Visiting a Beijing Tea Market

[@HolographicLotus]

Don should create his own documentary that digs deep into the roots of tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

I would love to do this - maybe a kickstarter for 2017!

[@myproductions6225]

@@MeiLeaf please do

[@kilgoretrout413]

@@MeiLeaf or 2023 😃😄

[@valeriacartesiani8772]

I am so happy to see people promoting the generosity of Chinese people! Maliandao is such a special place. I miss it so much!

[@jackwheeler27]

11:25 That spinning tea was so mesmerizing. And what a neat way to steep tea by letting it sink into the water naturally!

[@kuchenwesen8138]

My thought was...."not all leaves are getting submerged in water"...i always slightly push the needles of my yin zhen down with the lid of the gaiwan. And now im asking myself if that is wrong.

[@FrenchGuyCooking]

A pleasure to follow you Don in Beijing. Love this. PS : I choose restaurants like you choose tea shops :)

[@MeiLeaf]

+Alex French Guy Cooking hahaha the same applies for sure! You can feel when a place is confident that they have top quality.

[@luciferslettuce]

Alex French Guy Cooking the best pizza in the world is in Chicago! 😉

[@denisemi]

Don, I love your channel. Just watching you speak about tea puts a big smile on my face. A few years ago I have ditched the tea bags and started brewing with loose leafs, which changed my life. I'm now trying to get tea educated and have been trying to learn as much as I can about good quality tea. Mei Leaf is certainly the best tea channel on youtube. I'm on a Mei Leaf marathon and in a few days I will have finished watching all your videos. Please, continue to be that tea enthusiast and keep sharing your knowledge with us. I'm now planning a trip to London so that I can visit your shop. My husband loves coffee, but I have been talking so much about tea this days thanks to your channel that he is now becoming more and more interested in tea. I would love to watch a video where you tell a little about how you first started you tea journey and where you learned so much about tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thank you Denise for writing such kind words, we do feel really blessed to have viewers like you and nothing gives us more pleasure than knowing that tea conversations are happening after the video in people's lives. We will do a little story video of how we got started in tea.

[@simongermany5011]

I faced a serious injury not long ago. One of my colleagues from work came visiting me at home. He even bought me a gift. I want to say thank you and give him something back. He's Chinese and he always drinks tea at work so I know he will appreciate it! ;)

[@MeiLeaf]

Get better Simon! Thanks for sharing.

[@bullfrogger1208]

Thanks Don . I'm a guy over 60 and discovered tea after watching a short video of yours a couple of years ago about green tea . I was a life long coffee drinker and still drink it . A lady friend drinks tea and is always praising her latest find . However her exposure is limited to what she finds at the grocers , I'm afraid , because every tea she described had some flavor other than tea and all of it was in bags . My first purchase was a whole leaf green tea online from China . I drank that first tea and watched more videos . And now I'm the biggest tea fan I know . I would love to send my lady friend a fine example of what she is missing and let her experience what a carefully crafted and handled tea tastes like . Regardless , I would like to compliment you on your videos and thank you for bringing me to tea .Your videos have gotten better and better as you have progressed and watching you and your lady friend drink tea is pure joy . You two have a rare chemistry and an easy going style that flows like a brook . Thanks again Don , I may have learned late but you taught me right and I am better educated about tea than anyone I know .

[@AaronFigFront]

White tea and pu-erh are also great. I particularly like flavored tea. Flavored white tea and black tea are quite good. MARIAGE FRÈRES has great earl gray. Herb tea is also one of my favorite. Flowering tea or scented tea like osmanthus or black rose tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks for your praise and we are happy to guide you on your tea adventure.

[@mrbrian826]

That guy was so nice just giving him the tea . made me smile .

[@alskndlaskndal]

That's absolutely amazing! I can't imagine a place that big filled just with tea and teaware. I don't think I'd ever leave! I didn't know about boiling white tea after you've infused it... I'll have to try it sometime!

[@konstantinosgeorgiou8832]

A good friend of mine is a foreign student who loves good tea. I know he can't invest as much as he would like in buying high-grade tea right now so I know he will truly enjoy and appreciate such a gift, especially coming from a true connoisseur.

[@cornfedz]

Absolutely loved this video Don! Thanks for the experience. I'd love to visit someday. As to the kind offering I'd live to share this with a cousin who enjoys my coffee wares and will be visiting soon. I plan on turning him onto fine tea in the holiday and this would be fun to share with him.

[@bigz2127]

Don, as a family we have been researching about tea in China, Taiwan, and Japan. Your KZbin channel has become our go-to source for tea education and a virtual experience to travel the world of tea. My son is 10 years old and is officially a TeaHead thanks to you. We are making plans to vacation in China and visit the tea plantations there. If we were chosen to receive the white tea give-away you're promoting, we would pay it forward to our family friends who are equally enthusiastic about tea and up and coming TeaHeads too. These early on-boarders to tea drinking and education will help create the tea culture and movement of the future. Your consideration is most appreciated. Be well.

[@MeiLeaf]

Wow a 10 year old teahead, that is wonderful. If only we all had the head start that he has!

[@violentfrog_]

My wife is a teahead and she's done so much getting our house packed and ready to move with 2 toddlers running around she deserves the good stuff

[@TheQuiltedNorthern]

I’ve experienced the generosity of Chinese fellow tea heads twice! In my university dorm I met someone from Yunnan and upon finding out our mutual interest in tea he gave me a Bing dao cake, shu stuffed mandarins, and many samples of other teas. Another friend gave me about a half kilo of green tea from fujian!

[@vinyleyezz]

What an Excellent video Don! So much great info in this video! When I find myself in Chinatown I will definitely take your advice. You really know a lot about tea!

[@MeiLeaf]

Cheers. Love that vinyl BTW - my collection is in the thousands and there is nothing better.

[@dtmtheater2860]

i love what you guys do

[@AlvaroAmbrosio]

My brother got me into the wonders of loose tea. So I would thank him giving this tea to him. Thank you very much for the video! Not many videos in the community covering buying tea in china

[@MeiLeaf]

We will try to do more if possible.

Oh and Don, I absolutely adored the teashop specialized in Bai Liangs. Hope you had a great time. Under a previous video I commented about a Bai Liang cha I tried, and mentioned an older version, which I still haven't tasted. However I tried several hei chas since. Two stud out: Liu Bao and Liu An. These two seem very similar at first glance yet incredibly distant in form. Both seriously tasty and in my humble opinion they form a beautiful yin-yang balance. Sourcing hei cha in Europe, though, is very complicated... we could make good use of such specialized vendors

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes indeed, I am on it for next year!

[@bluefirekin-aria]

Wow! My husband is into tea and introduced me to your channel. This was the first video I am viewing and am just in absolute awe! I'm afraid I am a tea novice, but my husband is a connoisseur and always purchasing high end teas from China. He has his sacred ceremony and often invites me in to taste, but I have a lot to learn. What a mind blowing experience this video was - I had no idea places like those big shopping malls existed. Thank you for sharing!

[@MeiLeaf]

Welcome to our teahead world and thank you for watching. We are all on this journey and learning so please don't feel like a novice - just taste, learn and enjoy!

[@GTShere]

I'm going to live in Beijing for a while, and it's my first time in China. For me this video is the most precious of the guides!! 谢谢!!

[@goodnews3785]

I grew up drinking black Turkish tea and then married a HKG guy. We moved to the US and I fell in love with Chinese teas. That's all I drink now. I would love to give this tea to my parents who are still in Turkey. They have never tasted white tea before and just asked me to spend a few hours on my next visit telling them about tea trees and how they are cultivated. They are 8800km away from us but I can't wait to visit them with my gaiwan this time introducing them tea that is not dark in color and surprise them. Btw I started forwarding them your tea trip videos :)

[@Tasman_Tea]

Thanks again for another great video, Don. And CONGRATULATIONS on winning best shop in Camden Town! Fantastic!

[@kontrapunkti]

Best tea channel in YT, hands down. A gift for us, tea lovers.

[@friedricey]

Very good video, teaching us so eloquently about the megalithic tea industry in China. Thanks!

[@hailey0975]

The way you assess whether you will go into a store applies to so many type of goods. Artisanal, that's what I look for. I spent some time in Taiwan earlier this month and used the method very successfully for tea and ceramics. I spent waaaayyyy too much money on tea, but I don't regret it. Especially as I sit here sipping tea from Lishan and watching your video.

[@tomasrebelo117]

I want to give this tea to my friend w have both recently begun our tea journeys and have been enjoying it immensely. We've been trying as many teas as we can but we haven't been able to get access to a lot of white teas especially aged ones and your videos have left us yearning to try some! This would be an amazing gift to give him for Christmas thank you so much for doing this.

[@khsheehan]

I introduced a friend to tea nearly 3 years ago. After a few tasting sessions and an "aha" moment, he was completely hooked. We've shared tea ever since and continue to teach one another. I've had one aged white tea brick in the past and never got to share it with him, this sounds like it'd be a great start 😊

[@SerpenTRyder]

Hey Don, I enjoyed this video very much and got really immersed in it that my jaw almost dropped when you pointed the camera to that long hallway of tea shops. I'm really passionate about tea for 6-7 years or so and recently couple of my work colleagues got into it with me so we're having a tea session every other Monday. Last time one of them was delighted by Yue Guang Bai and he responded well to Bai Hao Yin Zhen so I want to give him that Shou Mei as a gift. Keep up the good work Don!

[@Tyleron1]

I've been into tea for about a year. Finally settling in with decent tea ware and teas. The friend who I plan to give it to is not a teahead right now, but I've had him over for some tastings a few times and he enjoyed it. I was planning on getting him started for Christmas, and this would make a nice addition my my gift.

[@ReedJanicki]

Great advice on boiling your used White tea leaves. I usually take three gong sessions worth and throw in some fresh Yunnan Red for an excellent summer iced tea - toss in some dried cranberries and orange peel for something extra special that I serve it hot during the holidays. Thanks for sharing!

[@aleirbag914]

WOW! you are amazing, you know how to give people real advice, you're a very perceptive person and such a good communicator. congratulation! I'd love to taste all those teas...

[@michaelamaestas4950]

How fun ,, how lovely, you are such a great teacher

[@ButTheGin]

What a jaw dropping tea market, I would probably be too intimidated to go visit one. Congrats on the Camden shop competition. So, the Shou Mei, wouldn't say no to some of that stuff, and I do have one person to share it with - my coworker, another young guy my own age who is also heavily into tea, tho his passion is Mate. When we started talking tea he shared with me his favorite tea room in Riga, through the tea room I found Chinese teas and Pu Erhs, got interested in Pu Erhs and through research found your tea trip video to Jingmai mountain, thus found your channel and quickly learned about all kinds of teas and Gong Fu brewing, fast forward a few weeks and I'm sitting here watching this video and tasting your Alishan Cream.

[@MeiLeaf]

Crazy place for sure and thanks for the story of how you found us.

[@ScottAReid]

this was a very informative video. thanks very much for taking the time to make it and post. was so interesting. Beijing did not seem as crowded or busy as I would expect it to be. maybe this was the area you were in. so interesting!

[@MrJulymadness]

that last "shopping centre"-esque building is where my dad and I go ALL the time😁. We have a few stores that we visit every season. It's an awesome experience to sit down, experiment with tea, and have a banter with the owners there, and leave with bags of tea and the end!

[@tardwrangler]

The amount of shops is mind blowing

[@billy_h_bonney2097]

I have a friend who really got me interested in tea and got me to giving it a chance. Since then I have really gone down the rabbit hole as far as tea goes. I am currently waiting on my 1st cake and my second order from you. I really have learned to love green whole leaf tea, and learning about all the different teas you have and what you teach on your travels. My friend is a man of meager means, and gave up much of his adult life caring for his parents. He lost his father a few years back, and his mother passed away last Christmas Eve, and as you can imagine this year being his first Christmas without her has been a really tough one. He is a tea head and Scandinavian. I am not sure if you have given this tea away yet but I would love for my friend to get one more than me. Please keep your content coming and thank you for all that you do.

[@sunstar2599]

25:05 😂👍👏👏👏👏 tea is just an excuse, its the accompaniment thats the purpose. But see that the vid was made 6 years ago, so i guess the tea is gone, but the friendship still lives on

[@PatrickJohnDE]

I am from Germany and after I finished high school about 10 years ago, I moved to the US for a few years where I lived with another family. The father of that family introduced me to green tea and that is where I started appreciating green tea and tea in general. And since that father, who became a father figure to me shared his green tea with me for years, I would love to be able to return something show him that I appreciate everything that he has done for me. A delicious special white tea (I don't know if he ever had white tea) should certainly help bring the message across :-) We are both tea heads so, I'll probably share both packets with him.... Tea is so much better in company :-)

[@teaandphysics3846]

Hi welch ein schöner hintergrund sich die tee's zu wünschen 😄

[@sherryatwell5856]

Thank you for this video. I have enjoyed watching and learning about tea from you. You are awesome!!!!!!!

[@pimpumpam82]

oh wow, great video! I'll give it to my friend that today proudly offered me white tea at her home. So... well keep going on with the chain!

[@soylucio]

i will share this tea with my family. at this moment im the only teahead in the family but im louring them one baby step at a time.

[@droberts9852]

I've just come across this channel and greatly enjoying the education. I've recently decided to switch to good tea and give up coffee, greatly enjoying the channel.

[@houston34]

great video again, look at those endless tea wares. i got lousy hands at handling ceramic or glass teawares, broke so many gaiwan lids or glass teapots, sometimes it's only a small mistake like knocking them accidentally on the water faucet when i wash them and they just shattered. can't imagine someone can keep their teaware in a good condition and pass on to their children.

[@umeumeboshiboshi]

Wonderful! Info I would never have been privy to otherwise. The Hunan black tea company you visited is a very famous brand. I don't know if they had that huge Qianliang cut into slices, but I was able to get reasonaby priced and sized, good quality slices of those Bailiang 百兩 and Qialiang 千兩 teas in Changsha, as well as convenient packages of Fucha 茯茶 and the other three styles of Hunan black. Also aged yellow tea cakes. Fresh Junshan Inzhen 君山銀針 was hard to find, low quality and extremely expensive (now monopolized by a single company) a stark contrast to what was available about ten years ago.

[@shantiaurora5633]

Thanks so much for this video! I will be in Maliandao next month and you have given a lot of very good advice for shopping there! xiexie ni!

[@samroland2915]

Hi Don! Great video! I really enjoyed seeing the huge selection of teaware. I wish there were markets like that in the US! I would love to share that shoumei with my girlfriend and her housemates. They all love tea, and drink it frequently to relax after long days in class and work. However, they really only use tea bags, so I would love to share some true tea culture with them! I just got my own gaiwan to brew gonfu style (inspired in no small part by your videos) and I would love to convert my friends as well. Anyway thanks so much for all the videos. They are so informative and entertaining!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks Sam.

[@erictiu958]

This video about beijing tea market is very informative...

[@Andrew_ATC]

I only started my tea journey less than a year ago. I got a small sample of Jin Jun Mei from my father and was blown away how different tea can be from my old impression of bitter green tea. From then on I searched and learned about tea. I will visit my father again, soon, and would like to share what I have learned and bring him some proper tea ware as gift. I would love to be able sample your gift and share it with the guests that would sure to fill my father's house during the holidays.

[@ThanhNguyen-dq8mw]

Hello from Vietnam, i've started my business as a tea room owner in Ho Chi Minh and continue non-stop to learn more about Tea and different kinds of Tea. Would love to taste the tea that you've got from Beijing and would love to spread the love of tea to others, i will absolutely share tea with one of my tea lover friend in Vietnam. Tks Don.

[@MeiLeaf]

Great we should meet when I go to Vietnam!

[@ThanhNguyen-dq8mw]

Mei Leaf Hey sure, let me know, i kno many tea production in VN if you want to visit. We can plan for a trip to visit Tea Production in North of VN, there you have all old tea tree...!!!Very nice:))

[@MeiLeaf]

Wonderful! I will definitely email you when we are coming to Vietnam. Can you private message your email address or send it through our 'chinalife' facebook?

[@wendywooldridge3943]

I would love to pass this tea on to a couple of friends, maybe with a gaiwan to make a cute gift set. I love your passion for spreading tea love! Taking the time to enjoy good tea has become such an enjoyable part of my routine, and I would love to share that with the special people I love. Aloha!

[@Akumathemaster]

Very interesting video, more of this Don ! I would love to share the yin zhen with a friend of mine who lives far away and we only meet once a year to drink tea. Cheers for the amazing work, keep it up !

[@Damonm68]

Don, I continue to have so much appreciation for your videos on Tea. And congrats on the win! There just isn't anyone else doing this at the level of consistency that you do.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thank you +D_Otec I appreciate you guys watching.

[@gianulli]

This is perfect! I'm going to Beijing soon and plan to visit a few tea sellers

[@paulwhitman8955]

Hey Don, awesome video. Makes me regret i wasn't so much into tea last time i went in china a few years ago. I would love to offer this tea to a friend because i always love to offer tea, also i converted some of my friends to real tea and i would be proud to offer them such high quality tea. Keep up the good work, best tea specialist out there on youtube.

[@broadcastmadnesss]

This is amazing! Thanks for all the information. I've been bing watching your videos and hope to visit you soon in London!

[@reedshandmadeincense]

It was cool to see the tea markets.

[@huwrosen]

I would give it to my uncle, who inspired me to start drinking tea with his stories of travelling around China during his earlier days!

[@taylorlong1120]

Great video, Don! I would love to give this tea to a friend of mine who swears up and down that they hate tea. After some prying, I've found out that they've never had real tea, only cheap bottled green tea and badly-made Western tea. I really think they could be a teahead, but due to a trip to Orlando, Florida I'm taking in a week.. I don't really have the money to spend on good tea for them right now.

[@MultiTictock]

Sharing with my nephew in the states, because why not have tea gifted from Beijing to Camden to London and finally New York.

[@RasheedAlMahdi91]

Thanks Don, always love to watch your videos. I would love to give the tea to my father who is also my friend :). He, like myself, really enjoys tea and it would be a great gift for him. Thanks again.

[@jukemaster2848]

Glad you guys won! What a cool tea market. I'd like to give this tea to a friend that likes tea, but bad quality tea, and I would like him to experience good quality tea. I'll have to teach him how to brew gong fu style though :)

[@ssanyumay]

I've been following you for a while, It's amazing how you are growing and how informative all your videos are!! Just a huge thanks to you! But I'm wondering, I'm heading to Shanghai next year, could you give me any suggestion where to go and find a good tea? Thanks again!

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes go and visit the Tianshan tea market in Shanghai!

[@VFanK]

Love this video. If i ever visit Beijing, I know where i am going. I actually have a coworker who likes tea, and is the only person who i know that is a teahead, so to say. So it would be incredible to taste this tea and have something so cool as a gift!

[@teahorse1506]

I would give it to a friend who I recently introduced to pu-erh tea. I'd also like to try more aged white tea myself. Thanks Don! Great video.

[@ingz3768]

Duuuude, biiinge watching the heck outta your channel by now. Much love.

[@ichhassemyvideo]

Hey Don, thanks for the nice video! I would really like to give this tea to my big sister who lives pretty far away and I only see her on christmas. She always was a great big sister for me. As a poor student I can give her nothing but love. But maybe also this great tea. I imagine she would be very, very happy about this.

[@isabelgallegos8660]

I really like seen both of you together , Celine is so funny !

[@bluemajesty4262]

Thank you for a very informative and full of enthusiasm video! Thank to your generosity, I would be very happy to offer the tea to a friend who set a tea club at our working place, brings tea for lunch breaks and educates us about types, brewing and the art of tea.

[@balob]

I do a lot of tea sessions with friends attempting to turn them into tea heads. I usually make little goodie bags for people who are interested. I always seem to have a ton of puerh/oolong/red/green tea to give, but never white tea because I usually drink it all :3.

[@shaheraladwan8245]

First of all I'd like to thank you for the information and the knowledge you share with us, It's priceless. I have a friend that share the love of tea with me and i hope i'll win the tea you got so i can pass it to him, in matter of fact he is the reason why I'm writing the comment right now. Thanks in advance for sending me the tea, not for anyone else.

[@alexandrosleite1934]

Hello all right, I'm from Brazil and I'm loving watching your videos, I learned a lot ... Thank you

[@iggipeeg1]

Hi Don, thanks for the info. I have a cousin who has just moved to Beijing, I think this video will serve as a good guide for him. As for the tea sharing. I have a dear old friend in London who is a tea head. She came to South Africa a few weeks back...and all we could do was catch up on good teas. It would be great to be able to skype with her and share the same cup of tea together! In any event, I will be sending her to your No 1 shop to have a cup of good tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes a Skype tea session sharing the same tea is a great idea.

[@jamesrubly9987]

I would give it to my Dad. He's been to China many times, and every time comes back with Jasmine green tea like from the shop that you first stopped in. I'd like to show him what kind of better teas are available in the markets if he took some time to look for it.

[@gymgirl1010910]

Always love your videos Don! I'd give this tea to a very close friend of mine who is a total tea head just like me! I always try to share the teas I find. Though I'm very new to the gong fu cha world, I've always loved tea

[@SkyIsForFlying]

That was very nice of the man to give you some tea. I thought buying good tea in china would be cheaper, seems like the opposite 😲

[@MeiLeaf]

No, buying tea can actually be more expensive in China than international because the Chinese clients can have a better idea of the value of the tea and so the sellers can charge this price.

[@Ahmadaleidan]

Hi Don. I would give some to my co-worker who's always supported me and my tea adventure and always my tea partner every morning. Having someone like him to call a friend is a very rare commodity these days

[@Crimson8Sun]

Congratulations on winning the best shop in Camden! I was hoping for ya'll to win. Thank you for the tips in this video too.

[@Crimson8Sun]

I'd probably give the tea to my brother who's been to parts of China a few times. He always enjoys a good cup of tea. I'd be curious to see what he thinks.

[@Kaasperav]

Great video. It makes me want to go to Beijing. I'm trying to get my girlfriend into tea like me and I've found that she likes white teas most. I would love to give her this for Christmas.

[@TheDustyStar18]

The friend I want to give this tea to because she brought me into this wonderful world of tea. Yes she is already a tea head, but by giving me the gift of tea, she has made my life much brighter. That is why I hope to brighten her's in return, somehow.

[@CaesarrrZ]

thanks for this great video! Could you maybe make a video about this "reuse" of the white tea, after several infusions? I guess most of us would just throw it away, insted of boiling it... Thanks

[@MeiLeaf]

OK I will add to our list of videos.

[@GANGBENGAL]

I'd give it to my friend who is getting into tea. Thanks. I enjoy your videos.

[@snbonice]

Nice surprise at the end :))) I would give the tea to my friend who started Tea Drinking Group at Mandarin Training Center. Since that I got crazy about Taiwanese teas.

[@samoinborut1339]

This dimensions are crazy. Thank you.

[@lifeonbicycles]

I want to give this tea to my friend because he has always occasinally had an awful overly brewed lipton tea bag and is completely put off by tea. Hopefully this can bring him into true tea culture and kick him off his awful cheap coffee addiction :) Great video as always, watching as i am sipping some 2012 xiguan tuo

[@MeiLeaf]

Mmmmm Xiguan.

[@robm.4317]

so ... I'm a pretty private person. I've never posted a public comment ... anywhere. I've only subscribed to one you tube channel ever. Both, obviously are here. I've really enjoyed your videos and your passion. I just learned during a family gathering that my sister is a fellow tea head. we had so much fun talking, tasting and smelling great tea that we started talking about all sorts of big life topics. Tea brought the two of us closer together than ever and I'd love to share your story and tea gift with her. I'm so anxious to keep our dialog going! Cheers!

[@MeiLeaf]

Amazing Rob, thank you very much for sharing.

[@stewartbone4236]

It's who you know in BJ when it comes to price and quality. As a tourist, tricky. You need luck even if you live here. Aged white is not cheap.

[@Daniel-rv2kd]

Off topic but I find it incredible how this video and others only have about a thousand views but more comments per views than videos with 1 million views. I guess it just goes to show one how quality content is rewarded.

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes we find it incredible how engaged all you teaheads are too. Thank you!

[@mitchelllarrick4815]

Hey don! Thanks for another awesome video! I really appreciate all the work you put into these because they have helped enrich my tea understanding. For me, I'd like to receive the prize because of my friend ally. She is one of the most considerate people I have ever met in my life. She pulled me out of a major depressive episode in my life and has continually put herself before me and I'd love nothing more than to do the same for her! Our friendship has grown over the years through me teaching her all I know about tea over the tea table and just enjoying the conversational art the ceremony embodies. It really has helped unite our kinship! I think giving her something like this would really mean something special to our friendship! Thanks again, Don!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks Mitchell she sounds like a precious friend and worthy recipient of the best tea out there.

[@mitchelllarrick4815]

Mei Leaf I couldn't agree anymore! Have you decided when the selection date will be?

[@MeiLeaf]

This week

[@DerekFearnley]

A friend of mine recently switched from coffee to tea. I'd like to pass this on to him, hopefully to get him drinking the good stuff.

[@silluete]

I getting land sick from watching this. Now i need good tea to cure it. Anyway very nice walking video.

[@paulcasino9511]

I want to give the tea to my friend because he is on the verge of becoming a tea head, and I think this tea could set him over the edge of becoming a true tea head.

[@MeiLeaf]

Oooh push them over the line Paul!

[@longboardoli]

I would like to give this to a Chinese friend who helped me navigate Yixing teapots and who gives me access to the chinese culture by translating as much as he can with the English he has. He learned his English spending 13 years of is life in jail during the Cultural Revolution, himself saying that loosing so much of his life is a shame. He is now 60 years old and shares as much as he can his knowledge on the Revolution and China as it was before it. I really think he deserves a little something.

[@MeiLeaf]

Wow what an amazing person to assist you on your understanding of China and tea.

[@longboardoli]

Indeed! It's great.

[@maxshean7486]

Don, receiving this tea would be an honor. As to who I would give one of the cakes to, I have someone special in mind. Her name is Katherine, and she piqued and cultivated my interest in tea. As any tea head would understand, I am indebted to her for helping me discover real, good tea. luckily, she adores white tea, and maybe if I won I could begin to make up the debt that I owe her. Don, I hope the jet lag doesn't get to you too bad. Best Wishes.

[@cernunos8153]

Hey, I was wondering the best way to store white tea for aging. Similar to Puerh?

[@MeiLeaf]

Great question and we are researching and experimenting with this but it seems to be similar to PuErh.

[@exoticfoodreviews1319]

Bro I just discovered your channel and my tea game is outrageous now. I subscribed and liked.

[@MarinaC2112]

Can i wash the finum brewing basket and the gong fu glass teapot in the dishwasher and in which temperature?

[@MeiLeaf]

Gong Fu Glass teapot is no problem to use a dishwasher at any temperature. I am not sure about the finum but we always hand wash.

[@MarinaC2112]

thanks (:

[@Grayson.P]

Ive just this past few months gotten into Gong fu style tea and have been searching through different sellers and, especially after seing this video I never realized just how expensive some tea can be. (I know it can be quite a bit but some of these numbers were truly shocking.) One day I will hopefully be able to try some of the true high end teas. But for now I can at least afford decent some decent varieties.

[@saupersaiyam]

Hey Don, Have you ever left a tea shop without buying anything after sitting and trying their teas? I actually just got back to the states from Beijing. I wish I had seen this video before I left because I was feeling very tense while shopping for tea. I felt very pressured to buy something every time I sat down to try some teas.

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes I know exactly what you mean, it can be very awkward but you have to be honest and polite but firm and walk away with a smile and a shake of the head if there is nothing there for you. I have to do this all the time with tea farmers so you get used to it and I get really annoyed if they put pressure on selling - this actually makes it easier to be honest and say 'I don't really enjoy your tea'.

[@markopleterski]

I think she would love it and become more of a tea lover ☺️

[@Jonas1988]

awesome glimpse into a fascinating tea culture, thanks. if i was given those teas i'd pass one on to a colleague at work. believe it or not, we have a tea group at my new job (music industry ftw) BUT they only drink a certain kind of black tea called "ostfriesen tee". don, if you are interested in getting to know a very peculiar kind of german tea culture, just google the quoted words. ostfriesen tee is nice and it is what i grew up with. but it's time my colleagues try something else!

[@MeiLeaf]

I have heard about this tea from my German friends. I will have to get some and taste.