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August 05, 2007

Update: Red Blossom Tea Company

When I blogged about the tea shops in Chinatown, I said I would go back and check out the Red Blossom Tea Company. Since that was about two years ago I must owe someone an update: so here it is. I've been back to Red Blossom five or six times since my original tea shop tour, and it has become my tea supplier of choice.

Red Blossom is family owned, and has been in Chinatown for over 25 years. The senior Mr. Luong started the business, and it is now run by his children. Red Blossom is an importer of tea and has direct relationships with growers in China and Taiwan. When you buy some Spring 2007 Longjing Supreme (Ming Qian Dragonwell Panan Supreme $380/lb.) you can be sure of the provenance and quality, as Peter (the son) was likely at the tea farm during the harvest. You might buy some Jade Kuan Yin Reserve Grade and be interested in how it was roasted. Peter can tell you, as they import and roast their oolong teas. The teas are arranged on the wall in families (White, Green, Oolong, Black) and by oxidation and roasting within families. You can learn a lot about tea just by studying how the canisters are arranged. You can learn more by talking with the staff, and they love to talk about tea.

If you insist on buying Earl Grey or such things here, you will be able to do so, as they are in business to sell tea and they have what people want. But this is the place to learn about and procure artisan green and oolong teas.

Let's fact it: I'm a tea fanatic. It's great to have a place where I can talk to another fanatic who is as interested in supplying high quality tea, as I am in getting my hands on it.

Red Blossom Tea Company
831 Grant Avenue
San Francisco, California 94108
Phone: (415) 395-0868
Open 9:30am to 6:00pm, Daily

Posted by Paul at August 5, 2007 11:07 PM | Food & Wine

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