The Melting Teapot

One advantage of being geographically situated along the Ring of Fire is that we have a nice intersection of Asian and American cultures. As a result, Seattle has incredible Asian food restaurants, as well as (insert drum roll) some wonderful tea shops! For a tea geek like myself, moving to the pacific northwest has offered many opportunities to sip, learn, and purchase more tea than ever.

SHIUWEN TAI is the proprietor of Floating Leaves Tea Shop, located in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. Floating Leaves used to be located in a larger space with a full tearoom, but now it is a tiny shop crammed to the brim with tea, pots, and various accessories. The clutter adds to the charm of the space, but it is Shiuwen's wide grin and welcoming presence that makes you stick around. You'll soon be sitting at the one table (a classic Chinese tea table carved from a tree trunk), smiling and laughing with her as she pours tea after tea for you to sample.

The specialty here is tea from Taiwan, which Shiuwen sources from favorite farmers in her home country. She keeps the lots small, bringing in fresh tea from each season rather than storing older teas beyond their time. Sales are held whenever she's about to get in the next lot, so budget-conscious drinkers can wait for those. Don't hold off too long on some of the special teas, though, as they go fast. My personal recommendation is for the fabulous award-winning baozhongs she stocks. Floating Leaves just can't be beat when it comes to these.

Shiuwen also offers tea courses, guided tastings, and special events. Join her on any afternoon, and you'll be able to learn more about brewing techniques and the best type of vessel for each tea. Find out more on her web site, via her monthly newsletter, and on the Floating Leaves Blog.

BRETT BOYNTON has a serene presence, hosts fun and informative tastings, and is dedicated to the pursuit of tea knowledge. His Black Dragon Tea Bar is a tea education and importing business. He sets up tea tastings or classes for groups, and he purchases teas for individuals when he travels to other countries. He also maintains a blog featuring detailed tasting notes and wonderful travel stories -- he is actually in Taiwan as I write this.

Brett is visible on a daily basis as the manager at the Queen Anne Hill institution, The Teacup. The Teacup is set up in more of a western coffee-shop style, with large windows and spacious seating. You place an order at the counter, then seat yourself at one of several tables where you can relax while enjoying your tea. There is a vast choice of teas from around the world: white, green, oolong, black, blends, and tisanes. Each tea or tisane is prepared to its specific style, and you'll be happy with the quality of leaf and brew. Buy a cup for yourself, then browse the shelves of tea goodies. . . and return to the counter to order loose teas to take home. Brett teaches regular classes at the Teacup. For a minimal cost, you can attend a focused tasting and pick up on intricate details of special teas.

Brett and Shiuwen are two of my favorite tea people in the Seattle area, but there are more people to meet and several wonderful tea shops to explore. I'll be posting about other tea adventures and some of my favorite venues soon. I'm already planning other blog entries about The Crumpet Shop, the Northwest Tea Festival, Wuwo groups, and sipping tea on Puget Sound beaches. It's a good thing I've got plenty of blog space!