Yin Zhen - Silver Needle Tea

Yin Zhen - Silver Needle Tea

Picked only on 2 days out of the year in the spring, this is a very delicate and unusual way to prepare the buds resembling silver needles with tinny fluffy hairs that give it the silvery shimmer. The processing is very unique and it is said that few tea masters know the real process how to ferment white tea buds. The tea color is light yellow with a taint of silver light green depending on the harvest. The taste ranges from almost herbal to mild flowery. It is difficult to prepare. Good water and precise water temperature are absolutely mandatory. About 80 celsius is recommend for a short brew of 2 minutes not to unleash the unwanted bitterness. Do it right and enjoy the taste of a Chinese spring morning on your palate.

It is rumored that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gets a share of the annual harvest send directly to the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. He seems not only to be a tough politician but also a subtle tea connoisseur.

Silver_needle_china

Reinvent Yourself as a Tea Merchant

P1000252

Reinvent Yourself as a Tea Merchant

Can Bey and I hadn't been in touch for several years. We were buddies back in high school, and down the years we always seemed to have similar interests, notably Islamic spirituality and Sufism. I am indebted to him for first bringing my attention to these lofty matters. But when I asked him what he has been up to recently, after a long period of being out of touch, he said "I have reinvented myself as a tea merchant."

A tea merchant! This seemed to me to be an incredibly romantic occupation. Tea, that almost magical herb that is sought after the world over. Empires have been created and crushed through it. I thought then and there, I'd sure like to take part in this myself too.

So when Can Bey first mentioned his idea about ExchangeTea.com, an online platform for tea buyers and tea sellers from anywhere to get in contact to facilitate the buying and selling of tea, as a web designer, I saw this as my chance to get on board this fascinating enterprise.

So during the past few months, much time has been spent hammering out the website, making a highly user-friendly site, God-willing for you all to enjoy and benefit from. So take advantage of our free introductory offers while you can. All grades of membership are free for a limited time. Sell your tea to a world-wide audience, without the middleman.

In short, there has never been a better time to reinvent yourself as a tea merchant!

First Official Blog: White Monkey Tea - Pak Mo Hao

White Monkey Tea - Pak Mo Hao

A Chinese tea with both green and white leaves.  Thin, rolled and almost fluffy looking with a light yellowish inviting liquor.  A fine background slightly smokey flavor. There are various sub-groups to White Monkey Tea, such as Duk Kup Pak Mo Hao which has darker leaves with a stronger smoked aroma. Another one called Fa Pak Mo Hao goes through seven stages of fermentation - in the final stage, Jasmine is added to give the final product a flowery taste. Fujian, China is the home of this unique tea. If sought after diligently, organically grown harvests can be obtained. Enjoy this rarity with the myth that monkey's used to pick them in ancient times to refresh your afternoons or to give a special moment to a dinner party.

 

White_monkey_china