Monday October 22, 2007 | 10 comments
“Come out, come out, wherever you are
All you bright tea nerds who fell from a star”
Many are the parallels between tea and wine culture, but after browsing the T Ching Tasting posts in the Archive, I am thinking that the tea nerds have it over the wine nerds.
Both are extremely knowledgeable and capable of great care in the preparation and serving of their respective beverages, but I had no idea that so much care was taken in water preparation and pot preparation when making tea. Temperature is important to both wine nerds and tea nerds, but tea nerds also are concerned with small degrees of temperature, and where the water came from, what it was exposed to before it became tea, and how long the water is heated before brewing. Like a wine-lover insisting on only drinking out of the proper Riedel glass, tea-lovers make a distinction between how the tea tastes after brewing in a silver versus a stoneware or enamelware pot. I would not be surprised to find that barometer readings were taken by some tea nerds prior to tasting. Just as wine nerds pay particular attention to the growing region a wine comes from, so do tea nerds distinguish teas from their respective regions, and so on.
Nerd culture, as we all know, involves a passionate immersion into a subject, often to the exclusion of all societal norms around it. You can’t be “in the flow” and be worried about what other people think; the two states are exclusive of each other. Nerds push the envelope of our understanding of a subject, often leading to a broader enjoyment of it—where would the internet be, for example, if not for the early tech nerds?
We need our nerds. They raise the bar, enrich our lives, and bring the wonder of their worlds to the rest of us. Somewhere inside of us all lurks a nerd. What was your nerdiest moment with tea?
Borrowing a microscope (and considering purchasing one) in order to examine tea leaves under the microscope.
I don’t qualify as a nerd, yet. But I did receive two issues of “The Art of Tea.” After I stop ogling all the pretty pictures, I will work on my Nerd Certification.
On Saturday, I read three studies on health and tea. . . does that get me in the front door?
Watch this space for “Words from Nerds in Training.”
Hmm, since usually the only wine I get involved in is of a sacramental variety and is pretty much already somewhat controlled as to they variety purchased I guess that I’m probably OUT of the wine nerd category but I probably do qualify in the tea nerd one. Regena don’t sell yourself short, I think I can learn a thing or two from you and instead of being in training I think you should write the manual for the novice…hmm come to think of it in some way you already are with your teas that you sponsor for your students! Your foot isn’t just in the door, you OWN the door.
Yes, those of us who notice where a particular variety of tea comes from, how it’s tended, harvested, processed (or better still to my liking LESS processed) stored and shipped makes a difference (as well as the quality of the water used — chemicals are NOT very tasty.)
All this talk about wine and tea reminds me of a funny story from my seminary days. We have a tradition in our last year of being “roasted” by the newly ordained deacon class prior to our ordination to the priesthood. I want to make it perfectly clear that these are ALL in fun and usually all of us take it as a rite of passage and sit back and enjoy the fun (especially since we did it to the class in front of us). In my case, even while in seminary I got a reputation for my tea drinking, so much so, in fact, that when another package arrived from Japan or China, it usually got noticed in our small community. I took a lot of “good natured ribbing” from the guys and always offered to share my stash of good quality full leaf teas that I had purchased from trusted vendors who live in the country of their production. Well, part of my rite of passage was that one of the guys came up with the idea that I in the future had been canonized as the patron saint of China becuase during my lifetime I had promoted the use of tea in place of altar wine. Again, please remember that THIS IS NOT TRUE but it was a fun time had by all.
Well, that’s my little story. By the way, I’m not borrowing a microscope but I have considered purchasing a water test kit ? :) only kidding.
As allways, Peace to you all.
Fr. Patrick, self avowed TEA drinker — not only for the health of it but because IT TASTES GOOD and no calories!!!! Like good wine, don’t be TOO much of a snob, if it tastes good to you then drink it!
Thanks for giving Nerds the nod. Here at Nerd Culture we are definitely Nerds. Sometimes we are Tea Nerds, but mostly we are just modern day nerds interested in anime, manga, video games, movies, music, technology and other Nerd stuff. We do like to drink our tea while enjoying Nerd activities. Occasionally we like to read tea leaves as well. We are not sure whether we can really predict the future by reading tea leaves, but it’s an interesting diversion until we get on with more Nerd activities.
Patrick, your story places you in the tea nerd category–when other people notice your avid tea interests enough to rib you, I think you qualify. that you even considered getting a water test kit validates my claim!
Kelly, I love that you read tea leaves (with a wink and a nudge!)–a different path for tea nerdism!
I have a question for any word nerds who are also tea nerds, or perhaps for any of you who live where Darjeeling tea is grown. While living in England years ago, I seem to have picked up the idea that the word “Darjeeling” is properly pronounced “DATCH-er-ling”…..please enlighten me, anyone, if this is wrong or right?
Also, as a language nerd myself, I’m dying to know if anyone has learned another language BECAUSE of their interest in tea!
Ni Hao Anne,
I’m verrrrrry slowly and in minute amounts, working on Mandarin because of our excursions to China to buy tea and other accessories for our store. I say very slowly because besides it being a difficult language to master, I am primarily trying to learn Spanish currently.
?????????????, Sandy! Two languages at once!
It’s really just one plus a few occasional brief encounters with the other. Believe me, at my age just trying to learn one is challenging enough.
It’s probably as good for the brain as drinking tea (but not necessarily as enjoyable)!
BTW, those question marks in my comment above were a word in Russian, that your system wouldn’t accept (I guess it doesn’t recognize the Cyrillic alphabet?)–the word for “hello”.
Anne, HEY it’s fun being a tea nerd, the trick is to own up to it and be not afraid.
Peace, Fr. Patrick