2010 TOST - Wang Ting Tea Garden (10/21/2010)

So many beautiful pictures that we just don't feel well not to keep them all...
The visit to this tea estate is really in a perfect timing...right after the rain...Our members can't wait to jump in the tea bushes... Mr. and Mrs. Wang, the young couple are very nice to lead all of us to tour their facility...so many improvements they have equiped... I told myself, this will be the place I will like to have my hands on tea experience... (maybe for the 2011 TOST)...
Ms. Wang herself is a good collector all right. Josephine just kept taking photos on her collection in the tasting room.
Look at these photos to see how excited our members are...they are in one of the most beautiful tea gardens in Alishan... We just wish that we can stay longer there to enjoy the fresh air and happy tea bushes.

2010 TOST - Ding-Feng Taiwan Tea

This is the second stop of our visit in Meishan (part of Alishan tea district), the owner Mr. Liu and Mrs. Liu are extremely excited to meet our group members at their modern tea plant. We are really shocked to see their equipments and imagine how busy they were during the season.
It is getting dark, and we ran out of time for visiting their tea garden ...maybe next time...

2010 TOST - Visit San Hsia Tea District (10/22/2010)

After three days away from Taipei, we got an easier schedule on 10/22/2010 to visit San Hsia tea district and Yinge, the Ceramic Capital of Taiwan.
Taiwan Lung Jing (Dragon Well) and Taiwan Pi-Lo-Chun ? No kidding.
Most tea lovers will think of these two famous Green teas are only available from China, but here in Taiwan, you really can find very limited supply of Lung Jing and Pi Lo Chun, especially in San Hsia tea district. Early in 1949, there were many Chinese who followed Chiang Kai-Shek to Taiwan. They missed those green tea of their home towns...so some one started to teach the local tea farmers to make them for the demand. Due to different cultivars plus the influence of traditional Pouchong making... Taiwan Lung Jing and Taiwan Pi Lo Chun actually have their own uniqueness and loyal fans.
Mr. Lee, the owner of Cheng Chuan Tea Factory, greeted us to his store and we got chance to cup his teas (besides the two green teas he made in Spring and Autumn, during the Summer, he also makes Oriental Beauty and black tea). He then walked all of us to his tea plant. Our members were very interested in his modified Sencha machines that used for Lung Jing rolling and pressing...

2010 TOST - On the Road Again...(10/23/2010)

10/23/2010
This is a "tea museums" day. We are heading to the home of Oriental Beauty, Beipu Hsinchu and then we have a lunch at Royal Golf Course at Guansi. (There are total 7 golf courses in this town at the foothill of Taiwan's Central Mountain range, used to be the hub of Tao-Chu-Miao, an important tea region of Taiwan tea, but tea plantations are replaced by these golf courses.) We have arranged two very different tea museums in Guansi, Chin Thai and Forteaco. We will end the day with our Grand Cupping session at Sha Keng Tea Factory in Henshan Hsinchu.

2010 TOST - Kwan-Chun PonFonCha Museum@Beipu (10/23/2010)

Surprisingly to see so many domestic tourists here when we arrived the tea museum. The owner, Mr. Peng, a senior teaman, also a member of TTMA. His old tea factory has been converted to be a PonFonCha Museum with the exhibition of tea processing equipments plus a very unique display to guide the tourists learn about how the Oriental Beauty (PonFonCha) was made...and the history of Beipu tea industry... There are many interesting antiques, such as the cupping counter that TTMA first made for their members back in 1956...and also the one and only wooden extractor for tea seed oil...plus a tunnel of Pomelo tea baking... At the end of the visiting route, there is a wall for Hall of Fame in the local tea making history, which is truly a sweet idea to remember those Senbai (masters) of our tea colleagues.
There are retailing areas, very widely spreaded with all sorts of tea and herb and a big variety of souvenirs... Two major attractions for our members there are:
Tasting booth for sampling 7 grades of Oriental Beauty and a seating section for Lei Cha experience.
This is a fun place, and it is the first tea museum among the 3 that we planned to visit in a lomg day.

2010 TOST - Pomelo Teas on Baking

Mr. Peng, the owner of Kwan-Chun Tea Museum, has great idea to include the Hakka traditional Pomelo Tea baking process harmonizedly set along the path of exhibition...Feel like you're walking pass a tunnel of Pomelo teas baking room... This is a wonderful way to experience this old craft.

2010 TOST - Hands On Doing Lei Cha @Beipu (10/23/2011)

Inside the PonFonCha Tea Museum, there are several tables set for visitors to have fun of hands on making Lei Cha...Interesting enough, one butterfly, two local kids with their pet bird stay right next to our group. William Huang did not bother to take his turn to work on the Lei Cha, he was having another Hakka snack - Mochi....

What is Lei Cha?
You might find a details information in "The World of Tea" Summer 2010:
"Lei Cha means pounded tea and is a traditional Hakka beverage based on tea and a mix of various ingredients. Dry tea leaves are ground - or pounded - together with roasted nuts, seeds and grains. It is a savory drink but sugar or salt can be added for taste. Nowadays, Lei Cha can be bought commercially pre-packaged..."

2010 TOST - Searching for the Angels @ Beipu (10/23/2011)

Our bus made a short stop in one farmer's tea garden on the way from Beipu to Guansi. Norman made this arrangement for us to search for the green leaf-hoppers - the angel sent by heaven to make Taiwan's Oriental Beauty so unique. By reviewing at those pictures taken in the garden...you can see how excited our members were. Those Jacobiasca formosana (Paoli, 1936) had been very cooperative and everyone got a nice chance to have many many shots.