High Tea Chan

High Tea has changed its expression over the times and here is another thread created in our workshop today; high tea chan. This is blending tea chan and high tea, blending cultures and spirit.

Tea chan, like its cousin, the japanese tea ceremony, is the partaking of tea with heightened mindfulness, in the spirit of chan buddhist practise. About being here now in the present moment. The extraneous chatter of our minds quietened. Expressing our heart and mind with suchness. As the tea is poured, love is added. As the aroma inhaled into a bright clear mind we experience the sweetness of life. This we can carry with us back into the hustle and bustle to make our days sweet with mindfulness.

So we had tea. Starting of with Yi Yeh Cha (one leaf tea) or Ku Ding (bitter nail). This tea is rolled into a spike or nail shape and is bitter. It is wonderful medicinal properties. Well, now we know that. Today, the tea maker (Tom) in his ignorance and enthusiasm put a handful of the Ku Ding into the tea pot. Thought it was green tea rolled differently. The reason is it call yi yeh cha is that you only use one leaf in a brew! Everyone was very polite, as one should be at a high tea, when they tasted how bitter twas. The bitter melon lovers were okay with it, but the polite commentary was about the bitterness for sure. The second tea was a jasmine and green tea. What a contrast, a sweet fragrance, a mild happy taste. Much better received. Much easier to be polite.

Colleen kindly brought along her mother’s silver tea pots to serve the tea. They set off the look of the table just nicely.

Today’s fare was themed with spring rolls and dumplings. Simple to prepare and easy to cook, they turned out delicious. Here’s the recipes:

Green PawPaw pockets
Chives and veg fish dumpling
Golden Nut Roll
Cheese and Parsley roll
Purple Sweet Potato Roll
Crispy Tofu wrap
Choko Dumpling
Chan Goodies Bag
Vege Golden Duck Rolls

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