Pu Erh

Pu Erh tea is unique. Like lapsang souchong, it's a tea you either love or hate.

There is no middle ground with a tea that smells like manure.

It's flavor is very rich and earthy - some people call it winy, but those people are also usually paying through the nose to buy pu-erh's that are years upon years old. While dark in color and usually sold with black teas, it is not techinally a black tea, having it's own unique processing.

Pu Erh tea is considered medicinal in Chinese medicine, and there is some scientific evidence supporting this - particularly suggesting that pu erh consumption can help reduce cholesterol levels. Anecdotally, I can offer my personal experience and opinion that a strong cup of pu erh tea is excellent for alleviating the digestive difficulties experienced after gall bladder surgery.

I brew pu erh tea very simply - 212 F water, five minutes.

Drinking pu erh tea makes me happy -- there is a peaceful pleasure in the careful brewing, in the scent of animal, in the spreading comfort in the belly. It is an experience of deliciousness and nurturing.