A week in Anxi, spring 2026
Notes from ten days walking terraced hills with Mr. Chen, weighing this year's Tie Guan Yin harvest and arguing gently about roast levels.
Read the post →David writes these in the quiet hour before the shop opens. Farm trips, blend experiments, the occasional opinion.
Notes from ten days walking terraced hills with Mr. Chen, weighing this year's Tie Guan Yin harvest and arguing gently about roast levels.
Read the post →Eight hours in the fridge, no heat, and the tea tastes like it's been thinking about you all day. Recipe and ratios inside.
Read the post →Whole spices, whole milk, and a good Assam. It takes 20 minutes and you'll never buy the powder again.
Read the post →Most of the tea you buy has been thrown away after one cup. A short love letter to the second infusion.
Read the post →The shop cat had a scare last month. He's fine. Also, we're adopting another rescue in the fall.
Read the post →We couldn't fly to Kyoto this April, so Mrs. Tanaka walked us through her plot on FaceTime at 4 AM her time.
Read the post →One email a month. New harvests, brewing notes, occasionally a discount for regulars. No selling your address, no algorithm-chasing subject lines.