Stay hydrated with style

High Mountain Oolong from Tianchi

When you have a hammer, every problem looks like a nail! It's very true when it comes to tea. In winter, tea brings warmth. In the morning, tea wakes you up. Anxious, tea calms you down... And during summer, a fresh, lightly oxidized tea is all you need to cool down!

Yesterday, for instance, I was visiting very knowledgeable tea friends and we had tea under the natural shade of a tree in their garden. We even used charcoals to heat the tetsubin on this stunning Chaxi.

Except for the bamboo mat protecting the chabu, every piece of teaware is theirs. I simply brought the tea and suggested I prepare it for them in! So, since they were entrusting me with their Yixing zhuni teapot, antique tetsubin, Dehua cups... I couldn't just bring any tea. With such great tea friends, teaware and for such a special occasion, I brought my high mountain Oolong from Tianchi (near Fushou shan).

I was very concentrated to prepare this Oolong well. This is, actually, how I brew most of the time. I'm sitting directly on the floor and my Chaxi is spread in front of me. (Thank you John, by the way, for taking these nice pictures of me!) I think it helps that I brew with a beautiful setup daily. Otherwise, if you're used to brew very casually and on a special occasion you want to make a Chaxi, you might feel uncomfortable. It's like wearing business suit and a tie: f you don't were one regularly, you'll feel unnatural during a job interview. Skill, gongfu, is also what helps make you feel more comfortable, and it comes with practice.

Everybody was very pleased with the sweet, fresh taste and the cool mountain flower scents coming from this tea. In the Dehua cups, the brew had a light gold color and excellent transparency. We felt transported to the top of Fushou mountain and enjoyed this communion with nature through our tastebuds.

On a very hot day, high mountain Oolong brings energy and freshness. It helps you stay hydrated with style!

Here's a suggestion: before your next barbecue, share some Gao Shan Oolong with your friends.

Cheers! Have a very nice summer and make it even more unforgettable with great tea!