2012 World Tea Expo - Taiwan Green Tea

Taiwan Green Tea ? 
Many tea friends, including some tea pros in Taiwan, don't know the facts: Taiwan used to export tons of pan-fried Green tea to Northern Africa, Middle East...Also, in 70s/80s Taiwan actually shipped big quantity of steam-fired Green tea to Japan.  Another fact: Taiwan Pi-Lo-Chun and Taiwan Lung-Jing still keep their fans happy every Spring from Sanhsia tea district. (*Yes, our TOST friends visit that district often.)  
Jackson Huang, is the most suitable person that can share with you these facts.  TTMA has presented a session for him to lead the cupping and tasting of Taiwan Green Tea:
Sanhsia Pi-Lo-Chun  and  Sanhsia Lung-Jing.  Plus a demonstration on how to prepare Micro-Green Tea 300 to serve in party.  Jackson has two beautiful tea ladies whom he's met in Taipei a few years back... Julia Arrasmith-Matson from Bingley's Tea., and Darlene Meyers-Perry from The Tea Lover's Archives co-own the stage...  They surely have done a marvelous job!

For reference review on Micro-Green Tea 300.
For more tea information on Sanhisa Breeze.

2012 World Tea Expo - New Tea Labeling

New Tea Labeling ?
Yes, this is an important step for Taiwan Oolong's international marketing.  We have always thought of the advice from Professor Lynn Lin...who originally expected to lead such a forum discussion, yet cannot make it to Vegas this year.  We also take serious suggestion from our industry guru, Brian Keating -  from his 6th Edition  Specialty Tea is "Hot" Report ----
"The Wine Business Model
What if Specialty tea was marketed, merchandised and sold like high-end wine....clearly labeled with estate, year of harvest, regional origin certifications, and with tight packaging seals to document the origin and help manage freshness?"     (*By the way, the 7th Edition Tea Report is now available.)


Before the 2012 World Tea Expo, I called Michael Spillane, whom I always respect as Sensei when I need good advice, about my plan.  Mike gave me his full support right away, and he invites Brian the original, to sit in our panel.  And Mr. Keating has suggested to bring Mr. Robert S. McCaleb to join the discussion that set to be 6/2/2012 on TTMA Stage in World Tea Expo.

No need to have extra words to introduce Jackson Huang, Michael Spillane, Brain Keating to our tea friends. But we do need to share more information about Mr. McCaleb.  Here is his bio:

Robert S. McCaleb, Herb Research Foundation, Natural Healthcare Inc., Sustainable Natural Products Rob McCaleb is founder and president of the Herb Research Foundation (HRF) in Boulder, Colorado, an internationally recognized research and education organization dedicated to providing facts on the health benefits of herbs. Rob has more than 20 years' experience in botanical research and business. He was Research Director for Celestial Seasonings (America's largest herbal tea company) for 13 years and served on the Board of Directors of the American Herbal Products Association and Herb Trade Association. He was one of five scientists appointed by President Clinton to serve on the Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels. Rob has also served as an advisor to the U.S. Congress, the Office of Technology Assessment, the Office of Dietary Supplements, the Office of Alternative Medicine, and other federal and state agencies. Educated in Cellular Biology and Botany at the University of Texas and University of Colorado, he is currently a PhD candidate in ethnobotany at Union Institute. His international work has involved development of herbs as cash crops and medicinal resources throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe since 1980, including projects for U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The discussion mainly to offer some ideas and guidelines when we are creating the tea labels for Taiwan's Specialty Teas.  What information should be included and clearly indicated, what information could be shown on the supplemental QR-code...
Hearty thanks to Mike, Brian and Rob.  It meant to let Jackson and Frieda of  TTMA to take the precious suggestions back to Taiwan and work out a system for Taiwan Oolong's new labeling.  Standardized labeling and standardized packaging are seriously concerned while we are trying to promote our fine teas to the International market places.
 

2012 World Tea Expo - TOST 2012 Registration

Taiwan Oolongs Study Tour 2012 Program" officially announced and open for registration during the 2012 World Tea Expo.  With our TOST friends from 2010, Lynayn Meilke, and from 2011, Jeni Dodd to be on the stage with Josephine Pan (the organizer of TOST) to share with our tea friends there what we have done, and how this program actually benefited our members... Also, to introduce the details of 2012 TOST schedule.  Linda Villano, also a member of TOST 2010 plugged in during the session... What a close group we have.  It is all about tea education.  We make sure that the field study with hands on experience, plus the group members from different backgrounds in tea trade...which really helps every one in our program to enhance their knowledge and expertise on Taiwan Oolong. 

2012 World Tea Expo - Oriental Beauty, the exquisite

Oriental Beauty, the exquisite

Kissed by green leaf hopper insect in early summer, this tea delivers an exceptional fruity, elegant floral aroma with an intense, complex flavor and a rich aftertaste of honey and peaches. 

A true Champagne of tea from Taiwan.

For this session, we are glad to invite our 2011 TOST friend,  Michael Lannier, from Tea Source.  Michael has done a marvelous Taiwan Oolong Workshop in Minneapolis recently per his mentor, Bill Waddington. We know he has a very expensive hobby of drinking Oriental Beauty.  His conversation with Director Chen and myself is super fun.  We did taste two teas that prepared from TTMA, one is  2010 Summer crop, and another one is 2011 Summer crop from Miaoli.

2012 World Tea Expo - Bliss Oolong, the harmony

What is Bliss Oolong ?  on 6/3/2012, I invite our good friend, Lynayn Mielke, who's currently serving STI's Advisory Board, a member of our 2010 TOST...we chat about Bliss Oolong and actually we are having American Ginseng Oolong for tasting.
 

Bliss Oolong, the harmony  

Artfully blend teas from many crops, varieties, or estates, partner them with delicate floral accents, or mix them with herbs and tisanes.

This results in a harmonious flavor that’s sure to bring a smile. True bliss!

2012 World Tea Expo - Focus on Taiwan

"The World of Tea" magazine, 2010 Summer issue features "Focus on Taiwan"... what an outstanding work by Kirsten Kristensen and her Tea 4 U Group.  This is a fruity result of her 2009 Taiwan Oolongs Study Tour.  (*We know that she is working on another Origin...can't wait to read her next book...)  Taiwan Tea Manufacturers Association has recognized Kirsten's contribution in its 2011 Annual Conference. In 2012 World Tea Expo, TTMA has great honor to invite her to share her book also her experience in Taiwan.   I personally believe she will be visiting Taiwan many more times...and with her keen observation and her guidance...Taiwan's Estate Tea will be introduced and be reviewed... We are so proud of Kirsten and we believe she is a true Taiwan Tea Ambassador.

2012 World Tea Expo - Pure Spring Tea

Pure Spring Tea is a project funded and managed by Tse-Xin Foundation in Taiwan.  We have visited this organization two times in a roll in our  2010/2011 TOST program.  (Per Director Chen of TRES, this organization also have received strong support from TRES and COA.)  For more details about this project, please refer to our link.
Kirsten of Tea4U is the presenter for this session, with her well prepared PPS (done by the team of Tea4U) to help us understand how this Organic tea project proceeds.  We now expect Tse-Xin will soon to have their USDA Certified Organic Taiwan Oolong available for the Northern American tea lovers.

2012 World Tea Expo - How fun it is!

 

During the World Tea Expo... we manage to have fun...great fun... 

With these 3 Bobs: Spicy Bob (Bob Bowey) from Kansas, Icy Bob (Bob Krul) from Canada, two of our TOST friends., and Bob Williford, Owner at Student of the Leaf...

We are practicing a song: Wenshan Pouchong... 

Adding the hand signs while we refresh our memory about how the Pouchong tea has gone through the solar withering, indoor withering, fluffing...to wait till the leaf's edge turning brown (red)...and the natural fragrance flowed out of the leaf...

 

 

(Here is another video link for the same Pouchong tea song playing at 2011 World Tea East )

 

2012 World Tea Expo - Behind the scenes

A Guide to Taiwan Oolong with Jeni Dodd

Azusa Tea Club has great honor to invite our tea friend, Jeni Dodd, from New York to join us and share a tea cupping and tasting session: A Guide to Taiwan Oolong with Jeni Dodd, on 7/22/2012.
We use to have our meet up on the third Saturday afternoon of the month. This month,  we moved it to Sunday afternoon...maybe causing some inconvenience of our members and we apologize.  We are so happy to see a few new faces in our audience.
Please enjoy the slideshow of this meet up.

Jeni Dodd – Jeni Dodd is the owner of Jeni’s Tea, a company dedicated to importing hand-crafted, specialty tea and offering tea education for groups and events. Jeni’s Tea seeks to expand the public’s awareness of the specialty tea market and help consumers discover the exquisite joy of the leaf. Over the last few years, Jeni Dodd has dedicated and committed herself to learning as much as possible about the tea industry, tea culture and tea processing. She is a Certified Tea Specialist through the Specialty Tea Institute and has completed all of STI’s Level IV courses offered to date. To further enhance her knowledge of tea, Jeni Dodd has traveled to several countries of origin, including Taiwan, Japan, Korea, China, India and Nepal, where she has visited several tea estates and tea gardens where she observed and participated in the various growing and processing methods unique to each country. As she was finishing law school in London, Jeni Dodd first developed a passion for tea. Earl Grey was her ‘gateway’ tea and that tea eventually led to her appreciation of specialty tea. While practicing as a corporate litigation attorney in New York City, she found that her desire to know more about tea outweighed her desire for the law and she formed Jeni’s Tea. While she still does some legal work, her primary focus is growing her tea business and continuing to learn about endlessly fascinating world of tea.