Mengding Ganlu

Mengding Ganlu is remarkably full and savory for a green tea with a generous sweet aroma. Its chestnut aroma is strong, and its umami is almost to the level of anko, adzuki bean paste—or daifuku mochi. 

The leaves look like little dragon claws. You can see the two-leaves and a bud picking standard in the delicate harvest. The leaves are baked three times, and gently kneaded—giving them this slightly curly shape. Brew it at 185 degrees, and enjoy all the stories these dragon claws have to tell.

Peddler's note:

Each time I taste Mengding Ganlu I'm surprised anew at the low frequency flavors, which I usually expect in oolongs, and am mesmerized to find in a green. It strongly evokes diving into a warm pond full of life. The energy is both energizing and relaxing. Good qi. 

Pre-Ming 2025 Harvest

Unsprayed by Pesticides

Label 1

Crab 

Beach Day

Decaled with flower stickers, like a teenager that cannot possibly answer the question, “what is the plan?”—this crab knows only that it is summer and the sun needs its worship. Ready to see their friends at the beach—two claws in the air, waving them like they just don't care—they take their tea to the shore for a long day of not too much, and probably something else—yet to be determined. 

There is something about the smell of unencumbered air that breathes differently. On the beach, the crab can relax in the hot sand and feel like themself. The ocean breeze and rippling waves open out into a timeless moment, and an easy smile. In their tea: hints of kelp, salt on the breeze, deep evolutionary memories of open space, and summer love.

The crab beckons you into a beach day. Their sideways scurry invites you to mozy off the beaten path—an aimless sojourn that can lead to an even less scripted diversion—exponentially drifting into unplanned time. Crabs have an impeccable sense for tidal shifts, intuitively knowing when it’s time to return home, and when they can continue their diversion free of concern.

People who don’t relax outside of the clock will never see the full picture. They’ll know how things work, but not how things don’t work. This half-view of one who’s forward movement is in overdrive can even turn relaxation into a chore. To unwind the culture that is curling in on itself is the shared secret calling of the crabs. This social movement that goes with the tidal flow is even beyond the crabs’ own comprehension. So put flower stickers on your teapot, have faith in the tides, and see where your unscheduled beach-day takes you.