By virtue of the time-tunnelling effect of blogging, while I am writing this on an afternoon in late September, I suspect that my words will have travelled forward in time to be read by you, Gentle Reader, just after Boxing Day. Though it seems strange to me in September, it will undoubtedly seem quite normal in December, for me to extend to you the season's greetings. The season of Christmas (the time of reading), that is, not the season of mid-autumn (the time of writing). Time-travel was always complex.
While nowhere near the Christmas period, I have just finished a session with two samples sent kindly by Tea Urchin some time ago (perhaps in 2011?). This first cake is a "2002 Lincang", which is all that is known about it - Eugene's pretty web-site doesn't seem to mention it. It seems to have been a zhuancha [brick-tea], as pictured above. This is also apparently in the grade of the leaves, which have a homely "leftovers" feel to them. The scent is sweet, with some age.
"Straightforward and quite strong" is my summary of this Lincang cake. It has the red maltiness of a few years, but I would be very surprised if this were older than 6 or 7 years old - certainly, the supposed 11 years of aging are not apparent. Perhaps it was stored in a state of preservation. What we do have is a bold, uncomplicated sweetness that performs well and gets me ready for the "main act"...
...the eponymous "crab's feet", or pangxiejiao [aprrox. paang-shee-air-djow].
I have rather enjoyed cakes laced with pangxiejiao before. It is a vine that grows on the pu'ercha trees in the Jingmaishan region, and whose flavour seems to complement that of the pu'ercha leaves with which is is sometimes mixed. Imagine my surprise, then, when I opened the packet to reveal...
...pure pangxiejiao! This represents an excellent opportunity to come to know the character of this strange additive that is usually only present in small amounts. The leaves of this life-form are yellow and green, with a "wrinkled" level of detail that you might be able to discern from the photographs.
The scent of the dry leaves is particularly unique. I have encountered in only one location before today: the giraffe enclosure of the zoo. The leaves have that blend of hairy, rich, and definitely animal scents that occur only in giraffe enclosures.
The soup, as you can see below, is a watery yellow-green. I was wondering if this might make it rather tasteless, but the character is quite obviously not at all weak: it is creamy, thick, quite sweet, and tastes remarkably close to Jingmaishan's lanxiang [orchid scent], perhaps because of its growth in close proximity (well, crawling up the bark of the tree). It is tangy, cooling at the back of the throat, and enduring in a way that few teas can achieve. Quite surprising is its overall effect, and really rather nice, it has to be said.
You may not have received any pangxiejiao in your Christmas stocking this year, but I do recommend trying some should the opportunity arise. My opinion of pangxieojiao has entirely changed from "novelty" to "pleasant addition". Heaven knows how it ages, but the immediate character is rather fascinating.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing. I hadn't heard of it before. Now I'm going to see if I can find it in Korea!
ReplyDeleteGreetings doctor (as in time traveller), beware the laxative effects of the pangxiejiao! It is very cooling. The Lincang brick has sold out, hence it's disappearance from our website. Storage in cool, dry Lincang gives it that "slow aged" taste, quite distinct from youth masquerading as aged in my humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteI see it can be obtained from Yunnan Sourcing. must give it a try with my next order
ReplyDeleteDear Eugene,
ReplyDeleteI did like the brick - it's interesting to read that it has aged so slowly.
Dear Jidao and Adp,
I suspect that the cake from Yunnan Sourcing might be different - this one was entirely made from Pangxiejiao, which is rather unusual. Have a go, if you can find it. :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hi Hobbes. Scott has it listed loose (not blended with tea) in his 'flower and herbal' section. It is apparently parasitic and related to our mistletoe (botanical name viscum liquidambaricola). It comes with some health warnings - I suspect it would not be a good idea to drink a lot!
ReplyDeleteDear Adp,
ReplyDeleteYes - that's the stuff! It's a vine, and related to mistletoe, or so they say. :)
The Chinese have a habit of making tisanes out of various flora, many of which have reportedly desirable effects. I used only my tastebuds in this one's evaluation, though.
I was fascinated by how much it tastes like the tea-tree that it grows on, even down to the regional characteristics of that tree.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes