Friday, May 02, 2008
Posted by Miss Neddy at 10:27 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Categories: Tea Black

Pu’er 暜洱 doesn’t always come in cakes. Loose Pu’er has become more popular, after reports have come out about the many health benefits of drinking the thick black tea, which include the lowering of blood cholesterol and aiding digestion. There are notable variations even among the loose leaf Pu’ers; some are large leafed and clumped together, others are small and curled, and look like charcoal black wulong.

Pu’er is not a popular tea with me, as I find the flavour too strong and Pu’er that is not up to par frequently comes out bitter, musty and even muddy in taste. A good Pu’er should taste robust, earthy and just slightly like Chinese medicine, and quite a bit like a good coffee. But it should never taste or smell like an abandoned wardrobe.

I have managed to convert a few friends, inveterate coffee drinkers all, to drinking tea by introducing them to good Pu’er first. The dark colour of the tea assures them of the strength of the brew, and the strong taste appeals to their coffee-conditioned tastebuds. A few have moved on to lighter teas, but most stick to Pu’er. Pu’er leaves work very well with equipment meant for coffee, such as push-down percolators, and are able to withstand boiling hot water. Indeed, in order to unlock all the subtlety of a good Pu’er, the water must be suitably hot.

A Pu’er cake

Pu’er as loose leaves

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