As most of you know by now Chicago Tea Garden is closing. So I saw this as my last chance to try and get my hands on a Pu-erh and Zealong I’d had my eye on for some time. Lucky for me I was able to snatch up one of the last two pouches of Wild Orange Pu-erh (Thank you again Tony!)
My order from Chicago Tea Garden – Sadly my first and last…
I broke my own rule of not opening new teas right away…well because I’d been really wanting to try this one for quite some time. So I did. I also knew I had just the seasoned pot to do it in too!
Squeaker to the rescue!
That’s right – I broke out Squeaker to do the honors. After all I’d prepped him for pu-erhs and it was time for him to give it his all. Let me tell you he did very well! I added in what I had seen others suggest for this tea and also included a bit of the peel in with the leaves as I’d also heard this too was a must. I loved the dry leaf smell, very much like a Pu-erh, but with a great hint of orange that had my mouth watering.
I think it looks like he’s attempting to sniff at my tea. Get your own buddy, this one is MINE.
My first infusion was all pu-erh with the hint of something more to come. The second infusion brought out more of the orange flavoring I had smelled with the dry leaf. It was worth the waite really. By the third infusion (where I am now) I’m getting a light orange bit of sorts on the finish. Which I might have said months ago was just weird and wrong….actually months ago I would have NEVER thought of trying a pu-erh let along one like this. Sadly, my tiny cup and pot are empty…which means I need more!
But I do want to wish Tony the best with his future tea plans. He isn’t going anywhere he tells us. In fact he plans to be more involved! Which I naturally think is awesome. So I wish him much tea and happiness in his future and thank him for some truly fantastic teas!
This week look for two, that’s right TWO more posts from me.
*Say Goodbye – Dave Matthews Band
anxiously waiting
I think the next one will be going up tomorrow. Depending on the rest of what i need to do this week the other may come as late as Saturday.
very cute, I love the mouse!
Thank you! I found him at Teavana at a nice discount! Who knew…actually gladI stopped in!
I find it fascinating how our tastes can change and develop. There are definitely aromas in tea that seemed odd and unpleasant to me at first, but that I developed a taste for and came to really love. I’m actually drinking a greener oolong right now, a Vietnamese oolong from Simpson and Vail, and I love it. But I remember these sorts of teas tasting bland, soapy, and skunky to me, and not really enjoying them much at all. Now I love them.
I still find I’m picky about Pu-erh. I don’t know much about it, but I definitely find that there are quite a few that I’m less a fan of. The one Pu-erh I tried from Tony’s Chicago Tea Garden, I absolutely loved…it was the large leaf from old trees. It’s sad that he’s closing his business!
“Get your own buddy, this one is MINE.”
Come on share with it.
I know it is difficult but I am sure you can do it.