Steep Stories

Tag: Seven Cups

  • My Ass-Backwards Journey with An Ji Bai Cha

    Over the course of years, I’ve had strange relationships with many teas. I’m kind of a steep-slut that way. But none have been as ass-backwards as my journey with An Ji Bai Cha.

  • A Year of Weird and Wonderful White Teas

    Toward the end of any year, content creators, influencers, media pundits (social or otherwise) are encouraged to create look-backs or listicles of the year-that-was. Throughout my long and industrious “career” as a tea blogger, I’ve made such reflections in the past. Usually commenting on how weird the year was, or how wonderful some aspect of…

  • How My Brain Made Me Love Chinese Green Teas (Again)

    Well, it’s spring again, and with it comes warmer weather. That’s how it is in the Pacific Northwest. I’m . . . not a fan. The reason? With warmer weather comes seasonal chronic migraines; a fun little diagnosis I received back in 2017. And it puts a heck of a damper on my routine tea…

  • A Tea Pairing from One Wuyi Artisan

    For those that have tuned in to my li’l corner of “the In-Tea-Net”, folks can tell I have an affinity for talking about where the tea comes from. I have focused a lot of text-space to estates, gardens, factories, and the farmers that supply their wares to them. Less frequent, though, are my forays into…

  • A Tea Pairing in the Sky

    Let me tell you a little about my “Tea Uncle”, Austin Hodge. Why is he wearing a Zhong Shan Zhuang, and how did someone convince me to wear a suit? I’ll get to that.

  • Da Hong Pao: My Old Nemesis

    Seven Days of Seven Cups, Day 7 – “Da Hong Pao: My Old Nemesis” Da Hong Pao (“Big Red Robe”) . . . my old nemesis . . . we meet again. Now, I’ve gone on record several times over the years as saying that Da Hong Pao was one of my least favorite oolongs.…

  • Lao Cong Shui Xian Oolong . . . or Wulong

    Seven Days of Seven Cups, Day 6 – “Lao Cong Shui Xian Oolong . . . or Wulong” A thought occurred to me while I was doing this Wuyi oolong-fueled, seven-blog stretch. I haven’t once referred to “oolong” as “wulong”. Granted, I never do, but it’s a particular sticking point here . . . because…

  • Searching for the Cinnamon in Rou Gui

    Seven Days of Seven Cups, Day 5 – “Searching for the Cinnamon in Rou Gui” Rou Gui holds the distinction of being the first—and a long time ago, only— Wuyi oolong I liked when I first got started. Of course, in the last year or so, my palate has since Stockholmed its way into acceptance…

  • Ba Xian: Oolong of the Eight Immortals

    Seven Days of Seven Cups, Day 3 – “Ba Xian: Oolong of the Eight Immortals” Ba Xian literally means “Eight Immortals” in Chinese. The name refers to the tea plant cultivar used to create this particularly odd Wuyi oolong, but it also has a legend attached to it. Don’t they all? The name is a…

  • Bai Ji Guan or White Rooster Crest

    Seven Days of Seven Cups, Day 2 – “Bai Ji Guan or White Rooster Crest” Bai Ji Guan—translated as “White Rooster Crest”— earns its name from the color and shape of its leaves. They’re rather yellow and crest-like. According to legend, an old rooster died near a place called Hui Yan Rock. The locals buried…