I was longing for something other than dark oolongs and sheng pu erh, even if I love those. Many if my teapots sit unused, though, and I decided to buy some “green” oolong from Cooenhagens oldest teashop, A.C. Perch. My tastebuds have changed since I bought it years ago, and got used to something else, high mountain oolongs from teamasters.com from Taiwan, hojo.com or wanglingteahouse.com. I was a bit sceptic about the scent from the big metal box they keep teas in, and bought the smallest amout, 50 g, and trying to get the best out of it.
Choosing the utensils is always nice. I wanted this light green feeling, the closest which chinese/taiwanese teas come to my lovely japanese sencha drinking (totally different of course). So I complemented that GREENESS with a green teacup, white inside, handmade in Prague and bought in a teahouse there, then my green oolong terracotta teapot and a wooden plate underneath, and the green-white paperbag from Perchs. With that, chosen reading was a poetry collection by danish poet Rolf Gjedsted, with a green-white photo on the front.
1. brew. Probably too warm water right from the termos, even if I cooled it in the teacup for 10-15 seconds. 30 seconds brew, pour. Some of the astringent smell from the teabox still in the smell of the liquor, but smoother. Taste mild, light, green, with quite a sweet aftertaste, honeydew like (honey DEW, what is that, really…?)
After all these decisions, calmness falls upon me (can you say that in english?). Again I am baffled by the peace that comes over me, after drinking one cup, and lifting my head up from the tasting, the reading, writing. The foggy white sea and skies outside are so everlasting calm. They hit my gaze without a blink and keep me locked right there. Boom. Everything falls like the so-much-talked-about settling mud in a glass of water, in taoist classic Tao Te Ching. Boom. Back to yourself. Face it. Be there. Stay there. And everything is GOOD.
2. brew. How long did it take to write the last paragraph? That was the brewing time of Green Fragrant Jade, second brew… Darker yellow colour of liquor with a greenish touch. Looks pleasant in the teacup, green outside, but white inside. I prefer teacups white inside. Tastes more bitter already. Whike I continue drinking, here onf of the poems:
“TRAPPER (Rolf Gjedsted)
Ingen forlader / i virkeligheden nogen / eller bliver forladt. / Nogen hører op / på samme måde, / som det begyndte engang. / … / I det uendeluge mørke, / der altid har været her, / hvor vi ikke længere er, / og hvor hver ting kalder på / sin egen skygge.”
Best, Ulla
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