A Master Class ~ Taiwanese Teas With Tillerman

I am quite involved in the tea industry, especially on the promotions and social media side.  Although I don't have a tea shop per se, I have managed social media for tea companies. I organize and handle social media for the Toronto Tea Festival, I've written tea articles, most recently for World Tea News, and currently I am the PR chair for the Tea Guild of Canada. Now, what is the Tea Guild of Canada, you ask?

Tea Guild Of Canada is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to fostering excellence in the world of specialty tea.  The mandate is as follows (from the website):

        We are committed to
            Educating members and the public;
            Exchange of ideas and sharing of resources;
           The creation of programs and events.

Ever since my tea sommelier classes finished, I have missed getting together with other tea sommelier/students and tea lovers to taste teas and advance my tea education. That's where the Tea Guild has filled the gap. 

Members are tea sommeliers, tea sommelier students and ethusiastic tea lovers in and around the Toronto area. We've brought in some awesome guest speakers for our members, e.g. Kevin Gascoyne of Camellia Sinensis, Raelene Gagnon of Tea and All Its Splendour, podcaster/blogger TJ Williamson of the World Tea Podcast and the latest, David Campbell of Tillerman Tea. 

David first contacted me through Facebook to ask for some tea shop recommendations to check out while he was in town from California. A Taiwanese Tea specialist, he's been in the tea business since 2007 and before that was in the wine industry for some 30 years...tea and wine, Taiwanese teas... I put them all together and my mind went bing! We should have him join us for a meeting!  I suggested this and he was game!  

A "Teas of Taiwan" evening was created!

I was there too! That's Linda Gaylard beside me! (Photo:Raelene Gagnon)

Map of Taiwan's Tea Producing Area 

Tea Anyone?

Wenshan Baozhong (a lightly oxidized oolong, heavenly aroma) 

Alishan (Meishan District)

Chinglin Gaoshan (Jade oolong)

Bai Hao (Oriental Beauty) highly oxidized and roasted oolong

Notice the fuzzy white tip

Loved this one! Fruity, malty like darjeeling 

True Bai Hao has this fuzzy pekoe white tip attached the the leaf, look for this when you are buying Bai Hao

David also generously gave the Guild the Powerpoint presentation of his talk, 
you can view it here. Thank you David!

If you'd like a chance to (tea) geek out:

Join us This Thursday, June 1st at 6:30 p.m. 

at The Chef's House (George Brown College).  

Our guest speaker for this coming Tea Guild meeting will be fellow Certified Tea Sommelier, Michelle Pierce Hamilton of the new Tea Lounge and BeTeas of London, Ontario. 

Her topic will be Tea and Health. 

Click here for more details and to RSVP. Hope to see you there!

TEA AND TALES: The Event

At last, the food, the teas, and the people were all set.  The guests have arrived and so begins our tale.

Every year since its inception, the Tea Guild of Canada has featured a tea and food pairing event.  This is a great way to open the general public's minds to the endless possibilities of tea.  This year's theme was "Tea and Tales".  There are many legends and stories associated with tea.  The four course event took place in different rooms of Montgomery's Inn on Saturday, April 6th.

The guests were split into four groups and rotated to a new room or tasting station for each course.  One or two teas were paired with each course.  A new tale about tea was told at each sitting.

 The worksheet for guests to take notes and the menu

Tales about Tea History took place in the dining room.  Certified Tea Sommelier, Jim Nicholson and "Tea Snob", Karen Bergman told the guests of the tales of Afternoon Tea.

Some of the tales included:
"Economics: Rule Britannia & Capitalism" - Industrial Revolution, East India Company, the Clipper Ships and India tea trade.

"Politics: Liberalism & Monarchy" - the pomp and ceremony of Queen Victorian times, Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, Whigs vs Tories, Liberal Ideology, Gunboat Diplomacy and the Opium War.

"Social: Rising Middle Class" - Wealth, Emerging Middle Class, Temperance Movement and Embracing foreign cultures.

The first course of chicken consomme was paired with Dragonwell tea in all the rooms, except for this one.  Jim and Karen decided to serve a White butterfly (white tea) and Buckingham Palace (Earl Grey, Chinese Jasmine, Malty Assam, and Kenyan blend) tea for all four courses.

 Guest examining the leaves of the White Butterfly tea

In the ballroom, Certified Tea Sommelier, Carol Savage and Tea Sommelier student, Katherine Bellman told tales about Chinese and Japanese Tea Folklore.

They told of the legends of Sheng Nong, Tieguanyin, Bodhidharma, Dragon Well, and origins of Chinese black tea.

Dao Hong Pao (Chinese Oolong tea) and Jing Ping Gong Fu Black tea (Chinese fully oxidized black tea) were paired with the sandwiches and savories.  

Carol and Katherine served Jin Jiang Mi Lan Xiang (honey orchid oolong) and Jin Guan Yin (an oolong from Anxi province) with the scones.  Golden needle and iced matcha passionfruit lemonade with the sweets.

I think this is the room I should have stayed in, the pairings sound amazing!

Using a Chinese Gaiwan to steep the teas

In the tavern bar, Tea Sommelier instructor, Bill Kamula, told the tale of Sir Thomas Lipton.

Certified Tea Sommelier, Debbie Chang assisted with preparing the Dragonwell to be served with the soup and a Ceylon tea was served with the rest of the courses.  How fitting since this is the room talking about Thomas Lipton!

Package of the world famous Lipton Yellow Label tea in the background

In the historical kitchen, Certified Tea Sommeliers, Linda Gordon and Linda Gaylard spoke about Form, Function and Style in Teaware.  

The sweets were paired with a tasty iced Matcha Passionfruit Lemonade, Darjeeling and Assam teas

All in all, Tea and Tales was a fun and informative event!  A blend of stories, people, delicious foods and fine teas.  Montgomery's Inn provided a beautiful and historical setting for all the offerings.

Stay tuned for more tea adventures and my preparations for all the tea in China...!

TEA AND TALES: Behind the Scenes (The People and The Teas)

Following my last post, with the food for Tea and Tales all prepped, I wandered around the Montgomery's Inn to check out how the rest of the prep is coming along.  Montgomery's Inn was built around 1830 for Thomas and Margaret Montgomery.  The museum has been restored to its heyday of 1847 when it served as a meeting place for the community and gave shelter and food for weary travellers.   It's a great place to visit to see what life was like back in the early 19th century.  And on Saturday, April 6th, it served as the meeting place for the Tea Guild of Canada's 4th annual tea and food pairing fundraiser.

Both the Tea Guild of Canada and Montgomery's Inn are not-for-profit organizations and any profit will be shared between them.  Montgomery's Inn is on Toronto Mayor Ford's "hit list" of cultural and historical buildings to be shut down.  So, if you're looking for a cause to support and a cool place to visit, the funds would be greatly appreciated in their battle to stay open.

Not sure who first said this but there's a saying that goes, you need to know where you came from to know where you are going.  I encourage to go visit Montgomery's Inn or any of our city's fine historical museums to learn more about Toronto's past.

The tables have been set in the tea room, waiting for the guests to be welcomed and the introductions to begin.

Busy bee volunteers stuffing the gift bags for the guests

 Preparing the trays of sweets

 Last minute review of presentation notes

In the historic kitchen

Final set up of the rooms

The ballroom

 Teas to be served, weighed out and ready for use

Dao Hong Pao to be paired with the sandwiches and savories

Dragon well (Lung Jing) to be paired with the chicken consommé

Close up of one of the Chinese yixing teapots on the table

Preparing the portions of teas

Last minute instructions to the greeters at the reception area

The guests have arrived and Bill Kamula, co-chair of the Tea Guild of Canada gives the welcome speech

The water is boiling and you know what that means...

Soon there will be TEA!

TEA AND TALES: Behind the Scenes (The Food)

The Tea Guild of Canada presented their 4th annual tea and food pairing fundraiser event, "Tea and Tales" yesterday.  I was there taking photos and helping as a back up runner.  The event started at 1pm, but the volunteers from Tea Guild arrived at the historic Montgomery's Inn at 10 am to help set up and prepare the 4 course afternoon tea.

I was lucky enough to watch two master chefs and their volunteer staff at work preparing the delicious food for the guests.  Bill Kamula and Laura Bryan are George Brown Culinary School Chef instructors and co-chair the Tea Guild of Canada.  Laura is a Certified Tea Sommelier and Bill also teaches the Tea Sommelier program at George Brown.

1st course:
Chicken Consume with spring garden vegetables served with a cheese sable cookie. The savory cookie with the delicious soup was a great combo.

Cups with spring garden vegetables, ready for hot chicken consommé to be added

2nd course:

Sandwiches & Savories included curried chicken in cucumber and tomato cups, Deviled eggs, homemade hummus and sliced apple on rice crackers, watercress and cream cheese on white bread, smoked salmon with lemon butter on dark rye.  A little something for everyone including those sensitive to gluten.  All delicious!

Chef Kamula at work preparing deviled eggs

Chef Bryan preparing curried chicken in tomato cups

Smoked salmon rosettes with whipped lemon butter, pieces of red onions, topped with pieces of arugula and lemon.

 I now know how to make those rosettes, I'm ready for my next tea party!

Deviled eggs topped with a light sprinkling of paprika

Think I need to set my white balance...daylight on those sandwiches and savories looks good!

Volunteers preparing chocolate dipped strawberries.  First the fresh ripe strawberries were dipped in milk chocolate and then in shaved white chocolate flakes.

Mmm, milk and white chocolate dipped strawberries

3rd Course:
Clotted cream and homemade Ontario jams (made by Chef Bryan)

Cream scones and Almond Scones (Gluten free)

4th course:
The sweets were all handmade.  There were biscotti, pinkies (delicious coconut squares with pink frosting), matcha cookies, chocolates (including handmade jasmine tea truffles with orange and grapefruit zest by Certified Tea Sommelier, Carol Savage - they were simply amazing!  Carol also made the almond scones), and the chocolate dipped strawberries.

The food's all prepared.  Hey, what about the tea?  Let's go check on how the Tea Sommeliers are setting up and preparing for their tales around this old manor turned museum while we wait for the guests to arrive...