Manhattan Tea Blog

an underground journey

2008-06-21T22:42:00.013-04:00

So rather than taking pictures of the beautiful day outside, I decided to instead get familiar with my new camera and take some pictures inside the flourescent jungle that is the NYC subway system. There is some blur in the pictures below as I didn't have enough time to get a steady photo and still capture the movement with a better ISO and slower shutter - i.e. I was in a rush to board a train. Anyone have any suggestions about this?

With pictures like the ones above, I wanted to evoke the feeling of entering some sort of dungeon.

But there is life in this dungeon. note: how many asian accordionists have you ever seen?

I like this composition a lot.

a sign of the times

2008-06-20T15:21:00.002-04:00

how can one discern

between ghetto and affluent?

an open starbucks

The Superest (tea edition)

2008-06-19T16:36:00.009-04:00

this self described "continually running game of My Team, Your Team" (see link in title) is truly one of the more constantly updated delights of the web. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, the site consists of drawings of superheroes, each designed to defeat the previous superhero. For those of you who have yet to visit, it is a good waste of time filled with safe for work humor. Some selections below:

this is of course defeated by this character. Of some resemblance to yours truly:

Further down the chain of superheroes, we get this lovely character:

now please do go and waste some time.

Tea & Sympathy (a review)

2008-06-19T11:17:00.008-04:00

go here to view my review criteria.

Charming. That is the only acceptable one word description for any patron of Tea & Sympathy. It is not, I daresay, a fairy-wand-malfunction caused restaurant interior kind of charming, but a home away from home I only wished I had so that I could be a more interesting person kind of charming. Cramped may be another that comes to mind, though for reverse claustrophobics such as myself (claustrophilics? that sounds too much like a sexual disorder), that isn't too much of a problem. All this charm is necessary for us non-Brits who unfortunately do not have the rose-tinted glasses for the oh so comforting but plain English fare. Apparently, the food isn't spectacular, but mind-blowing food is not the reason that people spend their money here. This is a place for the homesick. A place for those who want to feel smothered with the cozy feel of low light, hanging portraits of the queen, and eat food that feels like its been made with love (perhaps an effect of fat content?). That is a charm I can appreciate. Even the waitstaff is charming, though in that seemingly short-tempered though its probably because I am not British and I can't relate kind of way (I swear that will be the last near sentence long descriptive phrase I will use in this review).

Having said all that, I do wish you potential patrons luck in getting a seat at this place. Its popularity is well known so a moderate wait is more than likely. Those who are looking for a venue to hold a small tea party between friends could hold it here though there are really better and more appropriate venues for that kind of frouffy activity - not that I disapprove of course. Really, those in the know go here either for the food (which I have yet fully try and thus cannot review) or the cream tea which consists of two scones/biscuits, clotted cream, jam, and a pot of tea:

At a little over 10 dollars for the entire setup, it might seem a little expensive for those on a budget (please tip well). However, the experience is well worth it as there are few places in the city where you can even find clotted cream, jam, and scones at the same and particularly charming place. My only complaint is that the scones were rather cool the first time I received them - warm or at least room temperature would have been nice. The afternoon tea on the other hand is pricey at best and a waste of caloric intake at worst. I might have been better satisfied had I been allowed to share the tower with a friend, albeit with a second pot of tea. Unfortunately, sharing is not an option.

Regardless, the above selection is rather lackluster - though perhaps I shouldn't have expected any better. The cakes, though decent, lacked excitement, or even any hint of luxuriousness which isn't very difficult to work into a cake. The scones, despite my good review above, could not hold up the rest of the service especially at that price point. Really, most of the fault lies in their fingerling sandwiches which really depressed the entire experience with their oh so bland flavor. True, I should not have expected more out of mayo, bread, and assorted ingredients (my way of relating its forgettability). I just couldn't shake the feeling of wanting something more. Perhaps I have been spoiled by other establishments and their more resplendent offerings at lower prices.

The tea can be best described as of consistent quality - and by that I mean that it is forgivable. Those expecting at least "Far Too Good For Ordinary People" grade leaf should stay away as it will definitely not be your cup of tea. However, those of us willing to come down from our lofty perches will not recoil in horror. The leaf grades used in these lovely porcelain pots are not of the best quality - though not my personal taste, the pots are rather an entertaining and necessary part of the atmosphere. Although there is a respectable collection of flavored and brand name bagged teas, most of the single region selections are few and far between and of regular quality. The tea is also served loose in the pot (traditional I suppose) and comes with an English tea strainer to catch the leaves. While being a slightly better way of serving tea than using crumpled up removable strainers, I still have a large problem with serving tea in this way. Not only does it rely on the customer's knowledge of tea strength (which is sometimes absent), it also puts those customers who do have such knowledge on an unnecessary clock by forcing them to be mindful of the remaining leaves. The risk of an overbrewed second cup is so high that it might as well be unavoidable. For some concoctions which consist mostly of herbals or rooibos, this might not be a problem. However, for traditional blends such as earl grey and average grade single leaf varieties, bitterness is an all too often result of this method of serving tea. Milk is the only option left for those not wanting to waste liquid. As a purist, however, this is an all too depressing outcome (I don't drink Assams much either). Yet, it must be remembered that Tea & Sympathy is less about the tea as it is about having a British dining experience - which is why it lacks the focus and meticulousness of other tea specialty establishments.

The store, Carry On Tea & Sympathy is equally, if not more charming than the actual eating establishment. With a large stock of consumables, tea, porcelain and other tea brewing paraphernalia, shopping here can be a lovely experience.

Regular tea purchasers should note that the store does not carry any bulk loose-leaf tea. However, this deficiency is somewhat vindicated by the large selection of prepackaged bagged and loose-leaf varieties on sale. Though hardly breaking the boundaries of the traditional British implements, the sheer volume of porcelain and other paraphernalia is still impressive. A sample of what is available can be found on the website (see link within title of post). In addition to tea related goods, there is an impressive selection of British goods on sale such as candies and souvenir type baubles for those looking to purchase. All in all, the store, like the restaurant, is more of a collection of British related goods than it is strictly a tea store. That being said, the store still carries an impressive amount of tea related goods as tea is very important aspect of that culture. Those looking for a regular shop to fulfill their tea-drinking needs could be more than satisfied shopping here, though there are many better options around the city and on the Internet.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Despite the charm of the establishment, the tea and the afternoon tea set can leave those looking for a top notch tea experience wanting for more. The tea is of your standard quality so those expecting high end leaf grades should either lower their expectations or turn away. Sadly, those looking for a perfect afternoon tea are likely to be disappointed as well due to lackluster tea sandwiches and your average quality cakes. A shining light can be found, however, in the scone/biscuit service which is generally well priced for the experience. All in all, the selling point of Tea and Sympathy is its charm. The waitstaff is lovely and the decor is cozy. Those willing to stomach a moderate wait and a loss of personal space to feel like they waltzed into a small English diner should not hesitate to make a visit. In that respect, I can guarantee that both Tea & Sympathy and Carry on Tea & Sympathy will deliver. 3.49 stars (rounded down below).

link to yelp for restaurant and store.

Disagree? leave comments.

sorry for the absence

2008-06-18T21:03:00.002-04:00

but no more. blogging will start again.

my life was (and still is, to a certain degree) in a state of upheaval. I will brave the summer heat and for you, yes you my few readers, I will sweat into the new york sidewalks as I traverse the european bargain basement that is manhattan.

posts shall resume starting tomorrow.

two philosophers

2008-04-22T10:06:00.003-04:00

life is like a box

"of chocolates?" says Forrest Gump

"No." says Schrödinger

around town

2008-04-22T09:23:00.009-04:00

To get everyone's day started, let me share some photos I took while looking at tea places this weekend. These photos were all taken in midtown west (on the way to tea places, I actually didn't go to any in this area).

the shot below is of the Hearst building, now one of the more recognizable landmarks on the Manhattan skyline.

I just really liked the photo below. Its quite threatening.

this is just a waste of space in an already crowded city - at least they could have made it into a park or public space. We should not be encouraging vehicle use.

haikus about seasons

2008-04-18T14:41:00.005-04:00

New York in summer

sunny skies! no snow in sight

humidity sucks

tea, the college years

2008-04-16T02:22:00.013-04:00

(pronounced: áwtō - bíh - lóggrəfee )

to see part one click here

It wasn't really until my junior year in college that I really picked up serious tea drinking. From high school until my junior year, I was what one might call a Starbucks obsessed teenager. My idea of tea at that time was a venti soy chai latte with cream or the jasmine tea they served at dim sum or the green tea you get at sushi places - not a very wide view, I understand. That was sort of a tragedy, but is highly reflective of the way most of the younger generation sees tea. Particularly before the "sachet" revolution, and even before the rise of places such as Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, loose leaf tea seemed too difficult to relate to. Perhaps it was too attached to certain cultural stereotypes that were not approachable for those who wanted to seem "hip" - contrast the perception of a tea house and a coffee joint and you can envision the point here (something that certain businesses are trying to change ... and sorry, but Justin Guarini does not cut it).

That didn't mean that I drank coffee, however. For me it was a necessity drug. I only drank coffee to stay up for finals, papers and the like (downing as much as 2 venti lattes a session to stay up). It was not a fun experience let me tell you. Every cup of coffee was like a new game of pinball in my head. Thoughts would scatter and smash together in a flurry of jittery awareness - plus, it left my tongue raw.

Basically, I was your regular college kid. I lived in the dorms, socialized, and did my work in a maximized fashion (i.e. the most bang for the least work - except for the subjects that I liked of course). Yet, all was not lost. That year, they introduced a higher end organic tea bag into our dining halls. I was intrigued by its challenge to the Lipton bag. What did it offer that was different? Instead of pondering, as most of us seemed to do back then, I just tried it and I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't un-enjoyable and it was mildly calming. Soon after, I became a regular tea-bag drinker and even went so far as to buy a small water boiler for the dorm for tea making purposes. At the time, I also had a gigantic Nalgene bottle which I poured every considerable drink into. This Nalgene was my first tea cup. I poured roughly a liter of near boiling water and two tea bags into this plastic monstrosity every afternoon and night to get my fix. To this concoction, I often added an enormous amount of honey to whet my sweet tooth so I couldn't really tell you how the actual tea-bag tasted - also it was Jasmine Green and Chamomile (not really earth shattering flavors by any stretch). Soon, the tea became a habit and I would languidly sip my tea while my roomies chatted and/or played Halo.

That wasn't enough to break me from coffee though. Tea made me sleepy so it wasn't useful for test cramming or paper writing. I still abused coffee like any other college student. Did that make my papers better? Probably not, but at least they were turned in on time. This all changed during the spring of my junior year in college. I had taken this class called Controlling the Passions in Greco-Roman Antiquity with one of my favorite professors. It was a great class for those of us who were big on Greco-Roman culture (me) as well as for anyone wishing to learn the origin and evolution of modern perceptions of modesty and the soul, or for those who want a differing view on the sources for early Christian thought. I loved this class, not only for the subject matter, but because it introduced me to tea.

The class midterm was no cakewalk let me tell you (despite the innocuous sounding nature of the class). It was a 24 page monstrosity ... and I decided to do it in one day. I was not unprepared though. I had done my reading and was secure in my arguments. However, I still needed my Starbucks to get through the night and it was going great until I decided to drink my second cup. The ballistic nature of my thoughts and the foggyness of perception led me to believe that I had finished my midterm coherently and handed it in on time. It wasn't until these midterms were returned to us that I quickly learned my error. Actually it wasn't so quick - it was rather painful. My professor* held back my midterm to share an interesting grading story with the class. Apparently, my answers were all well and good until around page 17 where every sentence slowly became incomplete and sometimes incomprehensible - this was in front of the entire class to which I was a regular and vocal contributor of course (hard to not do in a group of 6 students). Luckily I had managed to get myself back together by the last pages so as to still have recieved a good grade. But that was the day that I decided never to drink coffee ever again. It had scarred me for life and I was not going back. In fact, since that time, I can count on my fingers the number of times I have had a cup of coffee - and all it takes is one hand.

* Professor Veronika Grimm, I owe this blog to you. If it weren't for that midterm, this blog might look more like the logo below:

Tea was waiting for me with open arms, however, and I gladly accepted a new comrade during those late nights of studying.

meta haiku

2008-04-15T18:21:00.002-04:00

there are no haikus

that are self-referential

except for this one

Cha-An (a review)

2008-04-14T23:10:00.012-04:00

go here to view my review criteria.

Cha-An is one of the rare gems in New York, and should remain that way (so don't all of you mob the place). Over the past few years, it has transformed from a quiet tea-house in the east village to a bustling mecca for "Yelper's" and tea aficionados alike. Has it lost its quiet charm because of this? Perhaps, but it won't stop me from coming - well except maybe at night when the line of waiting patrons extends all the way down the narrow staircase leading into the restaurant. However, I must state that Cha-An is a true antithesis to the American culture of food and consumption. Those who are expecting big flavor, particularly flavor over substance, should not go here. You will only set yourself up for disappointment. It is also not a place to go for speedy service in between meetings or projects or for the large portions that American belt lines are acclimated to. Rather, the service at Cha-An is slow but reasonable. Any faster and it would seem out of place in the bamboo and wood establishment. The portioning is on the lighter side as to leave you satisfied with the experience but not satiated. The flavors are subtle and harmonious so as to not fight and overcome the flavor of your tea.

The menu for Cha-An is fairly small with some light lunch options (which come with tea), a number of desserts (including a chef's choice special), and 3 different tea sets. You can also order sake or just a pot of tea if you aren't in the mood for solid sustenance. Cha-An also has a tea room which is available for reservation for tea ceremony. Tea is taken quite seriously at Cha-An. All tea is served in the proper containers, whether it be Yixing clay (for puers and gongfu style teas), iron tetsubins (for some green teas), or god-awful beautiful filio teapots from mono* (i suggest you check the link. These teapots are not your run-of-the-mill restaurant-ware). The tea selection is small but varied and all of better quality leaves than you will find in most tea rooms in New York. The tea is brewed well and from what I have heard, the water is specially treated to proper mineral content. The tea is a little pricey at times though it is almost always worth it.

The three tea sets are the real highlight of Cha-An's menu. Of the the three sets, Set B is usually the crowd favorite. Note that we have ordered two Set Bs below.

In addition to this, you are given a starter of soy-based quiche which was light, creamy and delicious and a smaller dessert of the chef's choice (which is pictured below). I particularly enjoyed the kabocha and string bean nimono (yeah, yeah, I know that it's really easy to make). The tea-smoked salmon and the shrimp were a good balance to the pumpkin. Perhaps the only downside to the meal (to be nitpicky) was the heaviness of the cream of mushroom soup. I wanted it to be a little lighter because it seemed a bit out of place. Set A, consists of a 15 grain rice porridge and a small set of flavorings (People should not be confused by the descriptions; these small flavorings are not dishes). I found it to be greatly inferior to the balance provided by Set B and thus I don't often order it - although those looking for yummy porridge should not hesitate to order. The afternoon tea set, which is only available before 7pm, is one of the best in the city. For around 20 dollars, you get tea, 2 small bagel sandwiches (one a salmon and cream cheese sandwich and the other a preserve and butter sandwich), 2 scones and an assortment of cookies (all of which are made on-site). Despite some of the negative things above, I would recommend all three sets to any Cha-An patron ... just maybe Set B above the others.

The desserts at Cha-An are the big draw for those not really interested in quality tea. They have a variety of desserts available with interesting flavors you will not find in many establishments. Two of my favorites are the black-sesame creme brulee (above) and the jasmine mousse (not pictured). Those looking for thick sauces and flowing rivulets of dark chocolate should be warned that the desserts tend to be more subtle than sinful. Furthermore, the dessert menu in particular changes every so often and you may find yourself unable to order a dessert you have enjoyed in a previous visit. This may occur with the tea as well as with some of the other offerings. Another critique I have of Cha-An is the cash-only policy. It isn't a big deal, just very annoying. The staff is mostly if not all of Japanese descent which adds to the charm and authenticity of the establishment. Don't let that worry you though, they will not have any problem taking your order although those of you who do speak Japanese will likely have an easier time making more complicated requests.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Cha-An is one of the city's best tea rooms without a doubt. The menu consists of mostly authentic Japanese dishes and numerous tasty desserts. Of these, the three tea sets offer the most value for your money with Set B perhaps offering the most desirable variety of Cha-An's culinary offerings. The desserts, though are subtler than your average fare, are delicious though are often rotated so you may find that a favorite is unavailable. That, the possibility of a busy night, and the cash only decree are slight annoyances but not enough to really detract from the charm and zen of the entire experience. Those expecting big flavor, large portions, and speedy service should steer clear of this establishment as you will be in for a large dissappointment. Finally, those with an appettite for soy chai lattes or vanilla-almond-cherry rooibos monstrosities should leave their expectations in a Starbucks cup before entering. 4.49 stars (rounded down of course).

link to yelp. We seem to agree on this one but not for exactly the same reasons. Please do not go here just for the bathroom ... it really cheapens the place and shows poor taste.

Disagree? leave comments.

* I am in love with this teapot ... purely from a design perspective of course.

bright college days at "the have"

2008-04-14T00:49:00.019-04:00

Over the weekend, I went back to college to watch a show that one of my undergraduate groups was putting on. I had a great time and it was also a great opportunity to visit the tea establishments that had started me on my path towards drinking tea (more on that later this week). Meanwhile, please do enjoy the pictures I took of my old stomping grounds. Where were these pictures taken you ask? Just a small Connecticut liberal arts university of some consequence. Unfortunately, I did not get to take any pictures of my old dormitory due to construction.

*you may click on any of the photos on this site to see a larger image

mythbusters

2008-04-11T17:53:00.002-04:00

I read something yesterday that completely blew my mind. Well not completely, I had an inkling that something wasn't right when my morning cup of Darjeeling didn't have quite the punch that my highly shaded Tamaryokucha had. Yet, I was confused. Common wisdom held that black tea had the most caffeine and green tea had significantly less and white tea had none. I mean it felt right ... but was it the truth? If you don't already do so, you should read Cha Dao, if not in general, then at least for the most recent post by Nigel Melican. He explores the relationship between tea and caffeine and makes no small splash with regards to the above disinformation. If you don't want to read it (shame on you) I will summarize and quote the major points below:

De-caffeinating tea by brewing it for 30 seconds and tossing out the brew is utter nonsense. This rather anecdotal statement is put into great doubt by a few studies which Mr. Melican describes in greater detail in his post.

(quoting post) Three scientifically verifiable facts are:
1. Caffeine level varies naturally in types of tea and levels in one type may overlap with another type
2. Black and green tea manufactured from leaf from the same bushes on the same day will have virtually the same caffeine levels (within +/- 0.3%)
3. For a given bush, the finer the plucking standard, the higher the caffeine level

(quoting post) Actual caffeine level in tea is highest:
• when the tea is derived from buds and young first leaf tips (thus white tea has a high caffeine level)
• when the bush is assamica type rather than sinensis (can be 33% higher caffeine, thus African black tea tends to be higher than China black tea)
• when the bush is clonal VP rather than seedling (can be 100% higher caffeine, thus new plantings in Africa are higher than old seedling plantings in Asia),
• when the plant is given a lot of nitrogen fertilizer (as in Japan), and
• during fast growing seasons.

shaded (to increase chlorophyll levels) teas have more caffeine

From now on we should all endeavor to dispel this myth. Lest we have legions of people bouncing around because we told them "white tea has no caffeine*."

*At the very least there is probably still more caffeine (by no small amount) in coffee than in tea (brewed regularly [... and not matcha?]). So above statement is purely for humorous emphasis.

water, what tea is made of

2008-04-10T15:45:00.008-04:00

Suggestions for brewing will always vary from tea drinker to tea drinker and rightly so because in the end, it is and always will be a matter of taste. Perhaps this is less true for Chinese teas, particularly the Oolongs, where terms like technique are probably more readily accepted. I must admit that Chinese teas, except for the major blacks, are an area where my experience is at best marginal. The variety and complexity of Chinese teas seems too insurmountable to approach and for now, my home is in the India blacks teas.
Yet, this should not mean that technique cannot be applied to brewing tea in general. I believe that it takes a certain skill to be able to bring out the most in any tea - something that I am still in the process of acquiring and tuning. However, there are aspects of the steeping process that are easily controllable and one of these is the water.

Water Choice

In an office environment, tea drinkers are really limited to only a few sources of water for their tea:

bottled water
filtered water
tap water

Of these three sources, tap water is the most readily available and most convenient to use. However, some tea drinkers complain that it is not suitable for high quality tea due to the level of chlorine and other additives. This is, sadly, true and a quick taste test of tap water in the NYC area will reveal that it has a slightly metallic taste and is a little sweet (which may be because of lead?) as compared to filtered water. If this bothers you, then you should purchase a Brita or PUR filter for your desk area so that you can filter the water before it is brewed. Having a filter is especially important on those days that chlorine levels in water are abnormally high. I know when this is the case because I can smell it just by turning on a faucet or by being near any source of running tap water. (unfortunately for me, I work with a lot of documents - read paper - and having a PUR pitcher filled at all times in my desk area is not advisable)
Some tea aficionados insist that you must use bottled spring water to brew your tea. Nonsense. True, spring water in some cases will make better tea due to better mineral content (FIJI I am looking at you) but I don't think it is worth the cost out of your pocket or the cost to the environment to purchase bottled water for the purpose of brewing tea. Also I don't think the difference is great enough between bottled water and activated carbon filtered-water to merit that choice.

Water Preparation

Some of you might scoff at my use of an electric kettle to boil water in the office. Let me just tell you, that convenience and price trumps all other factors considering that I have few choices at work. Sure, I would prefer to wait for the tell-tale whistle of a Chantal kettle but I really don't have that capability in the office. As for letting water boil ... don't. Do not over boil the water. Ever. The Proctor Silex is good for this purpose as it will stop a couple of seconds after the boiling point is reached. Some will even suggest that you prevent the water from boiling at all. Not letting the water boil is admirable, though not practical in most non-home situations - too much maintenance. If you are at home, you may (if you have the cash) want to try the use of different metals/materials to heat your water. From what I have read, it seems that silver is the best. Finally, I have mentioned before the dangers of trusting an automated hot water dispenser system. My best suggestion in those cases is to test the water yourself for flatness, taste, and temperature. Different systems probably work differently to deliver hot water and I cannot in any way predict the taste of your particular water dispenser.

Questions? leave comments.

these modern times

2008-04-10T12:04:00.001-04:00

i'm not famous

why would I say such a thing?

i'm not on Google

the Germans get more

2008-04-09T16:22:00.007-04:00

I checked the German site for Tea Gschwendner today and found something quite distressing

This is the un-flavored black tea "classic" page. If you look at the top of the offerings, you will see that there are seven pages worth of tea. Now here is the American site.

Notice that there are only two pages available. How depressing. The German selection was definitely much better across all tea producing regions. Particularly saddening was the availability of this seasons crop on the German site. The American site ... not so much. However, do not be disheartened. Upton Tea Imports already has some of this seasons first flush pickings as well as a heavily impressive selection of the 2007 crop (at least they told me everything on their site was from 2007). Hopefully, the frost didn't affect tea prices and selection too much. But then again here is Upton's press release:

... While long-time customers may notice that we are offering these a bit later this year, compared to seasons past, we feel that these were the best produced within their respective price ranges.

Over the past few years, outlooks concerning the First Flush Darjeeling production have ranged from optimistically-cautious to dire. The 2008 season has proved no different: early conditions of low rainfall and colder-than-normal temperatures have contributed to a lower supply of top-quality teas. In turn, this lower supply, coupled with an increase in demand and a weakening U.S. dollar, has resulted in price increases.

However, due to the abundance of micro-climates within the district, there stands a good chance for the production of more choice lots. We hope that the week or so that remains of the First Flush season will yield more quality lots.

We will post our new arrivals to the site as soon as they are landed and are available for sale.

If you thought the housing bubble and increasing trade deficit wouldn't affect you, well think again.

pollution and trash

2008-04-09T13:19:00.010-04:00

Here is something to think about. Here is a picture I posted on Monday of Hudson River Park.

Well there was one thing I forgot to show in that picture

Those white rock looking objects are actually pieces of styrofoam. That was one of the biggest downers to hit me that day. As a species it has never made sense to me as to why we would deliberately poison and lay waste to our own natural resources. Perhaps it was never clear to people what the repercussions were or it is just an example of the tragedy of the commons. However, we are at the technological level at which we should be making all efforts to curb our environmental waste and clean up the waste we have already caused. For you scientists out there, please develop some sort of degradable bio-styrofoam.

I lived in a near pristine provincial island in the Philippines for some time. The beaches were crystal clear, the air was clean and children went outside to play. At night the sky was so pollution free and had such low light pollution that the number of stars was always too insurmountable to count. This is the world we should ask for our children and ourselves. No one should ever fear dashing into the ocean for fear of the levels of contamination. Finally, continued temperature changes around the globe could spell disaster for that little giving plant we all love (that's the camellia sinensis plant). From what I have read, tea is a plant that requires very specific temperature ranges and rainfall amounts to grow well. If we don't change now, the future of tea could very well be very dire.

how to make loose leaf tea at work

2008-04-08T12:21:00.009-04:00

Many of you may work in corporate offices or are perhaps otherwise chair bound in some way or another. With these hectic work schedules, it may be difficult to find time to have a good cup of tea. Some of you may even resort to using tea bags (gasp) or tea sachets (whew) to get your daily fix of tea. However, tea should never devolve into a daily "fix." It should be enjoyed like fine wine. In fact, hectic work schedules should demand a time during which you can slow down, de-stress, and have your favorite cup of tea. Brewing loose leaf at work may seem like too much of a chore to accomplish well, and to tell you the truth, it is a little bit of a chore. Sure it will take a couple of minutes longer than grabbing an insta-cup of coffee or dropping in a tea-bag with some flat hot water but trust me ... it is worth it. (However, it will take you less time and money to make tea than say, go out and grab $tarbuck$.)

What You Will Need

What's this? You say that that there are too many things to purchase? Nonsense, most of you should already have some of these items lying about at home if you drink tea. There are many substitutes to the items I use in the office. This was just what I could put together from my existing tea gear.

THE RUN DOWN

steeping device: if you do not have one of these handy tea steepers then I would suggest you purchase them. They allow the tea to infuse in the chamber without any obstruction and when it is done, it filters and drains from the bottom using a handy removable mesh device. They cost around $20 and are WELL worth the money. If not, then you can just use any loose leaf brewing device you have ... I suppose. However, do not blame me if your steeping pot is a major inconvenience.

Smart Tea Maker available here

IngenuiTEA (similar product) available here

pitcher: you will need this to transport water to your desk for brewing and to hold the waste water you use to warm your pots. Anything will do. Just make sure it holds over 1 liter. Mine is salvaged from an IKEA french press and it conveniently holds 34 oz.

boiler: this may be one of the things that you might need to purchase. Lets face it, you can't have tea without hot water and a simple boiler is not very expensive or hard to find. I have found the hot water devices in the office to be lacking in that they either have over boiled the water unto flatness or do not have the capacity to deliver hot enough water. This is an easy solution.

cooling pot: this little pot is not for brewing. I use it to control the water temperature so that I don't end up with bitter tea. Any teapot with decent heat retention will do. I find that leaving the water in the boiler allows the water to cool too fast. My tetsubin was born for this purpose (you will want a trivet of some sort especially if you have a wood desk table).

beverage cup: really self-explanatory. Why "beverage cup" and not tea cup? That's a matter of semantics. Tea cups don't really hold over 8 oz of liquid. I drink about 16 oz in one sitting. Cappuccino mugs/Cafe au lait bowls work well for this purpose

tea scoop: it scoops the tea. Unless you have really large leaves. Then I would just use my hands.

thermometer: self-explanatory. see cooling pot.

gram scale: i measure the amount of tea I use so that I get it right. You may be one of those people who can "eyeball" proportions with eagle accuracy. I am not. Very useful if you have various kinds of tea with different leaf styles.

items not shown: you may want to have some cloth kitchen napkins/towels to dry your tea set. A coaster or something that functions like one is also recommended. To time the steeping process, I would suggest getting a tea timer for your office computer

Windows timer is available here

Macintosh timer is available here

THE PROCESS

The great thing about making tea this way is that you only have to leave your chair twice. Once to get the water, and once again later on to dump any excess water and clean your steeping device and cup.

First, fill your pitcher and boil half of the water (a little bit over 16 oz) to warm your steeper and your cooling pot.

Once you have split the water amongst the two devices, boil the remaining water.

Once the water is done boiling, dump the waste water from your cooling pot into the pitcher and fill with the newly boiled water.

Stick in the thermometer.

When the water begins to reach the appropriate temperature, empty your steeper into the pitcher. Weigh your tea and place it in the steeper.

Pour water on the tea and steep for an appropriate amount of time.

Drain the steeper and enjoy.

*one final note: for those of you that do not know, do not clean the tetsubin with soap. Just remove the lid and let it air-dry and wipe up the excess once the water has sufficiently evaporated. I personally just use hot water to clean the rest of my tea ware.

Questions? then leave a comment.

on Times Square

2008-04-08T10:28:00.002-04:00

a wall of tourists

in a hurry? just push through.

welcome to New York

NYC Coffee and Tea Festival

2008-04-07T11:49:00.009-04:00

The NYC Coffee and Tea Festival is a great way to get in touch with some vendors and to get some tea tastings. The fee is a steep for what was last year a somewhat empty hall. On the other hand, you do get some nifty gifts (although I had little use for the coffee beans from last year). Sometimes the vendors will just confuse you (do we really need tea bags incorporated into plastic spoons?) and sometimes they will entice you (mmm matcha chocolate). The best thing about this are the talks and forums. They really are a great way (visual and sometimes hands on) to learn about some aspect of tea that you may not be familiar with, which was matcha preparation in my case. What you should not expect from it, however, is some sort of amazing Tea Wonderland or World Expo of tea and coffee. If it was, I would seriously recommend dropping any plans you may have to go ... but I won't because it was a little mediocre last year. If I do attend this year, I will make sure to let you know how it turns out (with pictures if possible).

link (also in title)

McNulty's (a review)

2008-04-07T11:39:00.015-04:00

go here to view my review criteria.

McNulty's has a been a fixture in the West Village since 1895 and with one of the widest variety of coffee and tea available in the city, it has garnered many admirers. Its main charm seems to be the antique feeling that permeates the facility. This charming quality seems so out of place in the 21st century - with the many filled and dusty wooden cupboards and the numerous sacks of coffee lying about - that if you were to tell me that the establishment hasn't changed since 1985, I would almost certainly believe you. However, the charm of this place is immediately lost as the "antique quality" of the establishment quickly devolves into cramped walkways and the jostling joints of shopkeepers and customers.

Upon entering the shop, you are almost coaxed/assaulted by the heavy smell of coffee. This deeply worried me as the smell of coffee seems to readily permeate most porous articles. In fact, the packaging of a tea purchase I made a while ago did smell strongly of coffee for a couple of days. I don't believe that that the smell affected the tea in any great fashion (although those of you who have god-like oral appendages may notice it) but then again, the tea (Nilgiri) was rather mediocre - more than likely I was more bored than attentive during consumption. Perhaps this would have been less of an issue if McNulty's had better tea storage. At the time of this review, most of the teas available by weight were stored in non-airtight glass containers. These containers are probably opened and closed on a near constant basis by curious customers. Those of you who are tea buffs should then immediately question the quality of tea as many of us know that tea will degrade if exposed to open air for a long enough time (perhaps explaining the mediocre Nilgiri). Even if the aroma of some of these teas were to have survived the countless exposures to open air, it would be difficult for any but Jean-Baptiste Grenouille to get a good whiff due to the previously mentioned coffee aroma permeating the establishment

The workers are generally knowledgeable about the teas in their selection and will be able to direct most novices to something palatable. The selection itself is mostly geared towards black tea with a smaller selection of green and an even smaller collection of oolong and white teas. Though, all of the major black producing regions are covered, the quality of the selection for each region was very much of an ordinary (read not tea-snob quality) nature. This is readily apparent in many of the Indian teas for which there is no estate or grading info (only vacuous description). Sometimes, the tea can even be (arguably) disingenuous as is evidenced in their Ceylon Silvertips which most resembles ordinary Sri-Lankan BOP with very few discernible tips at all (also I believe Ceylon Silver Tips should be a white tea composed of only tips, not a black tea). What they do carry is a good selection of tisanes (herbal) and flavored teas for which a quality rating is often moot since these are usually made of sub par leaf grades. They do carry a few (read as around 3) organic teas and bagged and prepackaged varieties for those of you who care for them. Tea ware is available for purchase as well for those of you who are passing by and in need of an infuser or the like. Prospective customers should know that tea is available for purchase in 1/4 lb increments for competitive prices.

FINAL THOUGHTS

McNulty's has the charm of early 20th century American trade establishments and perhaps is best suited to serving denizens of that time. Modern and more discerning tea drinkers will find the selection to be slightly depressing and will likely leave empty handed after a short perusal. Though the selection is definitely one of the more varied in the city, it suffers from a near universal mediocrity. If you are passing by and need an emergency purchase of some decent tea then this would be your place. However, if you are looking into getting a purchase that will satisfy your daily or special brewing moments, you should look somewhere else. 3 Stars

link to yelp page. (definitely not agreeing on this one)

Disagree? leave comments.

beautiful saturday

2008-04-07T10:22:00.011-04:00

It was a beautiful day in Manhattan on Saturday so I decided to take a walk in the west village and visit some tea related establishments. Below are some shots I took during my walk. Enjoy!

*you may click on any of the photos on this site to see a larger image

Hudson River Park really is one of my favorite places in the city. I can't wait till the spring/summer temperatures arrive, just to sit and read there.

I really enjoy this PATH train entrance. It is a great remnant of the grandeur of old New York ... sigh.

Don't you just love this building? I do and if anyone has 32 million to spare to help me buy a duplex, then please speak up.

I think that this building is a great example of a property that would not benefit from a new paint job. It seems to me that the fading paint is one of its charms, no?

I wonder if anyone would ever dare taking one of the tiles (below). Now, that I have said it, please don't. It would be a crime against humanity.

reviews and ratings

2008-04-03T12:50:00.020-04:00

Here is the guide to my reviewing system:

5 stars = Stellar: If any object or place gets this rating, it means that I recommend it under any circumstance. There will never be any reason not to (purchase/visit) this (object/place). You will rarely see this. Ever. It is not because I have no faith in humanity - I just don't like grade inflation.

4 stars = Excellent: If a object or place gets this recommendation, I strongly suggest you take my advice and (purchase/visit) it. It will increase your quality of life*.

3 stars = Good: You don't have to (purchase/visit) this (object/place) and I cannot be held liable if it does not increase your quality of life*. Its decent and perhaps has a maximum of a couple of glaring issues. Should you make a pilgrimage to it? Probably not.

2 stars = Passable: If you had no other choice but to (purchase/visit) this (object/place) I would not look down on you. It is more likely that I will pity your situation. Perhaps it has some other non-tea-related charm that's desirable. If so, that doesn't really count here.

1 star = FAIL: Under no circumstance should you ever, ever, (purchase/visit) this (object/place). I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemies. I wouldn't even recommend it to cancer. If anything gets this rating, then it is because something has gone seriously wrong.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I will on occasion give places a non-stellar-integer rating (i.e. 3.49 stars). In these cases, the rating value will always be rounded down as far as the image goes. In reality, it means I am lazee and don't want to photoshop additional star image ratings.

Ratings weights:

Tea: Tea will be rated on the flavor profile alone. I will, if possible, compare it to a similar tea already in my possession.

Tea pots and brewing devices: These devices will be heavily weighted towards practicality, then price, then aesthetic beauty.

Tea vendors: Vendors will be rated both on quality and selection. Service shall also be heavily considered with the charm factor of the place carrying the least weight. If the vendor is local (i.e. in NYC) then I will also link to a yelp page if available.

Tea serving establishments: These will be rated on selection (tea and tea related perishables), quality, and service all equally. The next important criteria is price. The charm of the establishment will be taken into account although it will not be weighted very heavily. Non-tea related aspects such as "Oh, and they serve a delicious meatloaf" will not be accounted for. As with the vendors, these ratings will almost always link to a corresponding yelp page.

If you have any doubt about the arbitrariness of my ratings then please continue to do so. These ratings will always and forever be my subjective opinion.

*quality of life as determined by the hypothetical: If you were me taking my advice, then it would increase your quality of life. Of course since you are me and, therefore, you would have made the same suggestion, there would never be an occasion for disagreeing. Unless I/you are the kind of person to disagree with yourself. meta.

on dealing with workplace stress

2008-04-03T10:00:00.006-04:00

imagine your boss

getting stuck on a life boat

with Richard Simmons

wading into the waters

2008-04-02T22:31:00.012-04:00

(pronounced: áwtō - bíh - lóggrəfee )

My first taste of tea wasn't a fond memory. It wasn't the taste, or anything of that sort, it was just that I only drank it whenever I had a tummy ache. Of course, that only lasted until I could no longer call myself a child particularly since as a teenager, I just dealt with the nausea and pain rather than having to deal with a fawning mother. This miracle tea was of course just an ol' regular Lipton tea bag. Ironically, the sight of such a tea bag would make me nauseated today ... but that's just because I am a tea snob.

My avoidance of motherly remedies during my teenage years didn't mean tea disappeared from my life. I drank tea, or rather, something that resembled tea - dried ice tea mix. Today, I know better, but when you are a busy (videogaming) teenager, you don't really care what you put in your mouth as long as its sweet and refreshing (not in that way). What was peculiar about this "tea" drinking habit of mine was not the high sugar content but the fact that I drank it in a cycle and only for about 3 months out of any given year.

That cycle went sort of something like this. Soda for 4 months. Water for 5 months. Then iced "tea" for 3 months. Back to soda. Don't ask why I did that. Teenagers do a lot of things older people no longer understand. My best guess is that after I had run my craving for soda into the ground, I went into a 5 month detox period after which I would lose resolve and crave something sweet again. Dried iced "tea" definitely filled that role and had the added advantage of allowing impressionable (i.e. in denial) young persons to believe in their dubious/imaginary health benefits.

my first post

2008-04-01T23:29:00.007-04:00

I finally started a tea blog. It took a long enough time. Please visit often and look for my reviews of New York's best and worst tea serving establishments. Also I will share my experiences in tea while working in one of Manhattan's busiest office environments (it can be done). I will try not to be too brutal ... or let's just say "as nice as honesty will allow."

Hopefully I can help some of you bring a little more tea into your busy busy lives.