After concluding my previous note, I plugged in the phone and decided to go for a third steep on these leaves. Yesterday I started a new library book, Uncomfortable Conversations With A Jew by Emmanuel Acho and Noa Tishby; today I continued reading it, and the steeping time on the third infusion was “until my eyes next slid out of focus.” The cup that resulted was a mix of freshly-snapped beans (the smell as a taste, rather than tasting like a bean) and flora with a soft but distinct note of something like whipped cream underneath it. Encouraged by this, I decided to really risk wasting six ounces of water and put the leaves on for a fourth steep, which was allowed to steep while I walked around outside for a few minutes to absorb some sun. I once again have no idea how long I let the steep go, but it was almost surely at least as long as the third steep. This time, the flavor I ultimately consumed was all dark green leafy vegetables (which is also what the leaves, now fully unfurled, now looked like; my mother asked if I was trying to drink poke salad!) and minerals, which paired surprisingly well with my supper potatoes.
Could I wring a fifth steep out of this tea? To my surprise, I actually think I probably could. I’m feeling quite ‘full’ now, though, satiated and hydrated, and four western-style steeps is already a more than respectable amount of tea to get out of such a small sample packet. I am quite pleased with it, as it stayed interesting throughout and leveled out into a steady level of clear flavor after the first steep. I’m not sure what this one costs, but if it’s reasonable, I might consider it for a work tea sometime, something that lasts a good while and can take some fairly rough treatment when I get distracted. I doubt it would win many elite oolong competitions, but it’s a solid drink and I think it really would work well as an introduction to the world of lighter oolongs for someone just discovering the delights of the teas between black and green.
