Show notes
Hellooooo tea friends! I love when we can bring tea experts on the pod! This Teatime with Jesse was filmed live on Dong Ding Mountain when I was in Taiwan! I learned a lot while I was there! And I brought back Charcoal Roasted Oolong Tea’s made by Jayme’s family. :) This episode is so fun, watch as Jayme and I talk about the differences in Western vs. Taiwanese tea culture. Jayme also delves into the process of charcoal roasting tea, learning from a tea master, and selling tea to Michelin restaurants.Order the Taiwan Oolong Sampler: https://jessesteahouse.com/products/jesse-in-taiwan-mystery-tea-dropJoin Jesse's Tea Club: https://jessesteahouse.com/products/jesses-tea-club-subscription-service0:15 Meet Jayme, our tea provider0:34 Having a tea expert on the podcast1:20 Intercultural tea business1:43 Charcoal roasted Oolong tea1:56 Artisanal teamaking2:29 How tea is roasted at different levels3:43 Oolong in Taiwan is famous4:28 Shake out the fragrance5:04 There is no “best tea” only tea that fits you the best6:00 Born into a tea family6:39 Grandma was a city girl6:55 Marrying into a tea mountain family7:38 Tea is water8:06 The tea has a nutty, creamy smell9:54 Good tea has a sweet after taste10:28 Slow roasting tea vs. fast roasted tea11:39 Rebelling against the tea family12:15 Curiosity around herbal tea blends13:08 Don’t get fooled by scented oils in your tea13:43 Milky oolong is natural, from Jin Xuan14:45 Taiwanese oolong is pretty good actually15:30 How to describe tea to westerners16:00 Describing tea to producers vs. consumers17:16 Comparing tea to BMW cars18:17 Don’t disrespect your tea master20:28 Tea descriptions need to be accessible21:27 Taste notes are so personal, don’t give too much guidance at the tea table22:34 Ignore my taste notes if you want23:05 Steep times and temperatures24:40 The better tea you get, the harder it is to mess up27:29 Tea is art28:39 Mass produced grocery store tea vs. artisanal tea30:00 Seven teas from the same mountain30:38 Selling Taiwanese teas to Michelin restaurants31:57 Contextualizing the story behind the tea32:42 Tea farmers put a lot of effort behind the tea33:23 Tea farmers are artists33:52 Pairing tea with Michelin food36:23 Dark charcoal roasted tea38:00 Charcoal roasting gives brown sugar notes to tea38:37 Light vs. charcoal roasted tea39:47 It smells like coffee41:50 We don’t have to copy the local market47:18 The base of the tea47:55 Sometimes you can be stubborn50:30 Longan wood51:22 Getting into the tea roasting process52:00 Let the fire settle52:40 Speed of burning55:10 Different types of tea farmers56:25 Tea production has multiple departments1:02:45 Different temperatures for roasting1:06:16 Tea culture in Taiwan1:07:00 Describing the Taiwan Oolong sampler box1:09:00 Advice for people new to Oolong
