OK. I first encountered Tung Ting from Peets Coffee & Tea out in Berkeley California. They have a changing series of teas that they call “Rare Teas”. I bought a 2 oz. tin of Tung Ting and fell in love with it. Since I moved from Berkeley in 2003 Peets has stopped carrying it and I used up the last of my supply. So for any years I’ve been looking for some more Tung Ting. This summer I did a search on the internet and found some Tung Ting and ordered 2 2oz. bags of it.
It is just as I remember it. To do it justice you should have a small purple clay pot and a small purple clay cup. About a half a teaspoon to a 10-12 oz. pot. Water should be allowed to sit a few minutes after boiling. I steep for 2 to 3 minutes before I pour a small amount. As I consume that I pour more a minute or so apart enjoying the increasing flavor and scent until I consume the whole pot and do a second pour on the leaves.
Tung Ting is a green Oolong which when you add the water, the leaves which are whole open up and give off an absolutely ethereal floral scent. The liquor is a light yellow but the combination of the floral scent and the light green taste puts me in another world. The second pour on the leaves is not quite as intense, but still excellent.
