July 06, 2022
by Diana Rosen
The exceptionally long, flat leaves of Tai Ping Hou Kui green tea are astonishing and can be a challenge to brew in a gaiwan or small teapot. One wonderful alternative is to use a heat-resistant glass tumbler and brew as if you were making an oolong.
First, fill about one-third of the glass with water heated to 185°F. to warm it up. Discard that water.
Next, measure at least 8-9 large leaves or about 3 grams, and slide them into the glass so they are standing up. Again, cover only about one-third of the glass with the heated water, this time to “awaken” these lovely leaves.
Slowly rotate the glass in a circle to ensure that the water is reaching all the leaves. Finally, fill up the glass completely with water and allow it to brew for at least 2 minutes, and experience the “show."
This tea is quite intoxicating, and if you find you cannot wait so long: Tasting at 30-second intervals is a good guide to how the flavor is released easily. There is no need to decant as the leaves will collapse and shrink then fall to the bottom of the glass and will take multiple infusions. Although we enjoyed it with these steeping times and water temperatures, feel free to brew it at lower temperatures for longer times, especially for subsequent infusions.
Expect these deeply hunter-green leaves to release their exquisite scent and flavor which are both delicately floral and fruity. The tea-drinking pleasure of this selection is extended by a soft, lingering aftertaste. Subsequent infusions offer a clean, clear delicate liquor with a slight grassy element. This is a Chinese green that is totally refined and easy on the palate with only a whisper of astringency.
Our selection is grown in Anhui Province on the foothills of Huangshan (Huang Mountains) at about 350 meters under the careful management of farmer Liang Yu Ming, a veteran of tea harvesting. These leaves are often referred to as “two knives and one pole,” a reference to the two straight, flattened leaves that adhere to the large downy bud. They are made from the Shi Da Cha, a large leaf cultivar found only in Anhui. Its remarkable fragrance is often attributed to the lush orchids which grow within the tea-growing area.
The leaves are fired twice using bamboo baskets heated at various temperatures to deactivate the naturally occurring enzymes and enhance the flavor. The top two leaves and bud are hand-pressed between layers of cloth, fired, then laid out in bamboo baskets to cool. These multiple processing steps not only ensure that flavor and fragrance are maintained, but also contribute to the 4-6” length of these ultra-flat leaves which are pinched to create a point at one end of the leaf. (The word ping in the tea’s name means point. Hou Kui means monkey king.)
Considered a Tribute Tea, one legend avers its processing style was known as far back as the 10th century although most tea historians believe it achieved great popularity during both the Ming and Qing dynasties.
