I had a chance to read an advance copy of Roy Fong’s “Great Teas of China” — a book where Roy (of Imperial Teas) takes us on his lifetime tea journey as he rediscovers tea in Hong Kong and travels China to find the best teas. He discusses ten of his favorite teas in the book and explains the stories behind them and the processing methods involved. The book is a great insight to Chinese teas as there is still a lot of information that has never been translated to English on the subject. Roy also realizes the breadth of the subject as he says: “Tea is one subject that you can safely declare cannot be learned in a mere lifetime.” Here is the press release: Roy Fong, a leading tea expert and proprietor of San Francisco’s renowned traditional Chinese teahouse, Imperial Tea Court, has published Great Teas of China, a compact, readable guide to the top teas from the land where tea was first cultivated over 3,000 years ago.
Great Teas of China is a unique blend of detailed factual information about artisanal practices for growing and processing the teas it discusses, as well as personal anecdotes from Fong’s twenty-year career as a tea merchant traveling around fast-changing China. The book covers over a dozen of Fong’s favorite classic teas, ranging from hand-picked West Lake Dragon Well and expertly crafted oolong from Wu Yi Shan, to patiently aged Yunnan puerh. Also included are Fong’s insights on choosing, brewing, and savoring each selection, plus background information on tea farming, local history and culture of tea-growing regions, and artisanal techniques for processing the leaves of Camellia sinensis, the flowering perennial at the heart of Chinese culture.
Fong’s fateful encounter with tea began at age six, when he would interrupt his walk to school to watch Hong Kong day laborers’ impromptu gong fu brewing sessions. Later, a chance visit to Hong Kong’s teahouse district unexpectedly set his life on a new course. He began importing Chinese tea to the U.S. and, in 1993, he and his wife Grace opened the original Imperial Tea Court in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Since then, Fong has enlightened and inspired a generation of tea enthusiasts, who visit from all over the world to enjoy the finest Chinese teas available in America. Great Teas of China is a very personal and accessible introduction to contemporary tea connoisseurship. 88 pages; illustrated with color photographs and maps; includes glossary.
The book is now available on the Imperial Tea website: http://www.imperialtea.com/
I’ve read a lot on Milk Oolong, this type of Oolong naturally imparts a creamy, milk-like aftertaste. While many fakes have appeared on the market – having been steamed over milk, Nav from thepuriTea personally travels to the country of origin to seek out the teas to be sold — which means that the milk oolong they sell – is authentic.
Scott Wilson is an American who settled in Kunming China and founded the tea export company 
Some information about this tea: You Le Zhi Chun ( aka “Spring of You Le”) is the second tea cake created under the new Yunnan Sourcing / Rui Cao Xiang label. This label is a co-project between Yunnan Sourcing “Yun Zhi Yuan” and our Korean counter-part “Rui Cao Xiang.” During our extensive travels and mao cha tastings in Banna during the Spring of 2009 we came across this exquisite first flush mao cha. It is entirely first flush of spring 2009 mao cha from 100-200 year old trees on You Le Mountain in Xi Shuang Banna.
Going to the website now. Awesome coverage, the book sounds amazing
My copy is on the way and I am really looking forward to it as I am just beginning my journey in the world of Chinese green teas.
I’m glad to hear the good report on Roy’s book. I’ve been anxiously awaiting it!
Great review of what is a very important new resource for the tea community. I had the opportunity to attend Roy’s OMG class in San Francisco where we tasted several of his most rare teas. He is a true teacher.
Got the book. I do have some mixed feelings about it. The data in the book is good, but the book itself is so puny. Only 80 pages?! I hoped Roy has something more to say about tea. What was the problem? So difficult to put it on the paper?
I got the book and have read it. I respect Roy Fong for his knowledge and like his tea; he is definitely an expert on Chinese teas. However, I found the book to be unsubstantial. It has some insight and some of his personal stories, but not very much unique information that hasn’t already been covered by the vast variety of tea information books and blogs already out there. For a project that he has been working on for a while, and with his knowledge of the tea world, this book left me disappointed – especially with its $18.95+tax+shipping price tag.