Skip back to three weeks ago when I was steeping a Wenshan Baochung oolong to celebrate the anniversary of my journey with teaspoons & petals. Serendipitously, this particular oolong was intended to be steeped seven times as I celebrated seven years. I soaked in the peaceful moment while peeking through the window to seek out signs of spring as robins sang hopeful songs. The fragrant floral notes of steeped tea seemed to dance about with a sweetness reminiscent of the lightest honey or sugarcane, and had a mouthfeel that was velvety soft.
It only seemed fitting to steep a Taiwanese oolong with inherent floral notes, considering that I first fell in madly in love with tea when I tasted my way through green/lightly oxidized oolongs grown in Taiwan. Over the course of seven years, oolong teas have done more than make my taste buds jump for joy. Lingering within the leaves were lessons that would slowly be revealed to me as the tea unfurled. Oolong tea has taught me to settle into a moment and take in all of its ever-changing complexities and nuances (as an oolong tea often calls for several subsequent steeps to reveal a wandering path of flavors and aromas).
Oolong tea has taught me the value of savoring a deep breath. I find that the height of the oolong tasting experience often opens up several sips in and with one deep breath, allowing the taste to blossom on my palate. I feel so incredibly fortunate that I found tea and that tea has nurtured my senses and my spirit for over seven years. And many thanks to Tea Ave for sharing their prized oolong teas along with the beautiful cup and wooden tray that made my celebration so very special. And, yes, that beautiful gold packaging made the afternoon glimmer that much brighter.
