More Tea

I got some more of the Nepalese Oolong.
I think out of all I've had so far this one suits my palate best.
I did get a couple of new ones... some Spring Dragon Well Lung Ching Green Tea and Smoked Russian Caravan Tea.
The green tea notes are "This hand-picked and -processed green tea from the hills just west of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province (red on the map above), has been famous since the eighth century. It is known for its full, round flavor, unique nutty taste, pleasant jade-green color, and wonderful aroma. Hand fired in a large wok, it takes on a flat shiny appearance."
I found it had an aroma when first infused that it took ages to get a handle on. Turns out, I think, it smells of roasted chestnuts, hot, just as they are peeled.

Green tea comes from…

• Green tea comes from the plant Camellia sinensis. This is exactly the same plant as all types of tea (oolong, white, black) come from.
• Only the newest leaves (the top two) and the bud are plucked.
• Unlike oolong and black teas, the leaves are barely fermented (oxidised) and are instead baked, roasted or sun dried to avoid oxidation.
• When the leaves are dry enough they can be rolled into different shapes until they are completely dry.
• The quality of tea will depend on its origin, the point during the season in which it is harvested and the exact processing techniques used.

The Smoked Russian Caravan Tea says "Strong smoked tea. Sweet China India and Ceylon Blend. Good Keemun makes tea a little fruity. This is an almost exact Russian Caravan. Well blended to give a strong sweet smokiness and fruity Keemun finish."
"This is not Russian tea! It takes its name from the trading camel trains that made the 16months’ round trip from Asia along the Russian borders into Europe in the mid 17th to early 19th centuries, where tea was first sold in Europe through the Orange Houses of Holland. Traditionally, Russian Caravan consists of China Keemun, fine Formosa Oolong and just a trace of Darjeeling and China Green teas. Some people like their Russian Caravan to have a little smokiness in it, to evoke the smell of the campfires during the long journey. "
Smoky is the word. Smells like a camp fire. Nice dark strong tea though.

Holidays

I've been arranging my summer holiday.

This year I am going to drag the wife and kids to the Vosges hills in Lorraine.

Where? you ask? Why? even.

Well, the starting point was the expense of a Brittany ferries crossing in August. Terribly expensive.

Dover - Calais is a whole lot cheaper! But when you are in Calais, where do you go? Might as well head inland, cos from there it is just about as far to the Atlantic coast as to Alsace.

I once spent 4 months at medical school in southern Germany which is actually not to far north from Alsace, and i have fond memories of the area.

You may remember that prior to ww1 Alsace and Lorraine were German territories, sort of.
Then after the treaty of Versailles they were ceded back to France with the Saarland (which is where i was at university).

Coming, as I do, from so near the coast, there is something rather oddly nice about being so far inland as that part of Europe.

It is certainly worth a trip for a holiday. So we are visiting Gerardmer, on a lake in the hills.

So we hope to see the countryside, experience the life, maybe visit Colmar and Strasbourg. perhaps pop over to Freiburg.

I have bought a new big tent for the trip, now that my children have gotten so big.

It arrived yesterday and the bag for it is enormous! 42Kg.

Got to wonder next if I can fit our canoe on top with the roof box for the trip. Might be too much hassle.