A signature aspect of Chinese teas is the fact that they are exposed to smoke to halt the oxidization process. Normally the smoke is fairly subtle and kept at a distance, so as to not overly influence the flavour of the tea leaf. Lapsang Souchong is an exception to this practice. The tea leaves are exposed very closely to the smoke of a pine wood fire. Anyone that has burned an old Christmas tree after the holidays knows how strong a smell that is. This tea smells EXACTLY like that.
It has been a while since I have had this tea as a drink, and my palette has changed a lot since then. I have however used the tea when I cook, and it is an amazing spice. Putting it in a grinder with a few spices allows you to make anything you cook taste like you lightly smoked it. I've used it on chicken, bacon, pork, steak, and vegetables. It works amazingly on all of them.
Lapsang Souchong Spice Blend
-1 tbsp Lapsang Souchong
-1 tbsp white rice
-1 tsp coarse salt
-1 tsp black peppercorns
It's simple, cheap, and full of flavour. The rice serves as a small filler to make the spice blend go longer, as well as helping retain the smell of the tea to keep the blend fresh.
For an experienced tea drinker, someone who loves cigars, or just that avid cook in your life, think about giving this pungent tea a try.
Toodles!
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