2009 TOST - Oriental Beauty - Drying, Rolling and Drying (6/26/2009)

If you are not there to eyewitness the whole processing...you will think that it might be all the same just like the CHART showing each step... However, with our tea masters' persistence and the competition, they will repeat the drying steps and rolling steps...also, again, because the tender leaves they are handling, they must make sure to keep the leaves' one sprout with two tender leaves intact. (**That usually is an important criteria to decide the Quality of Oriental Beauty.) Therefore, they will not dry the tea instantly, and try to apply with wet towels to hold the leaves while they are rolling with half-moon roller, or hand-rolling...We are lucky to see these two masters are competing each other...
An unforgettable experience for most of our members to observe the craftsmanship. (**My father used to tell me that "No master is true master, if he/she cannot cope with the weather, the equipments, and adjust with the tea's changing status...) Well, leave the toughness for these tea farmers and their masters. We are just as curious, and want to cup the tea we just "made". TTMA will help to dry these tea and pack in tins for every member to take home to enjoy.

2009 TOST - Oriental Beauty - Panning (6/26/2009)

Judged by the two masters, they started to pull all the leaves that have gone through indoor withered together, and set for Panning. They worked really carefully to make sure that leaves will not be broken. When the panning done, the leaves were covered with towels to get soften
with moisture contains inside. The aroma of Oriental Beauty is spreading in the air...

2009 TOST - Oriental Beauty - indoor withering (6/26/2009)

Honestly, we took a break a little bit too long to miss moving tea leaves from out door to inside the factory. Sun withered and sun burned makes huge difference...we have to be extra careful to examine the leaves' status...
During the indoor withering, we were guided to do the fluffing and softly shaking the spreading the tea leaves for few times. Our Oriental Beauty are resting on the racks...and we were treated with lichee, watermelon, banana...by Ted's sister. Norman also worked with Mr. Shen to have his competition teas for our members to evaluate...well, those tea leaves got their breaks...we, we need to review our cuppings at TRES/Taitung branch on 6/25/2009. Please refer to our post:
http://taiwanteatour.blogspot.com/2009/10/cupping-and-reviewing-at-taitung-branch.html

2009 TOST - Oriental Beauty - solar withering (6/26/2009)

Mr. Shen and several friends are waiting for us...
In the countryside, a bunch of foreign visitors show up in a tea plant to learn how to make tea...that makes news all right. His neighbors and several local farmers were there to greet us.
Solar withering plays a very important role in Oriental Beauty's processing. Usually, summer time in Taiwan could be super hot with astonishing sunshine... The shade for controlling the heat is very critical. When sun is out, we pull the shades on...when direct sun is needed again, the shades will be off. Some tea plants in Taiwan have installed remote control for their shades, but at this plant we need our young forces, Ricki and Greg, they were having fun to help out...
Each member got 2 kgs of fresh tea leaves and 5 bamboo trays. We were guided by Master Liu and Master Shen to spread the leaves evenly in 5 trays...with extra soft touch. How long the solar withering, depends on the sun shine, temperature, and humidity. We were told by our teachers to check the tea leaves to judge when the leave are done for moving to next step...indoor withering.

2009 TOST - Oriental Beauty - plucking the leaves (6/26/2009)

June 26, 2009. We left Dong Wu Hotel at 8 am sharp, all of our members are excited to meet the legendary "Oriental Beauty"!
Jackson told us that we will pick up Sensei Hsu (Master Y.S. Hsu) on the way to Lungtan tea district. Master Hsu is senior advisor of TTMA, he works with Jackson together for over 7 years conducting Taiwan Oolongs Study Program for Japanese tea pros. At the tea plant, TTMA also invites two masters to show their different skills in processing. JP reminds every one to get enough chips for their cameras...this is indeed one of the most important sessions in our program. Back on TOST 2008, we came in Taiwan late in October, so we did not have chance to observe how this unique Taiwan Oolong is making. For TOST 2009, we are actually making it...how thoughtful we are treated by TTMA.
From the slideshow, you can see that we must change to 4 wheel drive truck to get in tea fields and that is some experience for our members. The ladies were there plucking the leaves for us to hands on making our Oriental Beauty. We were lucky to hear the beautiful Hakka Tea Mountain Love Song right there...Bob was extremely happy and tried to sing back and forth with the ladies... How hard is to pluck the tea leaves for making Oriental Beauty? Well, you just have to believe: these ladies start plucking tea leaves from their very early age...they don't watch the leaves and pick...they almost rely on their fingers' feeling...just follow the feeling to pluck those "one sprout and two tender leaves that got bidden by green leaf hoppers". How many can they get if they have to wear the glasses to check and pick the leaves? In a way, they deserve to get higher pay for their excellent works. Good tea begins with right leaf. Nothing is easy... those ladies are proud of their Gong-Fu in the tea fields!
One bag of tea leaves traveled back with our bus on a ride to Mr. Shen's tea factory.