Tea-spiration by Lu Ann Pannunzio

Author:Lu Ann Pannunzio [Pannunzio, Lu Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781633532946
Publisher: Mango Media
Published: 2017-12-27T03:54:11+00:00

Part III

Let’s Get Sipping

I find that it can take up to three sips to understand your tea. For a positive tasting, I like to experience those three sips with three separate intentions.

First Sip Intention

I am remaining absolutely open-minded. The first impression will be judgment free.

The First Sip of the Freshly Steeped Tea

Here is the moment you have been waiting for. Whether it was since you first opened your eyes after a rest or since you got in from a busy day, this is what has been on your mind from the start. This is the moment where you get to taste what you just created. This is where you get to feel the soothing beverage and bask in the awesomeness of the tea. Suddenly everything feels alive, achievable and completely possible. Nothing beats the first sip of a great tea. It makes you really wonder what you have been doing without this beverage before.

Usually when I begin to taste a tea, I have a notepad and pen by my side to jot down any tasting notes so that I can remember and share later on in my writings. My absolute favorite part, included in my tea reviews, is a section called “First Sip Thought.” I added this small description because I think it is essential to document how I feel or what I felt when that very first sip of new (to me) tea was taken, as it usually leads to many other great things to say in a review. However, I do not limit this idea to just when I know I am going to be reviewing a tea. It is a reoccurring feeling that I like to think about because sometimes just a couple random words of feelings says it all about a tea.

A first sip thought does not have to be something quite elaborate. It is literally the first thing that comes into your mind during or right after that first sip of tea, whether it be a full sentence of just one word of exclamation. It is also good to remember that these are your tasting notes. Everyone has a distinctive palate. So while you may notice something in a certain tea, another may have noticed something entirely different. And that’s okay. To have several means to describe a single sip is just another reason tea is exquisite.

To give you an idea, here are some examples of “First Sip Thought” that I have documented in the past:

For a floral masala chai blend, “a mix of spring and fall”

For a lavender white tea blend, “sweet dreams”

For a roasted oolong with sweet and milky notes, “a creamy, caramelized dessert”

For a green tea with vegetable stock characteristics, “soup season”

You might even compare the first sip feeling to chills that you would get while listening to certain music or viewing various stunning art forms. It is all a similar feeling of bliss or awe in the beauty and flavor of tea when it first hits your palate. Taking the first sip of a tea can release a rush of emotions, especially if the tea is exceedingly good.

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