100 Monkeys

100 Monkeys is a rare white Mao Feng Tea.It infuses to very pale slightly green and is hand made. Sit back and listen to the story behind this tea......

Many centuries ago an old tea grower and his wife worked a small plat of land high up in the hills in Hunan. The story states that the couple were being terrorised by a renegade band of monkeys. The couple tried everything to stop the naughty monkeys. They would cover their crops with netting, had big growling dogs to scare them away, but nothing seemed to work. In desperation the husband decided that he would travel over the vast mountains to a remote cave where it was rumoured that a shaman lived whom he could ask for help.

After days of trekking to the cave he asked the shaman for help with the monkeys. The shaman told the man to go away and come back in 3 days for the solution to his dilemma. 3 days later the man returned to the cave of the shaman. The shaman gave the man a recipe for a new type of tea that was scribbled on parchment. The shaman explained since the monkeys always came looking for tea, the man should give the monkeys 100 pounds of the tea and they will leave him and the crop in peace.

On return to the tea farm the man and his wife got 100 pounds of the tea and left it in a large tea chest near the crop for the monkeys. The next morning the couple rushed outside to find the tea chest was empty. They never saw those monkeys again.

Whether or not you believe in this ancient tale you can be sure that this tea is a complex cup and the leaves can be brewed multiple times and with each infusion subtle changes to the cup can be found. This tea can be appreciated over and over even if you have a monkey on your back or not.

Hot Tea Brewing Method: When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 80ºC. Place 1-2 teaspoons of leaves in your cup and let the tea steep for 3 minutes. Then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the eater level is low - add more water, and so on - until the tea flavour is exhausted. Milk or sugar will mask the delicate characters of this tea and are not recommended. Look at the patter of leaves - they foretell life.

Iced Tea Brewing Method: It is not customary to make iced tea from white tea, nevertheless if you wish to do so we would recommend the following method: Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1¼ cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water].