Formosa Fancy Oolong Ming Xiang

Formosa Fancy Oolong Ming Xiang is the final post about Oolongs. I hope the week's focus has been of interest and readers have learned something new about Oolongs. This tea is supposed to be divinely inspired. A myth tells the story of a farmer who cleans and renovates a temple to the Buddhist deity Ming Xiang. Her iron statue comes to life and thanks him for his efforts. She tells him his fortune would be found in the fields. There the farmer found a tea bush and named it after her. It is a specialty of Taiwan and is heavier than its Formosa counterparts. It is a rich amber, a little smoky with sweet fruit notes. The aroma has a touch gardenia with the creamy sweetness of buttered white toast and nuances of sugar like cotton candy.

Northern Taiwan is humid subtropical and winters are short and mild. Due to Taiwan's location on the Pacific, they are subject to typhoons between June and October.

Remember: TeaGschwendner test their teas in the gardens and in their own laboratories in Germany for metals and pesticides. They also requests testing from outside, well-respected organizations in addition to in-house testings. No artificial flavors are added to flavor tea. They use fruits and flowers where appropriate.

China Fancy Oolong

China Fancy Oolong has a taste similar to green tea rather than black tea. It doesn't have the sweet aroma of black nor the grassy vegatal taste of green. It is typically brewed strong with slight bitterness leaving a sweet aftertaste. The oolong produced in the Wuyi Mountains of northern Fujian and in the central mountains of Taiwan are among the most famous Chinese teas. Oolong tea leaves are either rolled into long curly leaves while others are pressed into a ball form like gunpowder tea. The first method is the oldest.

Yungui Plateau covers southwestern China. It has sky high mountain peaks, rolling hills, and deep river-carved gorges. The climate of the plateau is subject to intense solar radiation and cold temperatures. The climate is divided into dry and wet seasons. The climate on the plateau is very diverse. The region has a strong tea tradition. The bright, golden cup is velvety soft with nuances of cinnamon and summer fruit. Leaves can be brewed several times. China Fancy has a creamy, lemon taffy scent with just a hint of vegetal characteristics.

TeaGschwender tests their teas in the gardens and again in their laboratory in Germany. From the pictures, tea enthusiast can see the care that is taken in the shop to maintain the high quality of the teas. Consultants will be happy to assist customers in selecting the perfect tea.

Busy Spring At The Shop!

We have some super new Spring teas that have finally arrived and those of you who were missing some of your old favorites...the new shipment is here. We have added some new flavors of Vosges Haut Chocolat. Customers are gaining a new appreciation for our Savannah Bee Tea Honey for those who love a little sweetner. Why is it so special? It is specially blended not to hide the taste of the tea.

In April, TeaGschwendner was invited to participate in the grand opening of the NC Museum of Art. Customers had a choice of ten teas either hot or cold. We had to deal with a little rain and alot of wind but everyone considered it an honor to be there. During the rainy times, people drank hot teas but as soon as the sun returned, they made the switch to iced teas. North Carolinians should be very proud of their new museum.

In May, we participated in the Oakwood Victorian Tea and Gardens Event. It was a beautiful day, and the gardens were at their peak. The event was sold out, and those who attended seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Exactly What is TeaGschwendner?

TeaGschwender is a widely recognized and respected company based in Germany and recognized throughout Europe and Latin America. Their first US store was opened in Chicago a few years ago and only recently have they begun an expansion program into the US market. It is fortunate that Raleigh residents have access to such fine teas through the new partner store in Cameron Village. What makes these teas so exceptional? Quality!!! To read about the process, readers can visit their site http://www.tgtea.com/. The fact that will be of most interest to tea drinkers is the inspection and testing of the leaves. Teas are not only inspected in the fields but also in the labs for metals and pesticides which is the main reason the company buys direct from growers instead of middlemen and tea auction houses. With over 250 teas in stock at any given time, customers are sure to find one that will please their palate. In fact, visitors to the store are often overwhelmed when they first walk in the door. Not to fear, the consultants are easy to talk to and they are very knowledgeable about their product. They will be happy to explain the various teas and will open the bins to allow customers to inhale the delicious aromas emanating from the containers. With names like...Green Coconut, Strawberry & Cream, Peach, Blood Orange, it is hard to not buy the same teas over and over. Several of their teas have won awards at the World Tea Expo. For connoisseurs of fine teas (no blends), they have teas for those enthusiasts as well. Looking for herbals...they have those also. Tea tasting classes are available and customers can sign up for email notifications. What is the difference between a tea bag and a cup of tea brewed with fine tea leaves...the same difference between a grocery store wine and a rare wine. It won't take you long to discover the difference.