Alright, let’s talk about this… uh… Pi Luo Chun green tea, or whatever they call it. Sounds fancy, but it’s just tea, you know? My old man, he used to say, “Tea is tea, just drink it.” But these city folks, they gotta have all these special names.

So, this Pi Luo Chun, they say it comes from some mountain in China, near a big lake. Dong Ting Mountain, they call it. Sounds pretty, I guess. Like them pictures they put on calendars. Anyways, they say this tea is real old, been around since, like, the Ming Dynasty. That’s a long, long time ago. Older than my grandma’s grandma, I reckon.

Now, they say this tea looks special. “Delicate,” they call it. And it’s got “fruity taste” and “floral aroma.” Sounds like somethin’ you’d put in a vase, not a cup! But hey, I ain’t complainin’. If it tastes good, it tastes good. They also say it’s got “white hairs.” Hairs on my tea? Sounds a bit weird, don’t it? But I guess that’s what makes it fancy.

And the name, Bi Luo Chun, that means “Green Snail Spring.” Green snail? What kinda name is that? I guess the leaves are curled up tight, like a snail. And spring, well, that’s when they pick it, I hear. Only the little buds, they say. The best ones. Gotta be careful, I guess, not to squish ’em.

• Pickin’ the leaves
• Rollin’ them up
• Then dryin’ ‘em out

That’s how they make it, I think. All by hand, too. No machines, none of that fancy stuff. Just good ol’ fashioned work. Like churnin’ butter, or washin’ clothes on a rock. Hard work, but it makes things taste better, I always say.

They also say this tea can make you “excited.” Somethin’ about “tea caffeine” and your “central nervous system.” Sounds like a bunch of hogwash to me. But I guess it wakes you up a bit. Like a good cup of coffee, but maybe not so strong. Keeps you goin’, you know?

Now, how to make this Pi Luo Chun tea? Well, it ain’t rocket science. You heat up some water, not too hot though. They say 175 degrees Fahrenheit, or 80 degrees Celsius. Whatever that means. Just warm it up, not boilin’ hot. Then you put a couple teaspoons of the tea leaves in your cup. Pour the water over it, and wait a minute or two. That’s it. Simple as pie.

They also say you should warm up your cup first. I guess that keeps the tea hot longer. And use “filtered water,” they say. Well, if you got fancy water, go ahead. But my well water works just fine, I tell ya. Hasn’t killed me yet, and I’ve been drinkin’ it my whole life!

So, this Pi Luo Chun green tea, it’s got a strong smell, they say. And a light, flowery taste. Some folks even say it tastes a bit “earthy.” I don’t know about all that. To me, it just tastes like… tea. Good tea, though. Not bitter, not too strong. Just right. And that smell, it’s kinda nice. Like walkin’ through a field of flowers.

The tea’s got a strong aroma and a bit of a smoky taste too, they say. Interesting, I guess. I’m more used to the taste of a good old Lipton but this ain’t bad. I tell ya what, it’s better than some of that swill they sell at the store nowadays. And the finish, they call it? It lingers, they say. Means it stays in your mouth a while. Like a good memory, I suppose. Not a bad thing, that.

In the end, it’s all about what you like. If you like fancy names and delicate leaves, then Pi Luo Chun is for you. But if you just want a good cup of tea to warm you up on a cold day, well, this tea will do just fine, too. It’s all tea, in the end. Just different names, different ways of makin’ it.

But don’t go spendin’ all your money on it, you hear? Tea is tea, just drink it and enjoy it. That’s what I say. And if it tastes a little bit fancy, well, that’s just a bonus.

Tags: [Pi Luo Chun, Green Tea, Biluochun, Chinese Tea, Dongting Mountain, Tea Brewing, Tea Benefits]