Live Stoners Dr. Babnik invites - Stoners Tea Party

[trailanimal]

regular coffee drinker and I love tea too

 

[trailanimal]

I think my all time favorite cuppa is Russian Caravan (AKA Smokey Dragon), I love the smokey flavor.
Here is some info i got from - https://www.twinings.co.uk/tea-club/russian-caravan

Russian Caravan has a really interesting story to it. As the name would suggest, it was made for the Russian market. This exotic blend is made of the finest Oolong and Keemun tea leaves. The leaves that make up a serving of Russian Caravan come from a couple of different regions in China, and are produced in various ways. Oolong is grown in and around the Wuyi Mountains and is produced in a unique manner, this tea is withered under the strong sun and oxidises until the leaves twist and curl up giving oolong its unique look. Keemun comes from the Anhui province.

It is said that tea was introduced to Russia in the early seventeenth century. The ruler of Mongoloa, Altyun-Khan, sent a gift of tea to Tsar Michael Fedorovich. Regular trade between the two countries was then established by the signing of the Treaty of Nerchinska in 1689. Initially tea was a status symbol reserved for the Russian elite but the ceremony around tea was gradually adopted by other social groups who also experimented with the way they brewed and served this fantastically aromatic drink.

TASTING NOTES AND FLAVOUR WHEEL: LOOK – SMELL – TASTE

The ingredients of this Russian Caravan blend have been rolled using the traditional orthodox method of manufacture which gives a delicate wiry whole leaf look and feel.

When you smell and taste your tea, why not use the Twinings flavour wheel and see what aromas and tastes you come up with. First of all, before your nostrils come close to the tea liquor, just smell the back of your hand as this helps to cleanse your palette. As expected from the initial aroma from the infused leaf, the first aroma coming from the infused tea will be the Oolong tea that is letting off that heavy scent.

Pouring the tea into your cup you will notice a beautiful golden hue coming from the liquor just like the warm golden colour of Californian sunshine.

A taste best described as a "savoury smoothness" permeates this tea, yet the tea is unmistakably Keemun - like Yunnan but "nuttier" - first and foremost. It is a powerful mouth experience, not so much in the head but in the main body of the drink. A couple of seconds after entering through the lips, we’re getting a nice feeling around the jaw and cheeks. This tea produces a bright coppery and amber coloured liquor and creates an unforgettable light brew with hints of honey sweetness. If you add milk, the liquor turns pinkish in colour.

Here's what Wikipeadia says -

Russian Caravan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


A box of Russian Caravan made by Twinings
Russian Caravan is a blend of oolong, keemun, and lapsang souchong teas, all produced from Camellia sinensis[1] the Chinese tea plant. It is described as an aromatic and full-bodied tea with a sweet, malty taste, and smoky taste. Although a Chinese tea,[2] its name originates from the 18th century camel caravans that facilitated the transcontinental tea trade from tea-producing areas (namely India, Ceylon and China) to Europe via Russia. "It took at least half a year to make the six-thousand-mile journey from the Chinese border to Russia, and the voyage was harsh."[3] Some varieties do not include lapsang souchong, thus having a less smoky flavor.[4]

The southern route by Odessa is far cheaper, but the tea is supposed to suffer in flavour in its transit through the tropical seas, while it improves in its passage through the cold dry climate of Mongolia and Siberia, by losing that unpleasant taste of firing [whereby tea was dried using direct heat]. As Russian epicures believe that a peculiar delicacy of flavor is imparted to it by the slight moisture it absorbs when nightly unloaded and placed on the snow-covered steppes, the enhanced price it commands compensates for the greater expense and difficulty of its carriage by this route.[5]

Anecdotal evidence had it that during the camel caravan journeys, the teas took on the smoky taste of the campfires. Only the lapsang souchong (if present) in the blend, however, is actually smoke-dried. Some blends use yunnan black tea, together with keemun and lapsang souchong to achieve full bodied, strong copper colored, smokey, and heavy flavored tea with a smooth and mellow aftertaste. [6]

Russian Caravan Cocktail (by Vitaliy Bukhtulov)

makes one cocktail


1 1/4 ounces bourbon (Vitaliy used Elijah Craig 12 Year Old)
1 ounce pine-smoked black tea, infused with a bit of honey while steeping, then chilled (Vitaliy used Russian Caravan by Choice Organic Teas available at Whole Foods. He cautions not to over-steep it lest its strong, smoky flavor overpower the cocktail.)
1/2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
Splash of fresh lemon juice
Club soda (for topping up drink)

Combine all ingredients except for the club soda in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass filled with ice. Top up with club soda and garnish with a lemon twist.

Blend Your Own Russian Caravan Tea

If you like smoky flavors in your food, I bet you like Russian Caravan tea! I absolutely love it! It’s black tea with a smoky twist, thanks to the addition of Lapsang Souchong — black tea that’s been smoked over smoldering pine or spruce wood. Legend has it that the tea absorbed the smoky aroma of nighttime campfires during its journey from China to the Russian Czar. Others say the tea was smoked as a way of preserving it for the 6,000-mile trip. Either way, the name is enchanting and the flavor is an unusual treat!

I used to buy Russian Caravan in teabags at our local health food store, but when they stopped selling it, I decided to blend my own using the ratios below. I like to measure the tea by weight rather than volume, because I happen to have a food scale and because equal weights don’t always have equal volumes (oolong seems to have more volume), but either way it’ll work.

Once blended, I use 1 tsp of tea per mug of hot water (about 12 oz) and I love to add milk or cream. If you prefer decaf tea like I do, take a look at my post on How to Decaffeinate Your Tea.

Russian Caravan Tea
1 part Lapsang Souchong

1 part black tea (English Breakfast, Assam, Ceylon are all good, but don’t use anything flavored like Earl Grey)

2 parts Oolong tea

Where to source these ingredients? I like Mountain Rose Herbs. Although I think their shipping is a little pricey, I always get my stuff from them because it still comes out cheaper in the end, and I like the company and their products.

Equal weights don't quite have equal volumes...

Russian Caravan Tea Benefits

The benefits associated with the tea combine the benefits obtained from all the three types of tea used in preparation process. The combined health benefits that can be attributed to Russian caravan tea are described hereunder:

• The tea is considered to be quite helpful in reducing the cholesterol level, hence helping to maintain sound health of the cardiovascular system.

• Also, the problem of high blood pressure would be treated, subsequently maintaining health of the heart.

• The tea considerably helps in keeping the skin healthy, thus, defying premature aging and keeping the skin properly nourished.

• The health of bones and teeth can also be improved with the consumption of Russian caravan tea.

Quick 'n dirty recipe: Russian Caravan tea syrup

What you'll need:

• 1 tbsp looseleaf Russian Caravan tea
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup honey

What to do:

Add tea to an empty measuring cup and pour boiling water over top. Let steep for 5 minutes and strain well.

Add honey to tea and stir well.

Set aside to cool.

Use in cocktails.

now I've got so much teaformaton
gotta order some tea
thanks encyclopedic arty

 

[The Elvis]

Eww i just loove some tea!!

I have got myself on just tea water now.. its all i drink.. sweet tea!!

 

[trailanimal]

moroccan mint here

 

[epenguin]

Sniff, sob, tearful............love a good cuppa me........didn't get an invite.........wobbly bottom lip........sniff.......PG Tips my favorite.......milk n one sugar........but no invite............sob..............

Bet Archie is crying himself to sleep too............blub.......

 

[witchyhour]

I have prepped the table for a Chinese tea session.

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[emoji445] Here I am
Rock me like a hurricane! [emoji445]

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

[witchyhour]

Good Morning Dr.B Super Idea..and a Perfectly laid table..joy to Look at.

Do you have any Jasmine tea..?

Oh, yeah! Jasmine for me, too! [emoji121]

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

[dragondust]

Subbed. My mom has been bitten by the tea bug. Here are few pics of her collection.

 

[Exotic Flower]

so cultured! thanks for the invitation @Dr. Babnik !
wouldn't be the first time to hang with the "tea heads" ;-)

don't get me started on tea!!!!

i have my usual tea strains :
- some nepalese black tea
- some myanmar mountain black tea
- some indian tulsi (sacred indian basil, for devotees of krishna!)
- some taiwanese high mountain tea
- some chinese pi-luo chun
-- all these from friends who have brought these from the respective countries!!


- plus some of my own freshly trimmed peppermint leaves (i'm doing some cuttings / clones right now)

and what shall it be? cheese? ak47? white widow? or northern lights?

 

[tripaholic88]

I have prepped the table for a Chinese tea session.

View attachment 657645

Very cool doc! i never knew you liked tea! i drink it from time to time but i dont consume much caffeine but when i do its usually a Monster energy drink, my "caffeine" is some Short Stuff Super Cali Haze x Yeti BHO. A dab of that and im wide awake and alert i love it

Good morning Dr.B...
How about tea and accompaniment..
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is that tiramisu duggy?!?!