MattCha's Blog

Firstly and most importantly: Dao Tea is a company out of Vancouver that sells good Korean tea for a very good price....Okay... on with the intro... One actually encountered Dao Tea on the second day of the 2010 Victoria Tea Festival. The extremely personable and passionate owner of Dao...

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This tea, another sample from Chado Tea House, is a type that one has never tried before- a Fatsu-Mushi (traditional lightly steamed) Sencha. Apparently, the lightly steamed method of production was the only way Sencha was produced until the longer steamed method was discovered in the 1970s. This...

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This tea was one of the samples kindly sent by Chado Tea House. Their web page claims that special care has been taken by the producers of this tea and that this tea has won a gold medal Monde selection in the years 2007 & 2008 (thought those...

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Came across exhibitors Peter and Fumis from Chado Tea house in Vancouver at the Victoria Tea Festival. Their table featured exclusively Japanese teas. They had them all, even some interesting ones. Their tea is sourced from specific areas of Japan- Fumis really seemed to know her tea.One received a few...

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This matcha is the highest grade sold by Vancouver matcha company, DoMatcha. It is a unique colaboration between DoMatcha and famous matcha producer Marukyu Koyamaen.The water is taken off boil, it is time to prepare tea. It is prepared in ceremony- slowly, empty, mindful. One uses hot water to...

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One has seen this matcha around town but wrote it off as one of those mass produced, gimmicky, health store stocked varieties. Couldn't be more wrong... except for the 'health store stalked' part. Based out of Vancouver, DoMatcha seems to be a regular fixture at health stores on the island...

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The 2010 Victoria Tea Festival turned out to be better than expected. Couldn't help but expect. One has been to a handful of tea festivals in Asia and didn't expect much from this tea event held in Canada, the only of its kind here.The stage was set as soon as...

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“These three teas are to Hunan what Puerh is to Yunnan” This phrase came from a Korean tea master while discussing tea from Hunan Province China, of which he was quite found of. The three teas he is referring to are Chan Yang Cha, Bok Jeun Cha, and Kum Cheom...

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One hasn't consumed that much green tea as of late. This is normal, keeping with the harmony of the seasons. The cool thermal qi and subtle sweet flavour of green tea harmonizes best with the rising energy of spring. However, with temperatures in January the warmest on record, spring...

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This small tea caddy by Kim Kyong Soo is typical of his style. It has a brown, oxidized, rustic look and feel that permeates the mind. Picking up the small tea jar, removing the lid, and mindfully scooping tea from the inside with a modest bamboo scoop is like embracing...

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No its not the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, its Victoria's 4th Annual Tea Festival! In celebration of this event one is going to be featuring a few posts on some of the local tea heavy weights in Victoria throughout the coming weeks. Peace...

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This sample was kindly sent by Chris along with a few other surprises. This tea is from Boseong. Of note, is that it doesn't have the seal of Korean Organic Certification. Boseong has recently captured headlines worldwide for certifying many of its gardens, but not all gardens in Boseong are...

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Merely from years of experience, there seems to be two types (or maybe classes) of yellow tea produced in Korea. The first kind of yellow is the "Spicy, Fruity, Juicy Type" and the second is the "Roasted, Chocolate Type" mmmm... they both sound yummy! The "Spicy, Fruity, Juicy Type" have...

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The look and feel of this grey and white tea bowl is wonderfully reflected under the dim lights of this traditional Korean home.This tea bowl reflects the zen mind. Its main colour is grey. In Korea grey holds special meaning, it is the colourless colour and at the same time...

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Winter time is the perfect time for Hong Cha (red tea, black tea). In the winter the bitter flavour of hong cha and its strong, quick rising yang energy is perfect to warm your soul on a cold winter day. According to the theory of five transformations, drinking bitter flavours...

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This tea sample was sent from Stephane of Teamasters a while ago. One checked his online store but apparently this wonderful cake is all sold out... a real pity. One was reminded about this sample a few months back when Hobbes from the Half Dipper did a tasting of...

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Throughout Korean history pottery (and most other fine arts) was always left to the men- this was true throughout Japan and China as well. Today although much has changed as far as gender equality in Korean and throughout the world, the top potters of the country are still predominately male....

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The tea one drinks supports one spiritually.Ones spirituality teaches one about tea.The world spins, the seasons change,One drinks tea. Peace...

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Ssang Kye is one of the most popular producers of green tea in Korea. This is partly because of the care they take in production. The tea is picked and processed carefully by hand and every step is overseen by a world class tea master. These dry leaves, after being...

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This soft, hazy white, wood fired tea jar sits staunchly like a newly formed snowman. Its shape harmonizes nicely with its colour. Its texture is soft and smooth inside and out. Peace...

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Picked this one up last year during ones journey in the Northern Laos Province of Phongsali. The producer, Lao Mountain, sells two types of tea- a 'Golden Green Tea' and 'Puerh Green Tea'.One posted about the 'Golden Green Tea' from this company a while back and found it...

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In Asia drinking tea is often seen as a way to harmonize with nature. Drinking green tea in the spring and chrysanthemum in the fall is a way to harmonize your energies with the energies of nature. Often the tea that is the most popular in a particular region is...

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Sel Young Jin's works harmonize with winter. This rustic pot exudes the feeling of early winter/ late fall- winter's first snowfall. Thick white glaze barely covering the rocky earth beneath. A light snowfall, a veil over the land. It hints at more snow to come. Peace...

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This tea was shipped with others from Korea a few months ago. It gives no hints as to what kind of tea it is other than the generic 'Hadong Green Tea' package that is used by the producers in the area. Tearing open the top of the bag then...

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Jookro is one of the oldest commercial tea companies in Korea and has been producing great wild, hand picked, Hwagae Valley tea since 1962. The Korean name of this tea 'Oo Re Cha' means 'Our Tea' and is a proud statement of confidence and pride for the often overlooked Korean...

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