Finding Comfort in Tea from Ancient China
Watch as I discuss looking to ancient Chinese poems about tea for comfort during times of high anxiety today.
Tea in Ancient China
A Mini (as in broadstroke highlights) tea history in ancient China before the year 1368 AD.
Classic Chinese Paintings Depicting Tea Drinking
View classic Chinese scroll paintings from as early as the Song Dynasty depicting tea drinking.
Tea and Connections to Antiquity
Looking at a 6th century painting in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, China we contemplate what connecting tea and ancient rituals means for Tranquil Tuesdays.
Honoring Ancestors on Qing Ming
Examining a classical Chinese painting about Qing Ming and thinking about tea ancestors.
Chaozhou, a Gong Fu tea city
Visit Chaozhou to feel the chill vibes of a city where it feels like sipping tea with a bunch of other people could sprout up any moment outside on one of the quiet streets.
Ancient Tea Trees in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan
View photos of ancient tea trees growing in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan in the region acknowledged as the indigenous root of the tea plant.
Tea Retreat at Moganshan, Zhejiang
View photos from a unique place where you stay amongst tea fields in Moganshan in Zhejiang Province a formerly glamorous getaway for the glitterati of Shanghai in the 1920’s and 30’s.
Xiamen, the Historical Tea Trading Port of Amoy
READ a quick glimpse at the tea trading history of Xiamen aka Amoy.
Ancient Tea Horse Road
Exploring the Ancient Tea Horse Road, an 1000 year old trading route, we will illuminate the exciting adventure and travel elements of Pu'er tea’s long history.
The 150 year history of Qimen Keemun Tea
Why Qimen is also known as Keemun, how it ended up being a black tea made in a region mostly known for green teas, and how it became a global superstar of black teas.
Qing Ming Jie—Tomb Sweeping Festival and the Spring Tea Harvest
Learn the relationship between the spring tea harvest and one of China’s ancient holidays to honor ancestors and the dead.
Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Celebrating an ancient Chinese cultural holiday in the 21st century.
Tea and Caffeine
Tea and Caffeine is a big topic, but we start with debunking the top two myths surrounding the topic.
Cooling Down with Hot Tea
Watch a video where I make green tea and discuss the traditional Chinese medicine concept of heating and cooling foods and how hot tea can be a cooling drink.
Tea and a Health in Chinese Philosophy
Traditional Chinese philosophy defines health as balance and harmony. This is a discussion of how tea fits into that and can contribute to helping us achieve balance and harmony in our bodies.
Terroirs and Tea
Read to learn what terroir means in relationship to tea and why it matters.
What Makes Chinese Tea Special
The three factors that to me, make Chinese tea special and distinctive from other tea cultures.
Appreciating Single Origin Teas
Watch a video where I discuss single origin teas vs. scented and blended teas while brewing a cup of Phoenix Honey Orchid oolong tea in a gaiwan.
Designing a Teapot in Jingdezhen
View photos to glimpse some of the process in designing and crafting a teapot with artisans in Jingdezhen.