Hongcha made only from the buds of the tea plant: the tender tips, picked before they open. Their fine down turns gold as the tea is made, and gives the tea its name.
Honey and caramel with a hint of malt; round and smooth.
Three ways, from the most attentive to the simplest. The numbers are a starting point: use more leaf or a longer infusion for a stronger cup, and less for a lighter one.
The traditional way in China: generous leaf, short infusions and many small cups, each a little different from the last. A gaiwan is a porcelain cup with a lid, made for brewing.
The easiest way at home or in the office. For service in a hotel or restaurant, scale by weight: 1 g of leaf for every 100 ml of water.
For warm days: smoother than hot tea, with less bitterness. Steep the leaves in a covered jug.
Ease a piece from the edge with a tea knife, following the layers so the leaves stay whole, and use the same weight as loose leaf. Rinse it once: pour hot water over it and pour it away after a few seconds. The first infusions may need a little longer while the leaves open.
Soft, fresh water makes the clearest cup: filtered, or a low-mineral bottled water. Boil it once only. No thermometer? For 90–95 °C, pour just off the boil; for 85–90 °C, let the water rest for a few minutes first.
Keep the tea sealed in a cool, dry, dark cupboard, away from spices, coffee and perfume: tea takes on other scents easily. Keep it out of the fridge, and keep a pressed cake in its paper wrapper.