Chunmee "7371"

Country of Origin: China
Region:   Zhejiang Province  
Shipping Port:  Shanghai
Grade:   Special Chunmee Grade #1
Altitude:  2000 ft. above sea level
Manufacture Type: Steamed and then pan fired green tea, well graded
Cup Characteristics: Full bodied, delicate flavor with toasty notes. Mellow smokiness lending to sweet tobacco
 or plum character.
Infusion:  Bright and yellowish green
Ingredients:  Luxury green tea
 
Information:
The shape of the leaves is reminiscent of an eyebrow, hence the word  “mee or mei” which means eyebrow. Chunmee
translated is “Precious Eyebrow”. The leaves are hand-rolled in a traditional fashion and pan-fired requiring great skill
since the final tea is considered a work of art. Patience, great hand coordination, temperature control and timing achieve
a fine jade color leaf and mellow yellowish brew.    
 
This tea reminds us of the “Tea Emperor” Song which notes “ ...it promotes such serenity that mundane cares fall away.”
Truly a blessing. This same emperor had this to say about tea plucking: ‘‘Harvesting the leaves should begin well before
daybreak and stop shortly after. Picking must be done with the fingernails, not with the fingers, lest the freshness and
taste be contaminated... Leaves of whitish color shaped like sparrows’ tongues or grains of corn are best. One leaf per
shoot is ideal; two leaves per shoot next best, if there are more, the product will be inferior’’.
 
Hot tea brewing method: When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to
use water that is about 180ºF or 90ºC. Place 1 teaspoon of leaves in you cup and let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and
then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add
more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the brew -
they foretell life.
 
Alternatively as with all top quality teas, scoop 2-4 teaspoons of tea into the teapot, pour in boiling water that has been
freshly drawn (previously boiled water has lost most of its oxygen and therefore tends to be flat tasting), steep for 2-4
minutes (to taste), stir (virtually all the leaves will sink), pour into your cup but do not add milk or sugar since green tea
is enjoyed ‘straight-up’.
 
Iced tea-brewing method:  (to make 1 liter/quart):  Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour
1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour
the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves.  Add ice and top up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and
sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will
be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.]