All in This Tea

I saw this film in Austin, Texas accompanied by five distinct varieties of teas to drink, most actually coming from the Hoffman estate. Before seeing this film, drinking those teas would have meant little to me. But after seeing the film and learning about the tea making process, from plant to package, I became more aware of the effort it takes to enjoy a quality tea. Les follows tea exporter David Hoffman around China as he talks to everybody, from politicians and businessmen down to the farmers about buying good quality organic tea. The term organic, says Hoffman, is a recent term. Seventy five years ago, all tea was organic. Before chemical fertilizers were touted as the solution to the mass production of tea, centuries old methods of tea growing was the only way of production. Today, Hoffman battles Chinese bureaucracy and stubbornness to sway the government away from vast modernization and to buy traditional tea directly from the farmer for a good price. The battle is long and hard and filled with potholes and bumpy roads. China believes that the chemical fertilizers will increase production and exports. Hoffman argues that the farmers won't even drink the teas grown with chemical fertilizers. The teas I drank from the Hoffman estate were exquisite. Much better than any Lipton or Bigelow tea. After seeing this film I can rest assured that I won't be poisoning myself anymore with chemically grown teas. I now know what to look for, thanks to Les.

I can't see how anyone could find this movie tedious. It was glorious, life changing and...FUN! It's a great docu-movie, full stop. But I have a thing for eating something appropriate with a movie and that opens the possibility to make this one extra entertaining. You can order online from a well known online marketplace the exact same teas he is tasting in this movie. After his visit a number of the growers he visits formed co-ops and they sell their tea online. I got a pound of really nice oolong at a reasonable price and a 14 year old puer that is un- freakin-believable. It's exactly like the black cakes with the depression in the center in the movie except that they're single serving sized. Man, was that a great combo with the movie!

The rating on this is WAAAAY too low. I can only conclude that there are a lot of anti-intellectuals voting.