“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho famously has the line, “Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.” In the Wu Mountain sphere of content creativity, a good thing recently occurred for the second time, leaving me contemplating whether it will assume a ‘Coelhian pattern…
Read More
In honor of apple season, and my formative years in an apple-cropping region of New York State, we will embark on an exploration of the ultimate tea to pair with apple. That’s right – bite an apple, then sip some tea, or perhaps even sip then bite – but the two flavors must promenade the palette together. Our goal here is to explore the flavor profile of apple (Malus domestica) according to its known aroma and taste characteristics, then see which tea (Camellia sinensis) type might provide the best companion for this gallant fruit.
Read More
A worn and weathered large-leaf Assamica strain planted from seed in the 1970’s Cultural Revolution. I sampled the soil around this tree in Spring of this year, discovering to my amazement that over the decades it had cultivated an intricate network of beneficial bacteria and fungi around its root structure. The tree produces sugars through…
Read More
A 34-minute deep-dive into Oolong tea craftsmanship, including interviews with Oolong Tea Masters, a review of the scientific literature on Oolong tea flavor formation, and plenty of clips taken over years of traveling out to tea farms and producing tea alongside the professionals.
Read More
Part 2 includes the factors to consider when calculating “the right” tea extraction time and water temperature (i.e. tea type, production technique, growing conditions). We also dive into healthful but bitter tea polyphenols – how to extract enough while maintaining a well-balanced brew.
Read More
This piece is part one of two aimed at offering an in-depth but accessible look at the science of tea infusion. What compounds are bitter, or savory, and how do we brew for balance?
Read More
Discussing what makes a green tea exceptional. Key players are L-theanine, EGCG, soluble sugars, non-gallated catechin compounds, and more
Read More
The second of two pieces on Nannuo Shan. Ancient tea trees, the vibes of Nannuo, local history, processing tea with the locals, overall impressions.
Read More
My thoughts regarding the Nannuo Shan terroir following my initial trip there in 2017. Local culture, recent history and ecological protection efforts. How they effect tea tree growth and more.
Read More
The final episode in the white tea trilogy. Taste profile formation. Sweet and savory compounds. White tea varietals. Conclusions and Works Cited.
Read More