Tea time: Feng Qing Silver Needle Dragon Ball from Yunnan Sourcing.

This is the first of the dragon ball teas from Yunnan Sourcing that I am trying, hand wrapped in twists of cotton swatches by the proprietor's mother and father-in-laws.

This is also my first white tea, so called because it's picked very early when the tea buds still have little white hairs on them. The tea is dried to minimize oxidation, with very delicate results.

Unfortunately, Yunnan Sourcing did not have brewing suggestions listed with their dragon ball products, and from what the internet tells me, white teas like short steeps and low temperatures. However, this white tea had been pressed into a hard little ball that just was not going to unfurl, so I used the 185F white tea setting on my kettle and gave it a good 30 seconds, on the principle that those leaves needed to get wet somehow!

First steep the water took on almost no color. The vendor's description mentioned cinnamon, but I got this very delicate peach note, fruity without cloying sweetness.

Second steep at 45 seconds, the ball remained furled, the tea hinted at an idea of what gold might be like, and this time someone might have waved a cinnamon stick at me while passing at a brisk walk - the peach flavor remained steady. Zero astringency and it does not dry the inside of the mouth at all. I think this would be a nice thirst quenching tea on a warm day.

Third steep at 60 seconds, the ball held its shape but has begun shedding outer leaves. Tea color has gone distinctly if palely gold, cinammon and peach flavor has opened up very nicely. Yunnan Sourcing says this should stand up to 7 or 8 steeps easily and I believe it.

Steep four, 90 seconds, ball is falling apart now, tea color remains pale gold, spiced peach flavor is holding steadily. 

Lovely stuff. Will absolutely have to try a loose leaf silver needle at some point.

 

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I was expecting a fabric delivery of linen, but NO! The UPS box turned out to be six boxes of tea bags from Steven Smith Teamaker of Portland, courtesy of Staffan. He says they were out of gift assortments he thought I'd like, so he just created his own: two herbal infusions, two greens (one blended with mint), two blacks (a nice chai and a breakfast blend). I generally don't care for chamomile, but it looks like it might be an interesting blend. (And I just fainted when I looked up how much a box of "sachets" goes for. That's love, that is. Because he probably won't come out and say "I miss you." )