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Saturday, October 21, 2006
San Francisco Tea summary
I got back a few days ago, and I am still starry eyed from Bay Area’s essence. The Tea culture and the whole gourmet culture in general seems to be living proof that flavor can exist in a true and accessible fashion. A friend told me that there are about 100 bakeries in the city for San Francisco alone. There are some wonderful food experiences to be had in the area, as Andrew showed us. There are many tea houses of various quality and feel. A few of the more well known ones are Imperial Tea Court, Far Leaves and Samovar. To the best of my knowledge Imperial Tea Court and Far Leaves both source tea directly from estates in China. Another well know tea house is the Celadon Tea Room. They are renowned for their quality and freshness. Unfortunately, I missed my chance to go there because they are currently switching locations.
The Tea Culture in the San Francisco Bay Area is one that is entirely its own. Tea is much more a part of daily life and culinary experience than it is in Boston. This is obviously because of the strong Chinese and Japanese influence. Seeing Tea Houses ranging from good to simple doing well gives me hope for what Tea in the United States could become. As the culinary culture and focus on quality in what we eat and drink continues to grow, it is nice to see a few people paying attention to Tea. I only hope that this culture will continue to grow and the quality will improve. I hope also to see more focus on the flavor of tea as opposed to the conscious altering effects and social aspect of tea.
Lots of inspiration to keep tasting, and a desire to figure out what they put in their water was found in California.
-Silas ¶ Silas Moulton 12:22 AM
I got back a few days ago, and I am still starry eyed from Bay Area’s essence. The Tea culture and the whole gourmet culture in general seems to be living proof that flavor can exist in a true and accessible fashion. A friend told me that there are about 100 bakeries in the city for San Francisco alone. There are some wonderful food experiences to be had in the area, as Andrew showed us. There are many tea houses of various quality and feel. A few of the more well known ones are Imperial Tea Court, Far Leaves and Samovar. To the best of my knowledge Imperial Tea Court and Far Leaves both source tea directly from estates in China. Another well know tea house is the Celadon Tea Room. They are renowned for their quality and freshness. Unfortunately, I missed my chance to go there because they are currently switching locations.
The Tea Culture in the San Francisco Bay Area is one that is entirely its own. Tea is much more a part of daily life and culinary experience than it is in Boston. This is obviously because of the strong Chinese and Japanese influence. Seeing Tea Houses ranging from good to simple doing well gives me hope for what Tea in the United States could become. As the culinary culture and focus on quality in what we eat and drink continues to grow, it is nice to see a few people paying attention to Tea. I only hope that this culture will continue to grow and the quality will improve. I hope also to see more focus on the flavor of tea as opposed to the conscious altering effects and social aspect of tea.
Lots of inspiration to keep tasting, and a desire to figure out what they put in their water was found in California.
-Silas ¶ Silas Moulton 12:22 AM
Comments:
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Hey Silas!
Your entry leaves me with questions/intrigue:
1) How did these tea houses step away from the traditional sense of tea? (Did they emphasize Flavor in addition to health benefits?)
2) Popularization of a product leads it to be widespread and eventually assimilated in culture. Is this what you're going for? An explosion of tea culture on this side of the country?(For people to drink tea with as much fervor as you tea people?)
-concerned consumer
p.s. I'll call you tomorrow..lots of homework this weekend.
p.p.s. sorry for muddling you/jaime's entries with
amateur..ity.
Your entry leaves me with questions/intrigue:
1) How did these tea houses step away from the traditional sense of tea? (Did they emphasize Flavor in addition to health benefits?)
2) Popularization of a product leads it to be widespread and eventually assimilated in culture. Is this what you're going for? An explosion of tea culture on this side of the country?(For people to drink tea with as much fervor as you tea people?)
-concerned consumer
p.s. I'll call you tomorrow..lots of homework this weekend.
p.p.s. sorry for muddling you/jaime's entries with
amateur..ity.
# posted by 
: 22/10/06 8:53 PM
: 22/10/06 8:53 PM
Kristin De La Soul,
Wellllllllll,
In my opinion, none of them stray too far from tradition, and that is part of their down side. It is hard to find and inovative tea house based on flavor. Most of the time when I hear of innovative things happening in the tea buisness in the US, I am usually let down when I actually taste the product. I know there is alot of inovation going on in the tea producing countries, and only some filters down here.
Sometimes it is frustrating tasting the tea that gets lot of credit. Essentially, a tea renissance is nessisary for the quality of tea in the US. Actually, it is starting now...
Look at lipton's and Snapple's new ads. Look at how Rishi is in like half of the health food stores in the US. Someone, has to get people to start focusing on flavor an quality in an anylitical way.
Talk to you Later,
Silas :)
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Wellllllllll,
In my opinion, none of them stray too far from tradition, and that is part of their down side. It is hard to find and inovative tea house based on flavor. Most of the time when I hear of innovative things happening in the tea buisness in the US, I am usually let down when I actually taste the product. I know there is alot of inovation going on in the tea producing countries, and only some filters down here.
Sometimes it is frustrating tasting the tea that gets lot of credit. Essentially, a tea renissance is nessisary for the quality of tea in the US. Actually, it is starting now...
Look at lipton's and Snapple's new ads. Look at how Rishi is in like half of the health food stores in the US. Someone, has to get people to start focusing on flavor an quality in an anylitical way.
Talk to you Later,
Silas :)
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