2010 TOST - Visit Formosa Black Tea Museum (10/23/2010)

Three years in a row, TOST has led our members to visit Formosa Black Tea Museum.
Mr. CS Lou, a senior tea professional in Taiwan and who is still working very hard with tea, not wasting any time during the season. Every year he will just keep surprise us with something different in their exhibition, plus the presentation films that they've continuously produced. There is an important reason why we like to have our study on "History of Taiwan Tea Industry" there, not only because their conference room is so comfortable, also in an environment of old tea factory with so many historical photos and antiques on display, the feeling is just overwhelming. Our members were extremely excited and won't miss to have photos in front of the classic tea cupping counter there, and thinking of so many tea buyers around the World used to cup and make deals right at the same spot...
While most people might think the company by its name must be producing Black tea at the facility, yet our members were served with bottled water dashed with steam-fired green tea powder, which is the primary product Mr. Lo is making now. It may sound funny, a black tea company that is making sencha green tea and green tea powder...yet it is how Taiwan tea industry has gone through...very flexible, and we will continue to make changes if time goes by.

2010 TOST - Visit Chin Thai Tea Museum @Guansi, Hisnchu on 10/23/2010

Guansi Township in Hsinchu County used to be the hub of Tao-Chu-Miao, one of the most important tea regions in Taiwan. At their peak time, there were quite a few large tea manufactories in town. Most of them were long gone...and even the local youngsters hardly can imagine how busy this town used to be and how many seasonal workers from the southern Taiwan were working at those tea factories. Chin Thai Tea Manufactory is one of those, and Lo Family owns it for generations. While most tea factories gradually disappeared, Lo family made a remarkable and generous decision to keep this historical tea plant remained as it is, and converted it to a tea museum to serve our community and draw many tourists to study the history of Taiwan tea industry.
To view photos or films might give us some idea about Taiwan's tea history, but to witness so many old equipments still remained set and a well designed route to see their original production lines of Pan-fired Green tea, steam-fired Green tea, Black tea, and Oolong tea...Both primary tea manufacturing and refinery process: cutting, sifting, grading, blending, packing... "To see is to believe!"
Highly obliged to the owner, Mr. Lo for his kindness and willing to cooperate with our busy schedule. He not only made a special arrangement for our group to visit after hours, and he himself also guided us with full explanation along the tour. What a treat!

2010 TOST - Grand Cupping @Sha Keng, Henshan on 10/23/2010

This is an important session for our members to review what we have learned in this trip. By cupping all these teas to refresh our program starts from day 1 all the way...Norman Shu, the Chairman of TTMA has his team set up total 33 teas for our members to do this Grand Cupping. No need to have more ecplanation...just check these photos out...everyone of them is so serious and focus in cupping and taking notes... If you think pictures aren't enough...check these video clips:

2010 TOST - Certificates Ceremony of 2010 TOST (10/24/2010)

10/24/2010
This year, we have our Certificates Ceremony at Dong Wu Hotel. We make sure that every one get to say something and have those special moments filmed. Please enjoy these videos and listen to our members... What a bunch! Another TOST program!

2011 TOST - What are our members doing?

(Thia photo took by Jospehine back on 10/19/2010 at TRES/Yuchih Station)

One of the adorable moments during our trip...
We were making Classic TungTing Oolong.........
when the Instructor, Steve Huang, said "smell the tea leaf....."....
all members leaned over, put heads down at the same time...so cute.............

Thomas Shu This is a great shot...that will be in good memory of many.

Yvonne Wang Great!!!!!


詹純甄 it looks cute!!! heee...


Jerry Liu I wish you could send that smell via the internet!


Elise Scott Like kittens staring at a mouse


Thomas Shu
Jerry, didn't you smell it? Those Camellia sinensis leaves after solar withering, were moved indoor for the additional indoor withering...every 1 hour or half subject to the weather condition...these soft touches made our tea so good in aro...ma and taste...See More


Flockof TeaCosy Mmmmmm. I look forward to one day having the same experience. I'm sure the aroma was illuminating.


Judith Krall-Russo It was a great moment!!! The aroma was even better!


Josephine Pan It was, Judith....I miss every one of you, all my children!!!!

2010 TOST mission accomplished!

2010 TOST (Taiwan Oolongs Study Tour) with 18 members studied in Taiwan during 10/17-10/24/2010...a wonderful mission accomplished.
We have so many photos and videos that are sorting and will be posted soon.
From Wenshan Pouchong to Classic Tung-Ting, to Alishan Tea Gardens and then PonFonCha in Hsinchu... A lot been done in a short week with one long day that ended at 1:30AM...

2010 WTE - Reunion Party for TOST 2008/2009 Members (6/2010)

Our members of TOST 2008 and 2009 get to meet up for a reunion party during World Tea Expo 2010. It is always very joyful to share good memory among all that studied together on the field trips...

Scouting for 2010 TOST

I made a trip to Taiwan during 3/22-28/2010 for scouting the possible facilities for our members of TOST 2010 to have their hands on tea making experiment. Also to discuss in details on our itinerary of each day during the event with Master Huang, Chairman Norman Shu and Secretary General Ted Fan from TTMA.

Hearty appreciation to their assistance, we visited a few places and checked out several locations, concluded our focused courses... We are making sure that TOST 2010 will be even better than previous ones.