The Melting Teapot

This is a big week for me.  Among other things, I’ll be going on the exciting Oyster Outing I wrote about previously, then a couple of days later I'm heading south to Portland and the Willamette Valley.  One of my favorite Italian restaurants, Pazzo, is in Portland.  It is definitely a must-do for dinner.  Oh, and one of my best tea buddies lives there, so tea will probably make an appearance in some way.  She’s also a good wine buddy, and she'll be with me Saturday as I explore the Eola-Amity Hills wine region.

Food adventures, tea, and wine -- yup, my kind of week.

To get ready, I’ve had to make plenty of plans and a few purchases.  Among other things, I needed some mucking-around-on-the-shoreline-after-dark boots.  An excerpt from Jon Rowley's e-mail shows why:

"Why at night? Low minus tides in the winter are at night (during the day in the summer) so to experience the oysters when they are at their best we hit the beach at night in the dark when the oysters come naturally chilled to just the right temperature.

Thank you for your courageous participation on a school night. The weather report for Wednesday, at this point, is for chilly, cloudy weather. I suggest dressing for warm and dry, ready for weather contingencies: boots or weatherproof shoes, waterproof jacket, rainpants,...dress to keep dry. In case the temperature drops,  I'd suggest wearing long johns and few layers to keep the chill off. Wool or thermal wear will serve you well. Warm hat, scarf...you get the idea. Getting cold and wet is no fun. If you have a headlamp or lantern, bring it along."

I’ve got tennis shoes and hiking boots, but for this I need something mud-ready and waterproof.  Even though I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest for almost 8 years, I’ve never gotten a pair of duck boots, or wellies, or rubbers. . . until yesterday.  Thanks to some recommendations from others more in the know than me, I found a great store with a good selection of “muck boots.”

DeYoung's Farm & Garden, in Woodinville WA.

Many sizes, great prices -- I'm all booted up for less than $25.

Boots -- check. Oyster knife -- check. Still searching for my headlamps -- but I'm pretty sure they're in the back closet somewhere.

We’re having an amazingly dry January here in the Puget Sound area (thank you El Nino), and no rain is in tomorrow’s forecast.  I won’t be bothering with rain pants or a poncho, instead wearing multiple layers of sweatshirt, coat, and scarves.

I’m mostly prepared for tomorrow night, so right now I’m going through my notes on potential wineries to visit Saturday, while sipping a beautiful Washington wine with a nice bit of age – a 1998 DeLille Harrison Hill (red bordeaux blend).

Here are my Cellartracker Notes:

Wheat thins, a dusty chamomile, mint, sweet chocolate, celery salt, soy sauce – and that’s just the bouquet!  This has an intriguing nose that we’re trying to identify, but we’re still not quite there.   It’s somehow sweet and savory at the same time.  The complex nose itself makes this wine something special, but it also tastes very nice.  There are still plenty of tannins (although they’re diminishing) and a good acid that brings dark cherries to the forefront, mixed in with some chocolate, cola, veggies, and notes of musky wild blackberries.  The berries and cola extend on in the finish, alongside a touch of mint and herbs.

You’ll find the full tale of my Walrus & Carpenter adventure (with photos) here on the blog soon. I may even write a post from my wonderful hotel room in Portland this weekend . . . but not until after tasting some pinots and spending a luxurious evening in the jetted tub.

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!

Over on the All You Can Eat blog, Nancy Leson links to some Seattle restaurants that will be providing part of all of their profits to rescue efforts in Haiti.  There are currently 5 listed on her blog, but she will probably add more as she finds them.  Go out for a nice meal, and be happy in knowing that you're contributing to help others in a time of great need! More information at:

Haiti Relief: help Seattle restaurants help raise funds

1/20/2010: Nancy Leson has a second list now, with even more restaurants holding fundraisers.

More Seattle-area restaurants for Haiti relief

My weekly installment of what I've. . .

On a related note,  someone-who-should-know hinted to me that we'll soon be seeing Holly Smith redeeming herself in an Iron Chef episode.  She didn't fare so well in the Next Iron Chef competition that aired this fall, but anyone who's ever eaten at Cafe Juanita knows Holly is a star.

Cheese & Wine 101, by Artisanal Brasserie (Bellevue): the Brasserie is a new restaurant opened by Chef Terrance Brennan from the acclaimed New York City Artisanal Fromagerie, Bistro & Wine Bar.  It's getting a lot of press about the food, but foodies might also be interested in the occasional special events -- courses in cheese and wine. The next one being offered is The Cheeses of Switzerland, Wednesday, February 10th, 5-6:30pm.

By the way, the Artisanal's fondue was just featured in a few high-profile spots.  The NYC restaurant was a choice on this week's Food Network episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate.  Rocco DiSpirito claims he goes in once a week for the fondue.  Closer to home, Seattle Times' food writer Nancy Leson includes Artisanal's fondue in her article, "Stirring up fun with fondue in Seattle."

Calicab of the WLTV forums put together this google spreadsheet of Vintage Charts. I've bookmarked it on my iPhone, to use when I'm in a wine shop or choosing wines from a restaurant list.

Chateau Ste. Michelle's Riesling Rendezvous: July 11, 12 & 13, 2010. "Attend the full conference, or just Sunday's Grand Tasting. Rendezvous with prestigious Riesling producers, trade and journalists from around the world at the third Riesling Rendezvous. Hosted by North America's premier Riesling producer, Chateau Ste. Michelle of Washington state and Ernst Loosen of Germany's renowned Dr. Loosen estate."  Wine critic Paul Gregutt wrote about a previous Riesling Rendezvous, and it sounded like a wonderful experience.

Expect These Wine Trends for the New Decade: Jon Bonne's interesting article for the San Francisco Chronicle.  I hope he's correct about his prediction that wines will have "less alcohol (the numbers are already leveling off), less wood flavors, less tinkering. Some of this is a change in taste: more clear fruit than wood, brighter flavors that go with dinner."

Jersey Foodies, F. Scott and Zelda, are holding a Silent Auction for a very nice bottle of wine, a 2006 Kosta Browne 4-Barrel pinot noir (California).

The person who offers the highest bid wins the wine (shipping included), plus his/her money will be donated to the Salvation Army and Doctors Without Borders for helping victims in Haiti.

If you don't want to place a bid for this wine, please consider making a donation directly to the American Red Cross, Unicef, Doctors Without Borders, or another rescue organization.  Even a few dollars can help in the effort to save lives!