TEA IQ and the Toronto Tea Festival 2018

by guest blogger, Drew Taylor

Tea IQ...

Tea IQ...hmmm.

At first glance, this may seem like a nonsensical concept.  After all, what can you possibly know about tea, that's measurable, beyond either enjoying a good cuppa or not?

I'm married to a tea sommelier and I've been to a few festivals and tea drinking events so I'm not completely lost in the fray, but when you taste something that stands out, it's a real treat.  Sometimes it's a matter of the right drink at the right time.

Having attended the Toronto Tea Festival a few years running, I'd have to say that as unlikely as it seems, there are people with a profound Tea IQ among the myriad throngs of those like me who can tell a green from a black (hey, by the colour--wait, what? Blind tasting!?  Oh, not that kind of blind), and might be able to tell an Oolong from a Puerh (there's definitely a difference and repeated exposure will help clarify it). But tell the difference between the soil of China vs. the soil of Japan or Korea as it affects the flavour of a similarly dried and prepared varietal? How can anyone know tea so intimately?

Three winners

This year, once again, the Toronto Tea Festival will be holding their Tea IQ contest, and aside from the presents awarded to the almost certainly same few who can identify region and subtle differences between many types of tea, there will be that opportunity for everyone else to hone a combination of senses, to quiet the mind and savour the qualities of some very fine brews.  I must say, there was a green tea last year that I could not buy for love or money, but it was the best tasting green tea I've ever had. That's the real opportunity.  The TTF does it up right. You're not trying to tell Tetley's from Twinings, or Red Rose from Lipton, not to take away from those highly successful purveyors of consistently manufactured tea products, but after you've spent an evening with Jeff Fuchs and watched some of his journey in The Tea Explorer, you begin to appreciate that what makes a great tea is more than a hit of caffeine and a hot drink on a cold day.

There's a reason they talk about a tea's "liqueur".

And if Rita is pouring, I'll definitely take what she's having.

Find out for yourself this weekend.  The Tea IQ is held on Saturday and Sunday (Feb.3, 4th) on the Epic stage at 1:30 PM (but get there early) the 6th Annual Toronto Tea Festival.

Tickets can be purchased online, by phone and in person at Tao Tea Leaf.

SPECIAL THANKS to our guest blogger, Drew Taylor for the post and photos!

Drew is a local actor / writer / filmmaker / photographer / handyman.

West Coast: Westholme, Ucluelet, Tea, Sun and Son!

What a summer it was! My family and I were able to do a bit of travelling on the West Coast of Canada back in September.

We visited Vancouver then took the ferry over to Vancouver Island for some sun, beach and TEA! We visited the Westholme Tea Farm, home to Canada's first ever single estate grown tea!  Oh yes, I have tasted tea grown in Canada!  And written an article for Tea Journey Magazine about it!

















A beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon, tea plants all around, a jazz duo plays while customers lounge on the patio sipping fresh Canadian teas and delectable treats. You can read more about the teas and the pairings and learn about Victor and Margit of the Westholme Tea Farm here.

 

As you can imagine, travelling all the way across Canada just to sample tea grown here was worth the trip...as well as driving through the incredible landscape of the Pacific North West, seeing all those beautiful old growth trees and young mountains until finally we arrived at the westernmost part of Canada.  The west coast of Vancouver Island, home to some of the most magnificent beaches and a few decent restaurants and nice places to stay.  We holed up in a resort in Ucluelet called the Terrace Beach Resort.  Owned and operated by the family of Jason Priestley, we noticed the family resemblance although I'd say he got the looks overall.  I don't know where he was, but he didn't show up while we were there and I'm just a little disappointed.  What's up with that J.P.? I even had tea for you...


The entire structure is built on stilts made of heavy timber.  Tsunami proof I'm guessing.  They were giving the place a face lift when we arrived, scaffolding all around the building we stayed in but it didn't manage to scare off the young buck deer grazing out front.

Although they have private access to a cute little inlet, we hopped back in the car and drove up the coast to Long Beach.  Sixteen kilometres of awesome sandy beach with rough driftwood structures scattered along the shore to offer some reprieve from the endless winds and pounding of the surf.

The odd washed up kelp looked
like it belongs in a space movie.  While my husband satisfied his inner caveman body surfing in the chilling seawater, my son had the time of his life running back and forth between the tide and the shore, carrying small rocks and shells to and from.  This summer the boy overcame his fear of the water in no small part due to seeing a short animated film, "Piper" that accompanied the Disney Pixar film "Finding Dory".

Once we'd worn the boy out (he slept easily and deeply that night), we ordered some takeout from Hank's Smokehouse, a gem of a restaurant we found through a friend on our first visit during our honeymoon a couple of years ago.  We overdid it the first time, but this time a balance of smoked this and that and salad and some overpriced drinks we picked up at the Ucluelet Liquor store (remind me to stick with the government outlets next time!).

Jealous yet?  I miss it already.