Comments on: Coffee, Tea or . . . Both? http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/08/coffee-tea-or-both/ Discovering the way of tea, one cup at a time. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:34:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Cinnabar http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/08/coffee-tea-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-5961 Cinnabar Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:10:51 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1392#comment-5961 That's a pretty good description. That’s a pretty good description.

]]> By: tyler http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/08/coffee-tea-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-5956 tyler Sat, 29 Aug 2009 05:35:06 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1392#comment-5956 haha sounded like a shady place when shady people go to gossip and have fun where time just stands still haha sounded like a shady place when shady people go to gossip and have fun where time just stands still

]]> By: Cinnabar http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/08/coffee-tea-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-5949 Cinnabar Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:49:58 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1392#comment-5949 It's very different from Chinese green teas. Even in a diluted iced form I could recognize that it was Vietnamese tea. I actually didn't taste the lotus until about the third glass, after I had watched the server make more iced tea, which might mean that the earlier tea was just tea. Vietnamese teas have a character of their own that's hard to define, but I'd say that maybe the best way to describe them is that they're more vegetal and astringent. Vietnamese cuisine in general has a distinctive set of flavors and scents that are pretty recognizable - and very non-Chinese, if that makes sense. It’s very different from Chinese green teas. Even in a diluted iced form I could recognize that it was Vietnamese tea. I actually didn’t taste the lotus until about the third glass, after I had watched the server make more iced tea, which might mean that the earlier tea was just tea. Vietnamese teas have a character of their own that’s hard to define, but I’d say that maybe the best way to describe them is that they’re more vegetal and astringent. Vietnamese cuisine in general has a distinctive set of flavors and scents that are pretty recognizable – and very non-Chinese, if that makes sense.

]]> By: Cinnabar http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/08/coffee-tea-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-5948 Cinnabar Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:44:00 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1392#comment-5948 For purposes of clarification, by "subculture" you mean Vietnamese immigrant communities in the US, right? I'm sure you didn't intend otherwise, but Vietnam itself is certainly more than a subculture, and it's the source of this tradition. Personally, I don't have a need for establishing any sort of hierarchy regarding tea or coffee, but my motivations and interests are more centered around participating in traditional beverage (and food) cultures, some of which encompass coffee or wine. (I'd certainly not defend sweetened condensed milk on any kind of health benefit basis! I don't usually even like anything that contains sugar and I never consume milk, except this last time when I forgot to ask them to omit it.) For purposes of clarification, by “subculture” you mean Vietnamese immigrant communities in the US, right? I’m sure you didn’t intend otherwise, but Vietnam itself is certainly more than a subculture, and it’s the source of this tradition.

Personally, I don’t have a need for establishing any sort of hierarchy regarding tea or coffee, but my motivations and interests are more centered around participating in traditional beverage (and food) cultures, some of which encompass coffee or wine. (I’d certainly not defend sweetened condensed milk on any kind of health benefit basis! I don’t usually even like anything that contains sugar and I never consume milk, except this last time when I forgot to ask them to omit it.)

]]> By: Steven Knoerr http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/08/coffee-tea-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-5946 Steven Knoerr Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:33:39 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1392#comment-5946 Cinnabar, what did you think of the green tea? Did it taste pretty similar to the taste of Chinese greens? The reason I ask is that I think in Vietnam, they grow the Cambodian varietal of tea: Camellia sinensis var. parvifolia, which is distinct from the sinensis and assamica varietals. I've never had it, but I imagine it would have rather a different flavor profile. Cinnabar, what did you think of the green tea? Did it taste pretty similar to the taste of Chinese greens? The reason I ask is that I think in Vietnam, they grow the Cambodian varietal of tea: Camellia sinensis var. parvifolia, which is distinct from the sinensis and assamica varietals. I’ve never had it, but I imagine it would have rather a different flavor profile.

]]> By: Jason Witt http://www.gongfugirl.com/2009/08/coffee-tea-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-5945 Jason Witt Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:12:37 +0000 http://www.gongfugirl.com/?p=1392#comment-5945 This is a lot like what's found in St Paul. There's a very big Hmong community here so there are a lot of Vietnamese-style restaurants. However, I will still have to take up the cause of tea instead of coffee. Outside this little subculture there are going to be few realms where tea and coffee can coexist side-by-side like this. This is a lot like what’s found in St Paul. There’s a very big Hmong community here so there are a lot of Vietnamese-style restaurants. However, I will still have to take up the cause of tea instead of coffee. Outside this little subculture there are going to be few realms where tea and coffee can coexist side-by-side like this.

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