Gongfu Tea-
The Ultimate Tea Experience
Here in the U.S., people might associate Gongfu with Bruce Lee and his movies. The truth is that "Gongfu" not only signifies martial arts or physical discipline in Chinese, but it also encompasses many diverse activities that require time and effort to achieve their mastery.
Of all forms of tea-drinking today, Gongfu is the most distinctive, and yet it is virtually unknown to the Western world. As a tradition refined through time, this sophisticated way of sipping tea is very enjoyable and entertaining.
Fine tea is brewed in a miniature teapot so that the tea's bouquet and flavor does not dissipate. The Gongfu method allows the taste, aroma, and color of the teas to be savored in much the same manner as vintage wines.
Over the years, many tea connoisseurs have enjoyed the Gongfu tea experience as an intellectual and epicurean pursuit. They have all acknowledged that skillfully brewing in Gongfu's step-by-step method with finely crafted teawares is the best way to appreciate fine Oolongs from Taiwan and China.
How to Brew and Serve Gongfu Tea
Use a Gongfu tea set as shown, which includes a miniature teapot, a tea pitcher and a tea bowl to hold the teapot. Plus two sets of aroma cups and teacups on the serving plates. You might need a tea tray or a place mat, to hold all these teawares and tea implements (such as a tea scoop, a tea funnel, and a tea pick).
Select a fine tea, such as Formosa Jade Oolong, White-Tip Oolong, or Anxi Ti-Kuan-Yin.
Bring several quarts of fresh-drawn water to a full boil, then let it sit for 30 seconds.
Warm up the teapot by rinsing it with the hot boiled water and drain the water into the tea bowl.
Get tea leaves with the tea scoop. Pass the tea among guests so they can enjoy the beauty of the tea's appearance before it's brewed. Fill one-third of the teapot with loose tea leaves.
Fill the teapot half-full with hot water. Cover with the lid for a few seconds, then pour the water out immediately. Leave the soaked leaves in the teapot. (This step helps make the tea leaves unfurl more easily.)
Now we will begin the first brew: Fill up the teapot with hot water to its rim. Keep the lid covered and pour additional hot water over the teapot to keep it warm while the tea steeps.
In the meantime, warm up the teacups and aroma cups by rinsing them with hot water.
After steeping the tea for 30 seconds, pour all of the tea into the pitcher.
Pour the tea from the pitcher into the aroma cups.
Serve each guest a plate with an aroma cup of tea and an empty teacup.
Ask guests to pour the tea from the aroma cup to the teacup. Then focus on smelling the residual aroma in the aroma cup.
Sip the tea from the teacup and enjoy its bountiful flavor and taste.
For a second infusion, repeat the procedure starting from Step 7, but add 10 extra seconds to the steeping time.
Up to 5 infusions can be made from the same tea leaves. Simply add 15 seconds for each additional steeping.
