Comments on: Tea in a Time of War http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/05/tea-during-the-occupation/ Discovering the way of tea, one cup at a time. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:55:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Cinnabar http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/05/tea-during-the-occupation/comment-page-1/#comment-4339 Cinnabar Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:14:25 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1033#comment-4339 I have had a Georgian tea that I bought from Perennial Tea Room. It had a character unlike either Indian or Chinese black teas and I liked it a lot. It was probably very similar to their <a href="http://perennialtearoom.com/natelasgoldstandard.aspx" target="blank" rel="nofollow">Natela's Gold Standard</a>, but it had a slightly different name. Georgia is one of those places I've been fascinated with for years, although I only discovered that they'd been growing tea there recently. Their language, religion, music come out of a distinctive and very non-Russian culture. The Georgians are quite famous for growing and producing great wines also, and more Georgian wines began coming into the US recently as a result of the need for trading partners other than Russia. I have had a Georgian tea that I bought from Perennial Tea Room. It had a character unlike either Indian or Chinese black teas and I liked it a lot. It was probably very similar to their Natela’s Gold Standard, but it had a slightly different name.

Georgia is one of those places I’ve been fascinated with for years, although I only discovered that they’d been growing tea there recently. Their language, religion, music come out of a distinctive and very non-Russian culture. The Georgians are quite famous for growing and producing great wines also, and more Georgian wines began coming into the US recently as a result of the need for trading partners other than Russia.

]]> By: Steven Knoerr http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/05/tea-during-the-occupation/comment-page-1/#comment-4337 Steven Knoerr Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:27:05 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1033#comment-4337 Cinnabar: As I reread your piece (the emotional content, rather than simply about the podstakinniki), I was reminded of an article on the TeaGuide Web site, which talked a bit about the nation of Georgia's tea industry... http://teaguide.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/rambling-georgia-tea-on-my-mind-part-1/ Much emotion there about the Russian invasion. I've never tasted Georgian tea, yet. But when I do, I'm sure I'll be thinking about the hands across the world who harvested and processed it, before it could be brought here for my pleasure. Cinnabar:

As I reread your piece (the emotional content, rather than simply about the podstakinniki), I was reminded of an article on the TeaGuide Web site, which talked a bit about the nation of Georgia’s tea industry… http://teaguide.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/rambling-georgia-tea-on-my-mind-part-1/

Much emotion there about the Russian invasion. I’ve never tasted Georgian tea, yet. But when I do, I’m sure I’ll be thinking about the hands across the world who harvested and processed it, before it could be brought here for my pleasure.

]]> By: Steven Knoerr http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/05/tea-during-the-occupation/comment-page-1/#comment-4258 Steven Knoerr Sun, 31 May 2009 00:05:04 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1033#comment-4258 If you look in my kitchen, you'd see such a hodgepodge of tea things. Perhaps it's because (again, being an American male) it feels like an affectation to completely adopt a British tea style, as much as it would for me to put on kimono and immerse myself entirely inside the Japanese tradition. If you look in my kitchen, you’d see such a hodgepodge of tea things. Perhaps it’s because (again, being an American male) it feels like an affectation to completely adopt a British tea style, as much as it would for me to put on kimono and immerse myself entirely inside the Japanese tradition.

]]> By: Cinnabar http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/05/tea-during-the-occupation/comment-page-1/#comment-4213 Cinnabar Thu, 28 May 2009 22:11:52 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1033#comment-4213 I have no tolerance for the pastels, floral patterns and doilies aesthetic myself (which might be obvious to anyone who reads me), and I have even less patience with the association of delicate femininity with tea. I can't even stomach the thought of using a tea cozy. So I am entirely in support of subverting those associations through more masculine tea wares, so I applaud your efforts. Plus the podstakanniki must be pretty damned well-designed since they were used on trains. I have no tolerance for the pastels, floral patterns and doilies aesthetic myself (which might be obvious to anyone who reads me), and I have even less patience with the association of delicate femininity with tea. I can’t even stomach the thought of using a tea cozy.

So I am entirely in support of subverting those associations through more masculine tea wares, so I applaud your efforts. Plus the podstakanniki must be pretty damned well-designed since they were used on trains.

]]> By: Steven Knoerr http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/05/tea-during-the-occupation/comment-page-1/#comment-4212 Steven Knoerr Thu, 28 May 2009 20:49:22 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1033#comment-4212 I enjoy my podstakanniki for the very simple reasons that they have a rather masculine character, and that they are unusual enough that they don't carry any cultural baggage with them. Oh: and they never spill. As an American who drinks tea, I am operating against a cultural bias that views this as rather a weak or even effeminate affectation, which is evidenced by the English-style, delicate porcelain with dainty flowers; and doilies; and afternoon teas with petit-fours and watercress sandwiches on crustless white bread. Formal manners, monacles, and raised pinkies can't be far behind. Overcoming this preconception is necessary, I think, before the average American man would bother drinking tea. My Russian teacups are what I use to drink practically all of my tea, unless the glasses are in the wash. I enjoy my podstakanniki for the very simple reasons that they have a rather masculine character, and that they are unusual enough that they don’t carry any cultural baggage with them. Oh: and they never spill.

As an American who drinks tea, I am operating against a cultural bias that views this as rather a weak or even effeminate affectation, which is evidenced by the English-style, delicate porcelain with dainty flowers; and doilies; and afternoon teas with petit-fours and watercress sandwiches on crustless white bread. Formal manners, monacles, and raised pinkies can’t be far behind. Overcoming this preconception is necessary, I think, before the average American man would bother drinking tea.

My Russian teacups are what I use to drink practically all of my tea, unless the glasses are in the wash.

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