these leaves could have gone on longer. I, however, was done after the 16 oz of water had been used (that's my usual limit with gong fu brewing by myself). This is a tea that lives up to its reputation of high quality. It has a very delicate flavor, and I found hints of cherry when I aerated it in my mouth. Definitely a favorite to add to the rotation.
From my 8th grade French class, I remember that Belgium is a country that borders France. The other thing I know about Belgium is that lace making by hand is still on display for tourists to marvel at. Specifically, bobbin lace. While I know that the ladies who work at the bobbin lace rooms are much better at making it than me, I still try (and enjoy it). Belgium is a highly urban country with a high population density, and they are at a language crossroads with people speaking Flemish, French, and German. They have a tiny border on the North Sea. While it is described as a low lying country, the landscape in the southeast rises to the Ardennes.
The only reference I found to tea was a short video showing some architecture of the region, followed by having a cup of very pale tea with some treats. I wracked my brain for a tea that pale, and came to the conclusion that it must be something like silver needle tea. So I had to go out and buy some to try.
This is my absolute first tasting of this tea. It is a little more expensive, but not out of the league of some of the other teas I have boughten. I decided I had to give it a gong fu brewing for first taste. Silver needle tea is a white tea made from the bud of the tea plant.
Yes, I got my very pale tea. This was after the rinse and the first brewing.
This was at the end of the session. These leaves hold up really well to gong fu brewing. I use a 16 oz thermos to hold my water for brewing, and these leaves could have gone on longer. I, however, was done after the 16 oz of water had been used (that's my usual limit with gong fu brewing by myself). This is a tea that lives up to its reputation of high quality. It has a very delicate flavor, and I found hints of cherry when I aerated it in my mouth. Definitely a favorite to add to the rotation.
I just hope no Smurfs fall into Belgian tea and drown.
ReplyDeleteI'm staying away from mushroom based tea, so I'm not using any Smurf houses...
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