Dragon Ball

DRAGON BALL

Not a computer game. Not a Manga comic.

Tea.

Chinese Antique Teapot

Tea ceremony in my mother’s home took place at precisely four pm every day when the family had to and did assemble at the large wooden dining table. Tea in delicate, almost transparent porcelain cups. Strong sweet milk tea poured from a fine Chinese tea pot cloaked in a Kashmiri tea cosy.

Afternoon tea was always accompanied by savoury snacks: oma podi, masla or ulunthu vadai, warm, spicy and comfortable.

Savoury

My life in Wales had a similar tea ceremony. I had now swapped an Indian family and maids for a Welsh family and no maids. Same sweet milky tea, perhaps a little diluted to suit the delicate Welsh evenings. Also swapped was savoury stuff for cake, blamange and bread and butter.

But now I am grown up I am no connoisseur of tea. I drink anything that comes my way, and much does. My tea-draw is full of tea gifts from tea gift-giving friends.

Flower, fruit and herb teas
Green, black, white, yellow teas
Chrysanthemum, jasmine, rose flower teas
China, Ceylon, Darjeeling Turkey teas

Pungent, malty, smoky, toasty
Orange Pekoe, First Flush, Keemun
Pu’erh, Iron Goddess, Monkey King
Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball? Yes, a surprise tea resident in tea draw. Tiny compressed tea balls, each about half a centimetre in diameter. Each a tiny tight ball, a hand tied silver needle. Pour hot water over it, not in a tea strainer, the balls need space. Each tiny ball comes alive, flowers out. Opening leaves, moving stems, a slow dance. An evolving Tea. The needle shoots quietly float and settle in a golden brew. Delicate jasmine scent from an early spring arises, and perchance a quiet whiff of a snail having gently crawled past the silver needle.

On a terrace butterfly laughter filled,
below the frangipani branches I sit.
Cup of Dragon Ball in hand, pensive
Sipping, quiet. Tea steam swirling
brings messages from across oceans,
desert sands and snow heaped lands.
From hill slopes green scented,
tea rollers thinking their thoughts,
exotic, nimble fingers rolling, tying.
To the one who rolled my tea
Dragon Ball – Lung Chu Cha
this message I send on a passing breeze,
Thank you