Two For One

I've been sick all week; some of you on TeaChat got to hear some of the disgusting details, so I called in sick to work and spent the day in bed. A perfect opportunity to drink lots of tea and get through the stack of Korean movies I've been meaning to watch, but I slept for about thirteen hours instead. The day wasn't a total waste. I did watch one of the movies and drink a little tea.

Tea: Xian Tao
Origin: Fujian, China
Year: ?
Vendor: Rishi
Price: $50/lb.
Organic

So many of the teas that I like seem to come from Fujian, and so many different varieties at that. This tea is harvested from the Fuding Da Bai bush varietal, the same bushes that give us traditional white teas like bai hao yin zhen and bai mu dan. I think Adagio's white monkey may be the same tea as this. They taste the same, and the wet leaves have the same appearance, and they both come from Fujian, but when I asked them for more information about it, they didn't know anything.

This has been one of my favorite green teas, though the several months spent in my cabinet hasn't helped it any. Its a little stale. I used one piece (about 5.5 g) for 8 oz of spring water at 180 F for 4 minutes. The liquor is a rather pale green. A little stale, but I still get strong notes of melon, kind of sweet, fruity, not grassy or vegetal at all. This is a good green tea for people who don't care for green tea.

I usually get 3-4 infusions, but it was clearly past its prime, so I chunked it and what I had left in the container. When its fresh, this tea is fantastic. Today I had to settle for good and soothing.

Tae Guk Gi

A 2004 film, written and directed by Je-gyu Kang, about two brothers who were drafted into the South Korean army at the beginning of the Korean War. Its heart-breaking to watch these two try to survive and take care of each other in a war that left so many dead and has never been resolved. Though it is frequently in danger of becoming a Korean Saving Private Ryan, and the twist at the end detracts from the film as a whole, it was well worth the 2.5 hours. The direction and cinematography is superb, as is the choreography. The action sequences are fantastic. The score leaves something to be desired, though. If you like foreign films, I recommend this one.