Steep Stories

Month: February 2014

  • “Taiwan’s Wild Side” – Big Brass Butikis, Round 1

    Big Brass Butikis, Round 1: “Taiwan’s Wild Side” I have a confession to make: I’m in love with Butiki Teas. They are one of five (maybe six?) companies that have my kind of business model. That being: What’s that? Is it weird? SWEET! I’ll buy ALL of it! It’s like they took a piece of…

  • V-Day Tea Day with Mum

    I think I’ve mentioned my mother’s in town for a couple of months, right? Unlike some thirtysomething males, I actually like having my mother around. No, not because she buys the food. In fact, I insist that she not do so. However, there are times when she offers that even I can’t refuse. This time,…

  • “All’s Fair in Love and Wolves” – An Open Letter to the Tandem Tea Tasters

    “All’s Fair in Love and Wolves” – An Open Letter to the Tandem Tea Tasters   To my dearest Tandem Tea Tasters – Rachel, Jo, Nicole, Darlene, Jackie and Julia… I regret that I was unable to attend last Sunday’s Tandem Tea Tasting, and I equally lament that I never got to make the real(-ish)-time…

  • “The Subtlety of Smoke” – The Changing Face of Lapsang Souchong, Part 2

    This is Part 2 of a trilogy of posts about Lapsang Souchong. For Part 1, go HERE. The Changing Face of Lapsang Souchong, Part 2: “The Subtlety of Smoke” The branding and categorizing of tea can get a little fuzzy, especially where China is concerned. The main reason being, a lot of the origin stories…

  • “Silver and Smoke” – The Changing Face of Lapsang Souchong, Part 1

    This is the first installment in a trilogy of posts about Lapsang Souchong. The Changing Face of Lapsang Souchong, Part 1: “Silver and Smoke” Tong Mu Guan is a village on Wu Yi Shan (read: “mountain”) in Fujian province, China. It is considered the birthplace of modern day black tea. As legend has it, the…

  • A Pre-Super Bowl Kombucha Beer?

    *Sigh* Alright, I’ll make this quick. Most of you have a sports event to go to. At least, most of you in the States, anyway. Why am I posting a blog on Super Bowl  Sunday? Well, this story sort of ties into it – a tea(ish) one. I have this friend – we’ll call him…uh…ah,…