#verdant tea

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Our partner in Wuyishan, Li Xiangxi, visited potter Lin Xi at his studio to check out his latest firing of Jian Zhan tea cups and lend a hand getting them all packed up to send our way. 

Happily, everything just arrived! 

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Mugshot Monday - “1977 Krause Cup” by Gordon C. Krause with cold brew Oolong Tea from Master Zhang by Verdant Tea

I love this little cup made by my mother’s cousin Gordy Krause. We have a lot of amazing pottery that Gordy has made over the years -- coffee mugs, mirrors, chip and dip platters, wind chimes, and lamps. Even our house numbers were made by Gordy!

This happy little cup is signed and dated from 1977! It belonged to my Aunt Louisa who passed away last year. I recognized it immediately as one of Grody’s cups, but I hadn’t seen these colors before on his work. I feel lucky to have it.

I love how the triangle carvings in the middle of the cup feel when I’m drinking tea.

I need to mention that this Verdant Tea I’m drinking is amazing! It reminds me of the Ocha tea my host mom would have in the fridge that was so refreshing when I studied abroad in Japan.

Hope you have a fabulous Monday. Cheers!

See also my 500+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com – Every Mug Has A Story

[verdanttea]

Check out this beautiful tea pot from artist Wang Ting! 

Photos don’t really capture how beautiful this pot is to pick up and hold. 

It was verrrry tempting to keep a bunch of the latest tea pots for ourselves, but we resisted. You can check out all 40+ new pots from Lai Xiaohong, Wang Ting, and Tan Jun up on our online store >> https://verdanttea.com/shop/teaware/yixing-tea-pot/

[verdanttea]

New tea is here! This year’s harvest of Yu Lu Yan Cha black tea is here, full of delicious notes of toast, dried lychee, and great mineral / woody texture. 

Recommended for black tea lovers! >> https://verdanttea.com/teas/yu-lu-yan-cha-black/

[verdanttea]

Ever tried Cai Cong (菜聪) Anxi oolong tea? 

Our partner, Master Zhang, cultivates this little-seen tea cultivar in his biodiverse tea fields in Daping. The light oxidation of this tea's traditional finish complements the dessert-like flavors of Cai Cong with a buttery, creamy finish.

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Mugshot Monday - “Japanese Ocha cup” with Laoshan Green by Verdant Tea

“Ocha” means “tea” in Japanese. When I studied abroad in Japan back in college, my host family had an ocha cup for each family member and this was the one I used. They gave it to me when I finished the semester and returned home.

I don’t know who made this cup but I love it. It brings back so many memories from that time in my life.

My host-mom would make ocha and keep a big jug of the stuff in the refrigerator. I remember it being so refreshing. It wasn’t traditional Japanese green tea -- it was brown and had a more mellow flavor. I haven’t found the specific blend yet, but I’ll keep searching.

Verdant Tea has been my go-to tea source now ever since they opened (and then closed) their short-lived restaurant on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. Their online selection is dyn-o-mite and this Spring Harvest Laoshan green tea is our latest purchase. It’s very good!

Actually I’ll be drinking a lot of green tea this week because I’ve decided to do a coffee-cleanse and go without java for 5 weeks. I know, it's going to be BANANAS. I’ve spent the last 3 weeks weaning off my 4 mugs(!!!) of coffee per day to 1 mug of coffee per day. And if this week goes good with green tea, then I’ll cut out caffeine entirely for 4 weeks. I’m hoping the headaches won’t be too disruptive. Wish me luck!

See also my 390+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com – Every Mug Has A Story

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CHROMA Tea Blends’ Chiffon | Tea Review

[verdanttea]

Hidden springs, deep forests, rocky hillsides, gnarled trees - Yixing artist Lai Xiaohong celebrates the beauty around her in this new collections; Nature Studies.