Ultimate Food Snob: August 2008

Friday, August 29, 2008

FYI IPA (the best India Pale Ale)

IPA. I P what? India Pale Ale. Some are good and some are bad. After trying dozens of run-of-the-mill IPAs, I found one that is a stunner. Light in body and that beautiful floral hoppiness, low bitterness, and long on taste. These are the epitome of relief on a hot summer day or the downtime needed after a long day at work.

Bring forth…Stone Brewing Company. Give us…Stone IPA.

Surprisingly, this brew comes from San Diego, not the Pacific Northwest or high northern California. The beers down in southern California tend to be bland and made for low IQ frat guys. This definitely goes against the grain. This brewery does not make one bad beer. I have tried them all and they are all spectacular.

This IPA stands out from others because of its intense floral notes paired with a clean yet, long lingering aftertaste. Buy the large bottle and have a fun afternoon of drunken delirium, for these beers are higher in alcohol than your typical beer. Think of it as a hybrid between a standard IPA and a good Belgian beer (Chimay, Piraat, etc). Look for it at Whole Foods or any good quality liquor store.

Open the bottle, pour yourself a glass (remember to tilt the glass and pour the beer into the tilted inside) and try not to walk into any glass doors…or your cat…or the PD.

Monday, August 25, 2008

A Snob's Chocolate Bar

I have eaten so many different types of chocolate in bar form, bite size form, from the US, from the UK, from Spain, from you name it. I search and then search more for the perfect quintessential cocoa experience. There must be one out there somewhere. Something so exquisite and esoteric to the world of chocolate, so world shaking that it would send you into a new level of enlightenment, so wonderful that you would become an addict instantly.

While I have not reached nirvana during my chocolate eating experiences, I have found a few bars that are very good. One in particular is spectacular and I might say, reaching back into my mind to see if it's true, is the best bar I personally have found. There are no distractions from the bean and it's special cultivation and exact roast make it unique. This is not chocolate, this is culinary excellence.

Dagoba is the brand. Milagos is the bar.

I usually like a higher concentration of cocoa in my chocolate, but the beans used in this bar are so incredible that I don't care in this case. 68% cocoa. There is not too much sugar, and not too much cocoa mass (for me that has to be over 90% for me not to eat it). The chocolate is sweet, not from the sugar, but from the bean itself. The bean variety has a floral and fruity taste as well as a deep and earthy base. It knocked my all-time favorite bar (Conocado by Dagoba) off it's pedestal and onto the floor.

This is a true single source bean bar. One can experience the true flavors of the bean itself through these bars.

This is a bar you can serve with a great meal. Get out your good wines, your belgian beers, your fine cheeses and open up this bar. A new world of gastronomical wonder is about to unfold before you.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Ham it Up Baby

Most Americans have only experienced the world of ham through the ham lunch meat used in a ham sandwich or the nasty slimy canned ham eaten at Easter dinner. There is a whole new world of ham out there. From Italy to Spain, there are delicacies you can only dream of tasting. If you thought a high-end Procuttio de Parma was good, just wait until you taste real Spanish hams.

First off, a quality Jamon Serrano is spectacular. But once you move up to a Jamon Iberico, there is no going back. From here, you are ruined if you ever have the chance to sample a Jamon Iberico de Bellota. This is the world's best ham. Nothing can even come close to the range of flavors a piece of this holds. It is utterly astounding that this is ham. These little piggies are free-range and let out to roam the oak forests to eat a diet consisting purely of acorns. The ham that comes from these lucky little residents of Jabugo, Spain is aged for three entire years. Hence, the dark purple color of the inside of the ham.

Do you want to buy a leg of this ham for home? $1400.oo is the price. Yep. Basically, $100 a pound. Try going for a smaller piece if you can find it. The online Spanish store, La Tienda has it. So does Hotpaella and La Espanola Meats.

Your world of ham will forever be changed. Ham will no longer be considered an inferior product or a depressing alternative to other meats. It will rise to a new pedestal that you grab for on special occasions and festivities. Open a nice oloroso sherry, grab a pice of Bellota and enjoy.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Why Whine About Cheap Wine?

It's not difficult task to pick out a great bottle of red wine for $50, but drop that to the $10-15 range and immediately, you have a problem. Cheap red wine usually, well…tastes cheap. Even cheap wine advertised as "no two-buck chuck", is just that. Dare to buy it and try it. After a sip and decanting it and airing using a handheld aerator, you will dump the glass and the rest of the bottle down the drain or use it to clean your toilet. It's sad, but true. Luckily for you, I have tried a great deal of wines in the range and have a few recommendations.

So, if you want to look on your own, it's not too hard. These are the countries and varieties you should look at. My personal favorite is: Spain, Rioja. You can look under Ribera Del Duero as well. These are excellent. France: Rhone & Bordeaux (yes, there are good cheap Bordeauxs). Also, if you like wine that is a little spicier, check out wine from Argentina (Malbec) and Australia (Shiraz). They tend to have good wines on the cheap. Go to Trader Joes for the best wine prices on the standards. Once you run out of those options, try your local wine shop. They usually have wines they have personally sourced from wineries, and thus, are unavailable at the major stores.

For personal recommendations, if you can find them (use wine-searcher.com) try 2006 Vina Sastre, Marques de Carceras (easy to find), Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 Dom De Tours Pays de Vaucluse, 2006 Côtes du Rhône Comte Louis Clermont-Tonnerre "La Berardière Très Vieilles Vignes", and 2005 Lineshack Cabernet Sauvignon. This should provide a good starting point for your own wine adventures.

Most of these red wines should be dumped into a decanter for a good thirty minutes to an hour to let them open up and reach their potential. Believe me, it's worth it. If you are in a rush or only want a glass, try the handheld aerators, it's better than nothing even though they don't work as well. You can buy single glass serving decanters as well, but you might as just dump the wine into the glass and let it sit for thirty minutes.

Good luck and good wine hunting. Enjoy the purple teeth.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

The Dream of "Mi Sueño" Syrah

If a dream can come in a bottle, it might come in the form of a
magnificent syrah. Drinking the entire bottle between two people, it sure felt like a dream, especially on a somewhat empty stomach. Wait, maybe that was the alcohol content weaving it's mysterious magic, which we all know too well.

I am big on syrahs. Which also means that I am picky as hell on them. This one passed the tests with flying colors. Let me introduce you to Mi Sueño Winery, Syrah 2004.

A superb effort. If you don't like the sweetness of wines or think they are a girly drink, I implore you to take a second look at them and try this monster of a red wine. Deep rich flavors of tobacco, leather and earth permeate the body of this wine. The typical fruit and jammy tastes are there too for you out there who are worried this will be too pungent of a wine. It's not. Wonderful. You can drink this beast with your favorite hamburger, rack of lamb, favorite gamey meat or even barbecued tempeh.

Give yourself a treat. I know you can use one; we all can. Go support your local wine shop and buy a bottle of this gem or have them order one for you. A new batch of 2004 was just released, after selling out completely. You will not regret the experience this bottle will give you.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Don't Take my Tamale!

So you have never eaten a tamale? What is wrong with you? Don't shrug off one of South America's best gastronomical delights in pure ignorance and fear. Don't fear the tamale.

Tamales come from many countries in South America, not just from Mexico as most people think. They have everything from fish to vegetables to fruits to exotic meats and cheeses in them and can be wrapped up in various leaves (not just corn husks) to signify their recipe's origin.

So, the problem is that unless you go to South America, it is quite difficult in the U.S. to find distinct and interesting tamales that will perk your interest.

As luck would have it, I know of two places that offer the best tamales you will ever eat.

Mama's Hot Tamales Cafe: A local shrine to the glory of the tamale, this Los Angeles cafe makes tamales from at least a half dozen countries in South America. I have eaten these and they are excellent. Have you ever had mango and fish in your tamale? Had them wrapped in banana or avocado leaves? Be prepared to experience a revelation when you eat a few of these delightful gems.

Corn Maiden: Have you ever had sweet corn tamales? What about vegan tamales? Dessert tamales? Yes they have belgian chocolate, raspberries and caramelized walnuts in them. There is a tamale for every occasion here. Do you need a tamale for your kid to eat. What they don't like tamales? Then try the sweet corn with peanut butter and jelly or the hot dog and cheese tamale. For you, try the sweet corn BBQ chicken tamale. Fantastic. Bonus: you can order online and as many as you want. Check out their sauces too. They are just as varied.

Tamales, tamales, tamales. Soon you will an addict. Don't blame me. I just pointed the finger. You pulled it.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

The Best Green Teas

Okay, so you don't want to read through all my tasting notes on all those green teas? I figured so, but take a look at them if any of these peak your interest. Many things define a great green tea. There is the color, the aroma, the flavor and the traditions the tea follows (what it should look and taste like according to its classifications). So here is your Cliff Notes, your cheat sheet to great green teas. The teas listed below are what I think are the best green teas I have tasted as of yet.

Buy these teas:

Dragon Well

This must be from the Zhejiang region of China. Most are chestnut-like in flavor with a slight sweetness. The competition grade is the best. Not that I needed any more of this tea, but I just bought a half pound of West Lake Lung Ching, although this is not grown in the traditional spot it is spectacular, (get it at Special Teas) to round out my collection. Also, for a great tea get the Organic Dragon Well, Special Grade from Two Hills Tea

Bi Luo Chun

(aka. Pi Lo Chun) This must be from the Dong Ting region of China. Both the Superior and Competition grades are great. The Superior is more musty and vegetal, while the premium and competition are sweeter and less musty. Go for a small batch of the competition grade. It's spectacular. I can't decide which merchant's tea I like the most. I am still tasting new samples. Special Teas & TeaCuppa

White Monkey King Green

One of my top favorites. This Chinese tea has a nice roasted, vegetal and slightly sweet flavor. I just bought a pound of this. Special Teas

Taiping Houkui

This is a spectacular tea. The flavors from this tea run the gamut. From sweet, to vegetal, to subtly smokey, to a nice toastiness. This is one to try. I just bought a quarter pound of this tea. Special Teas

Snow Buds Mountain

This is a well balanced and very sweet high mountain Chinese green tea. I just bought a half pound of this. Special Teas

Sencha Hiki First Flush

This is the perfect Japanese green tea. Very expensive, buy a sample or a few ounces. Special Teas

Lincang MaoFeng

This is a smooth, medium bodied lightly smokey Chinese tea. Special Teas

Sorry to all the other teas(tea guilt). Some approached greatness, but the ones above were spectacular and unique enough to qualify.

Remember if you order these teas from other merchants, either request or buy a sample of it first to make sure it's the real thing. You would be surprised at the difference between the teas from different merchants. Stick with the stores I buy from (go back and look at my tea reviews for the stores) or other reputable tea merchants.

Enjoy!

Monday, August 11, 2008

A Hottie of a Sorbet, Ciao Bella

So, why would you eat a sorbet? Why not stick to just Gelato? Gelato is incredible, but it still has that slight milk flavor to it in the aftertaste. But more reason, just to try something new.

This cannot possibly be sorbet. A double take at the label assures me it is. Did they mispackage this and it's really the gelato? Unbelievable. Really. I did not believe it.

I assure you that Ciao Bella Chocolate is sorbet and the best you will ever have that is store bought, and maybe the best anywhere. The cocoa is so rich and so strong that it tastes like eating a dark chocolate bar itself. There is not the typical watered down chocolate flavor that all the other brands have. I mean all. They all are terrible. This is astounding. You must try this. I can eat the entire thing in a sitting. It is that damn good. Make a pact with yourself to only take a few bites and put it back in the freezer. Otherwise, you are doomed.

What is even worse, is that on Amazon you can order 15lbs of this for $40, and apparently get free shipping on occasion. You don't even have to leave your place to eat it. Order, go to bed, wake up, read a book, go to the bathroom, answer the door, open the package, get a spoon and go back to bed with your 15lbs of almost-as-good-as-sex sorbet.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Cookie Addict

We all love cookies right? Well, maybe some more than others. Cookies are good, but where do you find cookies that are genuinely great? You are in for a treat.

The problem with most cookies is that they just don't taste homemade. They are not made with the best and freshest ingredients, don't have enough of your favorite ingredients, or are just too darn small.

Homemade you said? That small town, mama made these from scratch taste? You need to take a trip to Claremont, CA bakery Some Crust Bakery or to your computer and order yourself a dozen of these incredible cookies. Check out the cookie varieties for yourself.

The oatmeal raisin tastes like my great grandmother's recipe! That's a tried and true recipe. She probably is turning over in her grave as I write this. Plump, juicy and sweet raisins fill the cookie along with the perfect amount of spices and oatmeal goodness.

The mocha cookie is…I am speechless. This cookie is beyond words. It's more of a tongue orgasm than anything else. It's that good. Thick gooey chocolate oozes out of the center of these chocolate and coffee cookies. Buy this one first. Then try the others.

Another great bakery that makes superb cookies is Beckman's Old World Bakery in Santa Cruz, CA. Their oatmeal raisin and double chocolate cookies are pure bliss.

Hello sugar coma, here I come!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Beware the Belgian Beer!

Beware the Belgian Beer! It will knock you off your feet or your seat. It's not quite an old Flemish proverb, but not far off. These are a strong breed of beers with a delicate taste. The champagne of beers. Highly refined flavors and bouquets paired with around a 8-11% alcohol content make for an addictive beverage.

I first discovered this golden type ale called Piraat in an alehouse. I had paired it with a bison burger. I ordered it on tap, which is still the best for any ale (fresh from the cask). The beer was presented in an unusual tulip shaped beer glass. It might feel a little unmanly, but it opens the complex aromas of the beer and enhances the flavor, just like a good wine.

That first taste stunned me. Not from the alcohol content, but from the aromatics and subtle nuances in the flavor of the ale. It paired perfectly with the entire meal, never being dominated by other flavors.

It's good from the bottle too. Look for it at Bevmo or other better liquor stores. Don't get me wrong, I still recommend drinking if from the tap if possible.

So, take your Tulip glass in hand, take a sip and forget the days of Bud and Coors. You found an ale as good as wine.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Bearing it All and Going Tapas

Do you love Spanish food? Have you traveled to Spain and are now infected with the Spanish food bug? Tired of being ripped off with outrageously expensive tapas that are only mediocre in authenticity and flavor? Then, I have a secret for you. If you are in the Los Angeles area, there is a small tapas restaurant that is ridiculously authentic and amazingly incredible.

Viva Madrid! is the Restaurant. It is located in the little downtown of Claremont, CA. You might even walk by it and never know it's there. It's like it's an intentionally kept secret. At the end of the little downtown strip there is a small hallway that recedes back into blackness. You must walk through this low lit small merchants' area and look to your right. You will see an ox blood red door. If it's after 5pm, open it. Walk in. Sit down. Order.

The tapas list is phenomenal. How can there be so many tapas at one place? Don't question it, just order the food and live the experience. The melon and jamon, the assorted meat plate, the artichoke soup, the dates wrapped in bacon, the tortilla Espanola and even the paella are all fantastic. The prices are incredibly low, like they should be. In Spain, tapas are exquisite and cheap. In the US, they are rip offs. But not here. This is home. You should walk in and feel the love.

VIVA MADRID!

Caring About Caramels (and a few other goodies)

Another gooey chewy sickly sweet chunk of sugar? You bet! Most of us are used to eating the type of caramels you buy out of the bulk bins at your local grocery store or out of the two bound bags you buy for Halloween. This stuff is not caramel. It may have caramel coloring, but it's not the real deal.

Think back to when you were a child. Did your mother, grandmother, aunt or even dad ever make caramel squares or toffee at the holidays? Can you remember the caramelized deep burnt flavor of the sticky concoction? Even if you never experienced that, you can understand that the flavor is completely different than that of the store bought corn syrup and fake coloring goo.

So, on to the best caramel you will ever have. I discovered a gem of a caramel by accident, or by gift I guess. I was given a pack of these little flat squares, with a dark chocolate coating with sea salt on the top. Inside was a very deep caramel that brought back all sorts of memories, some real and some probably from movies I saw when I was a kid. Infused with the caramel is an ever- so-faint sweet lavender taste. When all of it combines into one bouquet in your mouth, watch out! Wow! You will reach for another and another. Put them away before it's too late my friend.

So where can you find these little precious sweets? A little family farm in Oregon makes these by hand with specially sourced chocolate and ingredients they grow on their farm. What more can you ask for! Lillie Bell Farms (www.lilliebellefarms.com) have an online store as well. Look for the Lavender Fleur du Sel Caramels. And yes, I have tried much of their other items as well.

Do you want to hear more? Their Spicy Pecan Toffee is great as well as the Pistachio Toffee. The Crunchy Fire Bar is amazing and utterly addicting in its heat. The Chipolte Ganache is mind-blowing. I bought an entire box of them as well. The list goes on. Try some of their products for yourself. Go ahead…I dare you.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Mussel Head

Not quite Muscle Beach, but they are still from the ocean. They come from Carlsbad.

The search for the best mussels is a large search indeed and probably will continue for a long time. But so far I think I found a good bet. They are the best I have had yet.

I used to think that the best mussels were up at a brewhouse in San Francisco, called Magnolia Pub & Brewery. But then, I found a gem in a familiar spot I have mentioned before that topped those great mussels I had at Magnolias. Anisette Brasserie in Santa Monica, CA has the most astounding pile of green-lipped mussels I have ever seen. There must have been 35-45 of them in the cast iron serving dish they came out in. Imbued with garlic, butter and other tasty touches, they made my day. They came with a stack of fries to dip into the rich, heavenly seafood and butter broth. I liked this French twist. This dish alone makes this place worth going to.

I can recommend this dish to anyone who loves mussels and stand behind my claim. Go forth and mussel thyself!

The Most Exquisite Truffle

I am not one for truffles. I like solid dark cocoa. But I do have to make an exception every now and then for an outstanding culinary delicacy. This is such a case.

Recently, I visited the new dessert counter at Real Food Daily in Santa Monica, CA. What a sight to behold. Not only are the desserts vegan, which immediately peaks my curiosity, but they are of every type of dessert. The range is quite overwhelming.

Admittedly, since I saw that counter and tried my first truffle from them, I have been addicted to the little chocolate devils. These are excellent because they are not your usual creamy gooey crap in the center of a thin flavorless chocolate shell. These are handmade round spheres of dark cocoa mass flavored with rich and luscious delicacies. Things like pistachios, hazelnuts or cocoa nibs on the outside, with the center flavored with orange peel, cherry or just plain exquisite dark cocoa.

I have to say the chocolate orange truffle is the best I have ever had. Let me say that again…it is the best I have ever had. These truffles rotate flavors on a regular basis, but they do cycle back in. I am waiting for the orange ones to come around again. So good.

My Croissant, Your Croissant, the Best Croissant

Ahhh yes. The search for the exquisite esoteric perfect pastry, the croissant. For this you must bypass the usual. No Safeway, no Costco, yes…no Whole Foods. OMG! what will we do without Whole Foods! Search out the small and the unknown to discover greatness.

So, after eating every heart-clogging, butter-soaked flakey crescent of nirvana death, I ran across one that was utterly perfect and stupendously spectacular. I guess it should come to no surprise that it comes from a real French restaurant, run by a real French Chef. Anissette Brasserie in Santa Monica, CA. http://www.anisettebrasserie.com/

The croissant has the perfect flakey crust with a toasted butter saturated flavor. The inside pulls apart like a dream. No bready inside here, just a perfect 10 of a croissant. Absolutely incredible for the absolute pastry snob.

BTW, all their pastries are fantastic. Try their marzipan croissant if they have it. That is my personal favorite, for not only does it have a two texture pastry shell, but it is gemed with marzipan as well as with a nice bittersweet chocolate. Incroyable!

Saturday, August 2, 2008

True Parisian Baguettes

So, I have been looking for the perfect baguette here in the US since my last trip to Paris, which was many many years ago. I am always on the lookout. I have visited local bakeries, not so local bakeries, French bakeries and eaten every so called French baguette that I can get my hands on. There seems to be one missing ingredient or process in all these breads. Is it an elusive French secret? I am not sure what the deal is. But from my memories of the taste of the crust of the bread in Paris, I do remember an almost egg brushed, malty flavor to the crust alone.

I am not talking about one of those crappy, puffy French loaves, those are garbage. A real baguette should have a nice crunchy, malty and thick crust with a chewy and airy center as well as nice spiraling crunchy burnt tips. That is a real baguette.

I thought Le Pain Quotidien would have the perfect baguette. I had them in Paris and they were excellent. But here in the US, they are good, but not the same. What gives? There was a bakery in Los Angeles that made one that was very very close, but it went out of business! What is one to do? Then after dismissing major brand breads, I came back full circle to La Brea Breads. They have a French baguette that is the most perfect one I have had in the US as of yet. Pair it with a nice goat cheese like Bucheron or Humbolt Fog as well as with a nice Cotes du Rhone, Bordeaux or even a Rioja and you can't go wrong. I won't steer you wrong.

So there you have it. My bread secret and something the French are wondering how that secret got to the bakers at La Brea Bakery.

New Chocolate Mofo!

Do you love milk chocolate? Do you dream of it with lusty desires? Then go away. That is pure crap. Dark chocolate is the connoisseurs choice. Ideally, one wants single source beans of a distinct variety by itself or with a special flavoring used to enhance the seductive lip-smacking chocolate-eating experience. Today I tried two new bars. While not the best, they do deserve some sort of mention since I ate them. They had unique qualities that separate them from other bars I have had in the past.

So without further ado…

Chuao, Chinita Nibs and Chuao, Spicy Maya.

Spicy Maya is unique, not in that it blends pasilla chiles and cayenne pepper into its chocolate to achieve that South American warmth, but that it uses an unusually high concentration of a spicy cinnamon to add flavor to the opening bouquet of the bar so there is some unique nuances before the chile warmth takes effect. Nice touch, but the bar needs to focus more on the depth of the chile and pepper flavors and less on the sweetness of the cinnamon. I believe the company did this to try to sell more bars, but it missed out on what could have been a truely remarkable chocolate experience. So Chuao, if you read this, then work on that balance, ie…add more chile to the bar.

Chinita Nibs has a very unusual flavor of nutmeg added to the bar. This provides a powerful depth of flavor and sweetness to the cocoa bean and a sharp, yet complimentary addition to the bitter chocolate nibs blended into the bar. I think this bar is the better of the two. The flavors seem to be more in harmony than the Spicy Maya bar.

You can find these at Whole Foods. I have not looked online yet, buy chocosphere.com usually has a great selection. Just do a search on the bar and see how reputable the web company is before you order. The official site is: www.chuaochocolatier.com

Good hunting my fellow chocolate addicts. BTW, the Caracas bar with the pistachios and hazelnuts is the best of all! Buy two of them!

The Lowdown on This Blog and a Green Tea

Let's Drink!

There is an upfront sweetness of honey and apricots in an extremely smooth light bodied liquor. It's refreshing and leaves you with a clean palate. Delicate, sweet with a nice nutty and slight green flavor.

Conclusion:

This is the best Clouds & Mist I have had yet. It is a fine example of this light bodied tea variety.

* * * * * * *

Green Tea…Tian Mu Qing Ding (Special Teas)

Tea Selection:
Here we have Tian My Qing Ding green tea. This tea was purchased from Special Teas.

Let's Taste!
This leaf has a light nutty taste and pronounced sweetness.

Let's Make!
Place the leaves (3 tsp per 6 oz water) in the pot/stainer (and strainer on the cup) and pour the filtered water into the cup, letting the leaves swirl about. Let steep for 4 minutes, but never longer on the first infusion. Take strainer out, press water out of leaves into cup, or pour tea out of pot into cup. Keep the leaves for further infusions.

Let's Drink!
This tea has a strong upfront sweetness of young buds and a dry honey. The sweetness rapidly dissipates into a clean and medium bodied twig flavor. This flavor lingers on the tongue until your palate is left clean. There is a skewed vegetal and nutty balance to this smooth tea, more to the nutty/twiggy side. You can definitely tell this is a high mountain tea because of the strong sweetness.

Conclusion:
For those of you who like sweet teas, this is probably your cup of tea. This tea is good, but the twig flavor is a little to flat for me.

* * * * * *

Green Tea…Fine Lung Ching Organic Green Tea (Special Teas)

Tea Selection:
Here we have Fine Lung Ching Organic green tea. This tea was purchased from Special Teas.

Let's Taste!
This leaf is delicate and nutty with a sweet front.

Let's Make!
Place the leaves (1.5-2 tsp per 6 oz water) in the pot/stainer (and strainer on the cup) and pour the filtered water into the cup, letting the leaves swirl about. Let steep for 3 minutes, but never longer on the first infusion. Take strainer out, press water out of leaves into cup, or pour tea out of pot into cup. Keep the leaves for further infusions.

Let's Drink!
This tea is lightly sweet and has a light chestnut flavor. It is more delicate than the other Dragon Well teas from Special Teas, but also sweeter than your average Dragon Well. Overall, this is a light bodied tea with all elements creating a subtle bouquet. There is not much of a pan roasted taste to this tea and there is a barely detectable astringency.

Conclusion:
This is a good basic Dragon Well. I prefer more of a roasted nutty flavor in my Dragon Wells, but this may appeal to those who prefer a sweeter variety.

* * * * * *

Friday, August 29, 2008

Monday, August 25, 2008

Friday, August 22, 2008

Monday, August 18, 2008

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Friday, August 15, 2008

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Monday, August 11, 2008

Friday, August 8, 2008

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Monday, August 4, 2008

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Friday, August 1, 2008

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