Cuiping says:"Green teas are a good place to begin exploring Chinese tea because they can be made very simply. Of course they can be made by the complex set of steps and multiple immersions we call "tea culture" or "kung-fu tea," but they are often simply made and sipped from a single glass."


The tiny, light green bud is barely visible against Cuiping's top finger

Place a heaping tablespoon of tea in the glass or teapot and add enough hot water (boil the water and then take it off the heat for about 30 seconds) to cover the leaves. Quickly pour off and discard the water using a strainer or fork to hold back the tea. Take a minute to enjoy the scent steaming off the leaves. It will tell you things about the character of the tea, but it is a pleasure and a part of the Chinese tea experience by itself.

Add 12 ounces of hot water and brew for three minutes. Strain into a cup (or sip carefully from the glass for an authentic Chinese experience.) But either way, leave a few ounces of water with the leaves for the second cup.

For the second cup, add hot water and extend the brewing time to four minutes. Again leave water on the leaves for a third cup (which is brewed for five minutes). Our whole-leaf, carefully crafted tea will make three or four fabulous cups, with interesting differences in each cup.

Tip: Keep the water temperature and brewing times the same and adjust the amount of tea to your own tastes.

Baiyong compares grades of tea in Long Jing Village, Hangzhou

Baiyong says: "Finding great tea takes time, but it's only half the job. I negotiate hard to get a great price too. If we can't get a great price for you, we don't buy it."

Western wine lovers pay $25 or more for a great bottle of wine. Many Chinese feel the same way about tea. We often pay more for our tea than Westerners do, even though our typical wages are much less. My personal guarantee to you is that not only do our teas taste fantastic, we pass along the great price to you.