So Friday was my last tea sommelier class. I’m done!! Sighs.
This is gonna be a long note so apologies in advance. I really want to remember the day and I think writing about it is the best way. That and I want to see if I can replicate some of the experiments at home one day :)
It was a great class to end on. We had so many teas that day, I swear I was a little drunk by the end of it!
The course was just presentations… I guess sommeliers are expected to have public speaking skills. It was a little stressful, but fun.
Well, we did start off the class with beer infused with Oolong. That was really tasty. Kindof floral and it blended well together. And it kicked off the “party” atmosphere.
Next we had some aged puerh with pretty intense menthol notes. Tasted great but the leaves smelled like moth balls! Errr…
After that we had more puerh (each class is dedicated to a type of tea. Can you guess what this one was??)
The lady who presented brought in tea eggs for us to try and they were the best I’ve ever had. Then again, I’ve only ever tried them at the old tea house I used to frequent before they closed down, and a sushi house that is also now closed. Hmmm.
Apparently the eggs are boiled in a brew of soy sauce, cinnamon, clove, sugar, salt, and guess what… tea! So flavourful and pretty. I love the marbled effect! I wonder what type of tea they used.
After that, we had another oolong, infused with presoaked (in tea!) pumpkin seeds. Our Prof is really nice, and doesn’t really care if we follow the schedule, and we weren’t being marked that day anyhow.
First steep was super pumpkin like, a little harsh, but rather tasty. I quite enjoyed it. Second one was much smoother, rounder, a little milder, and overall amazing. The package was written up in Japanese, so I’m not even sure what they are called… but I really wish I could find me some!
Anyhow, our last experiment was a bit more serious. One of my classmates bought a pesticide detection kit at Essence of Tea, that teaches you how to notice the difference between organic vs pesticide free food and beverages. They tested both teas in a lab and showed the results on a handout. I have it if anyone wants a copy. (though I would have to scan it)
It was not a perfect experiment because it came with two teas that weren’t identical besides the pesticide factor, but I did learn quite a bit anyhow. Mind you they were both uncooked puerhs made in a similar fashion, so it was easier to compare atleast.
It turns out that the way you can tell is not by taste at all! Not the main factor anyhow. Nope, it is more of a sensation thing. The organic version had a slight bitterness that came back with a honey sweet aftertaste. There was definitely more flavour there, while the pesticide version was less defined in that way. I would even say that it was kindof bland, more like something you could use for a flavoured tea, or in a blend.
The sensory part comes in with the pesticide version, and was really only noticeable when I sat down with a glass of both types. With the pesticide one, there was a very slight tingling/numbing of the tongue and roof of my mouth, and a tiny little pinching in my sinuses. You know when you have a headache, it comes in tiny stabs? somewhat like that, only very brief and not something I would normally pay attention to, although perhaps I should! Of course, organic is only one thing that contributes to quality tea. The richness of the soil, how it’s processed, how much sun it gets, those all need to be in balance as well. Bah. I had fun. Hopefully I’m not ruined for non-organic teas now heh. Ah well. The Prof pointed out that first or second flush teas are more likely to be organic anyhow, because pesticides are expensive and they don’t spray until the bugs come out… which is of course later in the season.
That was the end of it, sadly. It was a melancholy moment for me. But I really had to get going, as by the time I left class it was almost 10:30pm. We tea folk know how to partay.
Next up for me… a friend just gave me Turkish tea that she brought back from her trip! 500 grams I think. Oh dear. Should be interesting.
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Thank you so much for the detailed notes and congratulations! Sounds like you had an awesome time. I’m just curious, what tea sommelier did you take and where did you find it?
Dwmshunt, yes it was a fabulous night!
The program is run through George Brown College in Toronto (Canada). There are five in Canada who offer it.
There is an American equivalent that you can take at the annual Tea Expo as well.
Thank you so much for the detailed notes and congratulations! Sounds like you had an awesome time. I’m just curious, what tea sommelier did you take and where did you find it?
Dwmshunt, yes it was a fabulous night!
The program is run through George Brown College in Toronto (Canada). There are five in Canada who offer it.
There is an American equivalent that you can take at the annual Tea Expo as well.