Brewing tea and tea ceremonies Part 2

Photo: Naomi

It´s really springtime. Like this tiny becautiful flower everyone is just eager to go out and feel the sun. It´s a warm spring in Sweden, and really feels too warm to sit down and punch the computer´s keyboard, but I think somehow I´ll manage to do get some lines of my Brewing tea and tea ceremonies part 2 done today.

When one is done with knowing different teas and their different characters, it´s probably time to know the different ways of drinking teas. There are many ways to enjoy tea, from an interesting style like hakka people do to simplier way of brewing tea, from shorter ceremonies to more complicated and formal ones. Whichever way one drink his tea the goal is always to polish ones skill with descipline. One has also have to learn not to be rushed by time. Time is just some dimension of moments, not a clock ticking. Waiting for a bus is not wasting a half an hour, but a moment to speak with the person next to you, or perhaps just enjoy the sceneries which you may not have the time anyway until this moment. Most of the time it´s not really just a coincidence that people meet, or that you´re in that place in that particular time. Find out what this moment brings you and enjoy it.


Photo: Naomi / Design: Celina

Tea drinking and tea ceremonies as well as any other east asian art were mostly originated in China. Just llike Andreas Eckardt of the book The History of Korean Art said. Korea got its litterature, writing, philosophy, art and religion from China, who later gave them further to Japan. And while China couldn´t development these things in many year, Taiwan, Korea and Japan has continued all this time what China has strived after for its culture and art in the beginning.

The following are therefore series of demo videos of different tea brewing style and tea ceremonies from China, to korea, Taiwan and as finally Japan, in hope of being able to follow and observe the development of these skills as they travel from its origin in China to its next most developed outcome in Taiwan and finally Japan.

We start with different tea brewing, but fiirst I´d like to show this video that explains very well how does one determine how to drink his tea, and the relation between different style of appreciating tea and as I explained time:

Now the following video is showing one of the simpliest way of brewing your tea. This may be done even directly in a cup or a glas.

And remember to be very particular with the water temperature even in the simpliest way of drinking your tea. It´s one way to make your tea moment a special one anyway no matter how unfortunately little time you have.

More demo will come, meanwhile enjoy your tea ....

Pork with woked haricots

This is pork with haricots I made today. Typical southeast maybe. The haricots was a little bit over cooked because the phone rang and I went to answer it. It was delicious, but I would have been happier if the haricots was perfectly done. I like vegetable almost in their original color whenever I make food. That means the haricots should have been a little bit more greener than in this photo. Next time, I´ve promised myself.

Photo: Le Ly / Food and design: Celina

Anyway, I later noticed that I was wearing my green dress, so I thought it compensated the question of green color. And the food tasted really very good anyway. It´s not exactly as making excuses for anything, it´s rather like parking my mind in harmony with the circumstances I´m in probably. Anyway it must be the zen teaching I was taught since childhood. "You´ll rich not because of how much you have, but rather of how satisfied you are with what you have". That ´s probably great about zen. It´s a win-win case no matter what.

Haricot was almost an everyday scene at home when I was young. It was one of those days when my father would sigh about the british-chinese opium war. It was unforgivable he would say, and he was probably right specially when one has actually been there like his ancestors did, and has tasted the bitterness of it, like a tea would taste when somebody is not in the mood for it.

Should we let bygones be bygones? Forgive and foget? I never really tasted the bitterness of that war. What I heard are stories, written history and deep sighs of my father. So now living in Europe, it feels like I have two legs in two different boats. The horror of a war that had happened a long time ago, and the wonderful things that the responsible british stand for too. Life is a constant weighing of goodness and evil, and indeed like zen is supposed to be, it is just a matter of putting your mind in a state that is most peaceful and in harmony with your circumstances. So probably it´s really no use digging in the past, but better see the brighter looking day today and enjoy what it can give.

I´m still not over with my music fever yet, so I´d link to this talented british born performer David Robert Jones again or better known as Bowie, with his adorable and brilliant bass player, Gail Ann Dorsey, in their unbeatable duet:

Under Pressure...

..
Oh my God!! ... David Bowie is in my webb!!! I can´t believe this! Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!! Scream of the year....

Absolute beginners in Fujian

I`m supposed to write some recipes including the chinese cake´s like I said I´ll do, and my brewing tea part 2, but it seems like I´m still in the mood for music, so I´ll just tell some of my music encounters in China.

Chinese music contains undetermine pitch, which is not commonly used by the european musician. One song by David Bowie though has I thought this special pitch as entry. That why probably it´s not at all a suprise when during my stay in Fujian, on my way to visit a friend, suddenly from the taxi´s stereo, came a song I thought was quite familiar..... ah, East Asia can never be more beautiful than seeing it with David Bowis Absolute beginner in the background.

More than just being beautiful, more than just falling in love....

Photo: Naomi / Design: Celina

While I was writing my latest journal yesterday, Tea brewing and tea ceremonies Part 1, I kept on thinking back when did I first fall in love with what I do. Was it when I was in Formosa watching the Hakka people brewing teas, or was it when I was in Hongkong helping two french backpackers find a job at a hotel restaurant, to get them across the the sea to Malaysia. Or was it my big dream to breath Japan. I thought very hard, but couldn´t come to any answer, because I think I´m not just in love with it. Like the portugues word, Formosa, which is acutally an expression of admiration which means much more deeper than just beautiful, what I feel about me and my sentiment over my east asian origin is more than just falling in love.

Photo: Naomi / Interior design: Celina

Yes, word is just not enough. Just like this lovely song says:
This is not just a love song, words are indeed few, it´s the heart that´s true....



and just like those french backpackers perhaps, I too, one day I know I just have to pack my bags and conquer that unexplanably beautiful East Asia.

Brewing teas and tea ceremonies Part 1

Photo: Naomi / design: Celina

Brewing tea and tea ceremonies varies from country to country, province, race or ethnic group one belongs. The huge variations of teas and brewing performances can be very confusing to many. To understand and know where to begin is therefore important.

Tea drinking is more than just gulping liquid. It is a tradition. A beautiful culture to learn and experience. It is an exciting journey from knowing the different tea plantations, people who pick those lovely leaves, to different teas, brewing, and ceremonies. It is a philosophy, a skill to be polished, a knowledge to digest.

If one is a beginer, it is important to first know the kinds of teas you will be meeting in this culture. Good book on teas which can give you a clear classification of different teas is important. Another way to get introduced to teas is by visiting reliable teashops and teahouses. Don´t be afraid to ask, the variations is just huge many get confused and make mistakes specially in the beginning. This is even the reason, as I mentioned before, to buy yourself a good tea book as your own personal tea library at home. Borrowing from the libraries and reading a tea book once is not going to polish your skill in tea culture.

Photo: Naomi / Design: Celina

Next is to know the character of each tea. Just like human, each tea has its own secrets you have to discover. Character you have to learn to love or to harmonize with. "Personality" you have to be familiar with to be able to enjoy the best of its character. Some teas taste heaven at a certain temperature, while some earth. Some taste mild at a certain brewing some sweeter. Know your teas.

After knowing the different teas, its time to know the different brewing style and ceremonies. But before going any deeper, one has to understand that for a real east asian according to this film, appreciaitng tea is a mood. A state of mind.

There is no particular tea better than the other. No brewing style or ceremony finer than the other. Each tea, each ceremony has it own dimension, which are all likable depending on how one regards them. The "finest tea" can be a trash in your mouth if your mind is in a disagreeable state. Again just like with human being, one is not supposed to judge someone, so don´t judge teas. Accept teas as they are. Don´t expect anything, accept what they can offer you. In this state of mind, no tea is bitter, no human is dislikable, no world is misserable.

List of some helpful tips on tea drinking:

Each kind of tea has each recommended water temperature. If you´re not sure which, just go for 85 temp, which usually can get away with any tea. But for best brewing: be particular with water temperature.

Sincerity

Photo: Le Ly

I thought I would be too occupied this week to write down anything, but it seems like I could write some few lines anyway.

Yesterday our guest, a 15 year old exchange student from North Italy, came finally. She is staying with us until Saturday. She is very lively and friendly. It is a happy and exciting event for the whole family.

Last night I was watching my youngest daughter and her now italian friend eating and talking, and I thought how wonderful it is to be in that age. I am of course not talking about the physical advantages, but rather meant the innocence and purity of ones mind in that stage of life. When one still hold an ideal vision of everything. When one still speaks his mind without hesitation, fear or cowardly speculation. It´s somehow an honorable bravery everyone is born with, which I think one should keep with him indefinitely.

This picture is taken by my youngest daughter. It´s how I used to see things too, and it´s still how I try to make my world look like today. It´s how I encourage my children to regard their sorroundings and friends. It´s how I hope all generations would stay even in their later life. It would surely make the world remain a wonderful place to be.

Tofu

Photo: Le Ly / Food and design: Celina

Speaking about tofu the other day, it is an asian food very much appreciated by many in Sweden to my surprise. They can be prepared in many different ways, but my own favorite is just deep frying it and dipping them in soya. It is the simpliest way of consuming it, as one should simply digest life as it is without question.

Some other way of cooking them which I enjoy very much is with my other favorite, the chinese century eggs. These eggs were black in color, which everytime I eat I would remember how my father used to tell us how these fascinating eggs are cultured, and how long were they processed. The patience that is invested in it. The cleverness and wonder of the nature.

Tofu reminds me of my home when my parents used to buy them from a walking vendor. The small talk they would exchange with him. And my parents usual comment on his hands, which were quite large and shorts. "They were industrious hands", my mother would comment, which is taken as a compliment by the vendor, and happily he would go to the next houses. Now, after having understood how this wonderful food is made, I thought he might be actually industrious afterall.

List from some helpful kitchen tips posts:

Photo: Naomi

• If you somehow just can´t get a better taste in your cooking: Try provoking 3 of your tasting sensories: sweet, sour and salt. Yes, with a little salt, sugar and really tiny vinegar for example, you can always get away with almost any food you´re cooking. Try it.
• It was an old chinese lady I met once who taught me "how to boil the best rice", she said: Add one teaspoon of cooking oil in every deciliter of water when boiling your rice. They come out tastier, bright and shiny looking, and you avoid hard sticky rice attached at the bottom of your rice cooker.

Some cold tea drinks perhaps.....

Photo: Naomi / Tea drink and designer: Celina

Our phoenix tea drink

Soon I guess it will be too warm for heavy food,
........ so some cold tea drinks perhaps ?
( none alcohol *:)
Still exclusively from our teahouse only.
For now anyway.... ´cause who knows we
might just give out a booklet full
of those great tea drinks´ingridiences,
many of our guests wanted so much to have.
Yes, who knows, meanwhile enjoy our news and tips.

Soon I think we´re getting some " short quick tips" on the right side of our blog:

- on many more great chinese and formosan films.
Courtesy of some connections in Taiwan.

- on kitchen and chinese cooking

- and of course, for your best tea brewing!

...... so stay lovely until then, eveyone.

Eat Drink Man Woman

Photo: Naomi / Food and design: Celina

A tasty plate of pork in garlic and union sauce with some peaches.
.....so tasty it reminds me of the formosan film,

Eat Drink Man Woman



Happy viewing!

Our sanctuary

Photo: Naomi

These are canadian geese. In chinese culture they symbolize eternity.

We have been in this new home for more than two months now. Most of our things are already in their places, but the nails on the wall I promised myself to pull out were still there until I started having headaches just by looking at them.

I used to hear from old chinese people when I was young, that our home is our sanctuary. If we take care of it like we should take care of our body and soul, and treat it like we would towards the nature and all its beings, that´s when we would feel the finest and everything would be just fine.

So yesterday, with a hammer in my hand I went around pulling all those nails. I came up with 49 nails. Was it really as the old sayings says or I was just glad and relieved that was done, anyway today, I woke up happy and thought my headache is gone. I looked out the window, and thought how beautiful this home is. Canada geese and wild deers just a sight away from our kitchen window looking out the backyard, a wide field by the mountains. I love canada geese. In chinese culture, they represent eternity.

Kinesisk ångkokade jordnöt kokos kaka

Photo: Naomi / Food and design: Celina

Det här är kinesisk jordnöts kokos kaka jag gjorde. Det var när den är fortfarande på ångkokaren. Kinesiska kakor eller tårtor brukar vara ångkokade. De brukar bli saftiga och jätte fluffiga.
Jag i vanliga fall tyckte bättre om att laga mat än att baka, men inte när det är kinesisk kaka jag tänkte på. Det är mycket mindre jobbigt och man kan få gå därifrån utan att vara rädd att kakan blir bränd, torr eller något sånt. Den stannar där fin, snäll och varm bara, tills du kom tillbaka.


Och här blir dem när de blir färdiga. Just jordnötter tycker om många kineser då de doftar väldigt gott tyckte vi. Jordnötter är också symbol för visdom, frukbarhet och lyckan. Många kinesiska vår festivaler har jordnöts kaka för att önska sig en lyckad skörd sedan. Och det bästa av alla som jag tror säkert kommer att bli mest uppskattad av många är att de brukar vara magra. Recepterna brukar inte innehålla margarin eller smör. Det brukar alltid bli en glad nyhet till mina kompisar som bantar.

Nu har jag lite brottom men jag lägger fram receptet här snart för de som är intresserade att prova.

Bloggens nya syfte. Glad Påsk!

Foto: Le Ly

Som jag har nyligen laggt in som bloggbeskrivning ovan, har denna blogg skaffat sig bättre syfte:

Det här blir blogsajt till vårt tehus i Sverige, som handlar om te, öst asiatiska mat och kulturerna bakom dem, som många i Sverige är intresserade av. Alla är välkomna att sätta sig för en kopp visdom och bläddra igenom. Har du kommentarer, idéer, frågor eller vill bara ge uppskattning, är vi glada om du lägger de i kommentarerna. De är säkert viktiga till många och till vårt tehus. Här möts öst och väst. Välkommen!

Andra nya inläggningar:

Lao Fu tze
People and places in Formosa
Teadrinking all over the world.

Glad Påsk till alla!

Att brygga te

Foto: Naomi
Design: Celina Huang

Att brygga te på östasiatiskt sätt, oavsett från vanligare sätten, till enklare teceremonin Gong Fu Cha, till de mera utvecklade teceremonier, är petigt. Detaljerna är viktiga. Från tevattnets temperatur till hur man håller tekannan. Det finns olika regler för män som för kvinnor. Kvinnorna som jag blivit lärd själv, undvikar gärna direkt användning/kontakt av fingrarna mot utrustningarna, och gärna undvikar gester som anses vara opassande, särskilt för kvinnor, i vår kultur som till ex. pekande pekfinger. Olika tea mästare kan ha olika argument, men det är det kanske som är roligt för de som har låtit sig bli intresserad av kulturen. Att byta kunskap genom att diskutera och lyssnar på olika resonemang. Det är därför, som sagt, alltid godast och roligast att äta mat eller dricka te, först som grund, precis som traditioner gör.

Det finns flera bra teböcker som man kan informera sig om olika tetraditoner. Boken Te: från Sencha till Lapsang, av Petter Bjerke, är en jag vill rekommendera. Den är bra båda för nybörjare som för de lite mera avancerade i tevärlden.



Foto: Naomi
Design: Celina Huang

För nybörjarna som fortfarande inte har kunnat bestämma sig vilken te traditon passar dem, är boken utstrålande som introduktion till olika tetraditioner. Boken bl a beskriver på ett väldigt attraktivt sätt flera stora tetraditioner som finns, från kinesisk, japansk, till engelsk mm, förklaring om vad egentligen är skillnader eller likheter mellan bl a vitt-, grönt, -oolong och svartte och vad är sanning eller myt om te som hälsodryck. För de lite mera avancerade och redo för lite mera tekunskap, erbjuder teboken många information och detaljer som man behöver veta för att fördjupa sig i kulturen, som till exempel vatten temperatur, plus massa praktiska tips som till exempel hur man kollar vatten temperatur utan termometer, samt vilken temperatur och mat passar vilket te. En bok som även kunniga te intresserade måste ha. Vårt eget tehus behåller alltid själv en som uppslagstebok.

Tidigare exemplar av denna boken var slutsålda hos oss medan förfrågningar fortsätter, men igår så kom faktiskt mera exemplar som våra tehussgäster får nu gärna köpa från oss. Och på ett bättre pris samt mer praktiskt omslag ( utan tidigare lösa fliff fluff yttersomslag som går av hela tiden när man läser ! ).

Why make food?

Photo: Naomi / Food and design: Celina

Sweet hot spicy
woked vegetable with mushrooms and tofu

Why make food when there´s plenty of ready to eat food?
..... hmmm well, anyway I think it´s how I give myself and my family great value,
it´s how I show my family and friends how much I appreciate them,
it´s how I make this house a home
it´s how I fill it with warm and love
it´s how everyone gets happy and loved
and love is contagious, so in the end hopefully,
everyone in the world is happy just because I took time to cook .....

Check our kitchen tips corner for some helpful ideas for cooking.

__________________________________

Tofus in Sweden

I find it always hard to get good tofus in Sweden. They usually do not have the right consistency like in Asia, I always find it impossible to work with them in a wok. I always think they´re like babies I have to tend to little extra careful everytime. Anyway, some good ones may be found in an asian store in Saluhallen in Gothenburg. So watch for our next: food shopping tips too!

Formosa Red Steem Oolong: en söt smak av majs

Foto: Naomi
Foto design: Celina

Hur te smakar beror mycket på var och en, och de också varierar i smaken beror på brygg tillfälle eller gången. Som vana brygger jag alltid samma teblad minst tre gånger, för att kunna njuta så många smaknyanser så möjlig som tesorten kan erbjuda.

Formosa red steem oolong är en av favoriterna. Andra bryggningen av denna tesort ger mig en underbar smak av söt majs. Nästan när som barn man springer och busar bland höga majsstjälkar, kan råkas med de små fina söta grodor som lyckligt kan hoppa runt dig. En smak så spännande som bonden kommer och kolla vad som pågår. Då undrar man om bonden är snäll eller mindre snäll? Är man turlig den dagen och bonden är snäll får man några majs med sig hem som gör mamma så glad att hon glömmer bort helt att fråga var man egentligen har varit hela dagen!

....njut av ditt te !!

Yin and Yang

A good example of Yin and Yang, and therefore experienced by most people as beautiful picture
Photo: Naomi

Some teamaster indeed. Click here and check this blog:
An excellent way of appreciating tea, just like this filmclips shown here again from my previous post:

Combining traditional tea drinking with modern euphoric song when one feels like it is a brilliant ways of completing one´s self with yin and yang energy today.
While probably many in the western´s modern countries or on the other hand some other conservative countries stands in frustration and dilemma between traditions and modernity, east asians has learned to enjoy a bowl of both for centuries and until today. Zen is never an all or never, but rather a win/win principle. Not to mention the well known theory of the naturalist Charles Darwin on arts´survival, who´s theory says "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change." Tokyo and Taipei are probably some good examples of this philosophy.

And likewise with budhism: contrary to what most non-eastasian believe it is, there is nothing as a 100% teaching directly from Buddha since the first written buddhism only existed several years after Buddha. Budhism therefore is defined accordingly to ones self, believes, dimension of time and space or circumstances, ( ref: British author Humphrey Christmas of the book Buddhism ).

Bumping therefore into those crazy chinese engineers of 101 or - Japan´s fastest train, at one of the temples in Taipei or Tokyo, or getting a prescription for some herbal medicine from a chinese white collar doctor, is not really a wonder.....

What´s important in all of these of course, which is even according to zen, and commonly expressed even in east asian art, is to know ones own limit, to know your own sense of balance.

The principle of heaven, man and earth in chinese interior design

Photo: Naomi
Interior design: Celina

This is a corner of our teahouse where one may choose to sit and drink some of our exclusive teadrinks, and probably go through some of the books we sell, or take a peek on our zen art.


Photo: Naomi
Interior design: Celina

This is the outer room of our teahouse. It got some cleaning yesterday to make some more space for our guests. Aside from our low japanese table in the innerroom, we even have these high tables for those who prefer them, and no matter which table one chooses we perform tea ceremony: Gong Fu Cha style. We perform this simplier form of tea ceremony first while the guests wait for their food. They may later choose to drink tea all along with their food later or order our exclusive tea drinks with it.


Photo design: Naomi
Interior design: Celina

This is the inneroom of our teahouse, for those who prefer the old fashion low tables. Some lower devider are still to be placed between tables. We perform tea ceremony: Gong fu cha style here, but we also transform the room sometimes so that it may cater for some more sophisticated styles of tea ceremony.


All interior designs in our teahouse is according to the chinese old philosophy in interior designing, which may be traced up to some thousands years back, and whichs said to be happiness bringing. The philosophy encourages wider space and harmonizing colors between floor, walls and ceilings. It a way to symbolize, heaven, man and earth, a way of encouraging the nature into our life and give us happiness.

Time invested is love invested: delicious and warm chinese steamed bread

Photo: Naomi
Food making: Celina

These are some chinese steamed bread I made today. This is one of those food we serve in our teahouse, and what I usually bake at home too. They can be stuffed with for example chicken or sweetened mongoes. They are favorites just like other round shaped food such as eggs. Chinese prefer round shape as they have no sharp edges and considered therefore harmonious and fine in shape. A shape that has no beginning and no end just like love should be.
That´s truly how chinese believe food affects our everyday life. The kitchen´s stoves or burners are sources of warm and happiness of the family. That children are healthier and lovelier when mothers give them food made at home and full of love. Your love ones should be important enough to you that you´re just happy to invest some time and cook warm delicious food for them. Time invested is love invested. Kitchens should be constantly warm, alive and joyful. Try it and you´ll see how rich, happy and full of love your family and life will be.

The descipline of the mind and body in Martial art

Sedan jag kunde komma ihåg så var jag alltid intresserad av martial art eller kampsport. Mer och mer övar olika östasiatiska kampsporter i Sverige. Jag tycker det är bra, speciellt när man förstår den riktiga meningen av kampsport. Oavsett kamsportstypen, Shiaolin, Taido, kyudo, eller den traditonella japanese swordmanship, precis som teceremonier och tvärtom benämningen kampsport, är de egentligen olika former av mentala och kroppsliga övningar som är meningen för sinneslugnhet, kontroll, descipline och att bara försvara sig själv. Bara i värsta fall är de användbara till att strida, och även i de fall, så är principen fortfarande så att man ska ha kontrol över sig själv och hela situationen och bara använder tekniken till att försvara sig själv ( mening: aldrig att attackera, så länge det går att undvika det ). Ju duktigare är man att undvika att anfalla själv, desto bättre är man som krigare. Låter lustigt kanske, men så är det.

En annan verkar intressant hemsida om detta : http://ironoxfunction.blogspot.com/