Fresh Mountain Air in a Cup
Discover the hidden story of Taiwan high mountain oolong (gaoshancha), from its 1980s rise to today’s greener tea trends.
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Knowledge | News | Tea history
Tea vs Cha: Why the World Says Tea, Cha or Chai (Map)
First published September 2018. Updated October 2026 with a new map, the story behind each word, the exceptions, and books for going further. Tea and cha are the same word. Both come from the Chinese character 茶, which is pronounced te in the Min Nan dialect of coastal Fujian and cha in Mandarin and Cantonese….
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Tea Culture Stories From Around the World
Lately, I’ve still been reaching for familiar teas during busy weeks. I’m currently finishing a stash of Earl Grey that I buy in bulk from Oriental Pastry & Grocery on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. I always enjoy stopping there for raw almonds, cardamom seeds, tea, and pantry staples. The two brothers who run the shop…
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Ten Ren Tea in Chinatown: Buying Taiwanese Oolong in NYC
Ten Ren on Mott Street was my first stop for Taiwanese oolong in NYC. What I bought, what the shop is like, and how the city’s tea scene has changed.
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A Cup of Pouchong: Taiwan’s Lightest Oolong
Pouchong, or Baozhong, is a lightly oxidized oolong from northern Taiwan with a floral taste close to green tea. Notes on Ten Ren’s Third Grade Pouchong.
