I will confess to you that I’ve had a hard time identifying with oolong tea. But I’ve had some new experiences with it that are slowly changing the way I think about it.
We live fairly close to a Seattle restaurant called Lemongrass, Taste of Vietnam and I was in there over the holidays with some friends of mine, and it was the first time I recalled being able to identify oolong tea, specifically. I know I’ve consumed it many times in various Asian restaurants, but over the years I mistakenly assumed it was just another variant of green tea.
The bottomless pot at Lemongrass features a very lovely oolong, and after our meal we sat and talked over a fresh pot, and I couldn’t leave it alone. It has a very floral aroma, and a solid, earthy taste with no bite.
I’m fighting the urge to make this a restaurant review, but I can’t recommend this place enough – especially the mango salad, which was suggested by the proprietor. There isn’t much information on the web, so I can’t give you much more than the link above, but they certainly deserve mention for providing me with my first real appreciation for oolong tea.
I have several varieties from The Teacup that are currently enticing me – Goddess Oolong (earthy), Green Dragon oolong (honey), and Tie Kuan Yin oolong (floral). My husband and friends came home after a long afternoon of snowshoeing on Saturday, and we ordered cheap Chinese takeout. I brewed a large pot of the Tie Kuan Yin to accompany it, and it was a huge hit with the whole crowd. I think I’m on to something!
Next step: I need to season my yixing pot so I can properly dedicate it to oolong tea.
January 19, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Hi,
How are the 3 oolongs that you mention different in appearance from each other? Are they all greenish and fisted?
Phyll
January 19, 2007 at 8:06 pm
They all seem to be similar based on what I can see from the small pictures, and they might have originated from the same cultivar and same area (i.e. they are all tie kuan yin of differing grades). Plus, all three seem to have an equal degree of oxidation and roast. I could be wrong in that one or two of them are actually Taiwanese high mountain oolongs. Thanks for the pic!
January 20, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Actually, that makes a lot of sense. The first oolong I had at the Teacup was High Mountain Oolong, and the manager actually travels over there to choose it and bring it back himself. I think he’s a big fan. 🙂