9th Busan International Tea Cultural Festival

This September 27th - 29th The 9th Busan the Internationival Tea Cultural Festival will be held at the Busan Cultural Center located in Daeyeondong near the UN Park.

There will be many booths promoting various kinds of teas, live music, tea ceremonies, Korean tea savories on display, a pottery exhibit and much more! Do come down to see it.

For a better idea on what it will be like, do check out the 7th Busan International Tea Cultural Festival I covered before. Last time I went they had a Japanese tea ceremony. Every year the tea events become more and more 'international'. I'm hoping this year they'll have some Chinese content as well...here's hoping! And do stay steeped!

Upcoming Tea & Craft Fair at Busan's Bexco June 2013.

Mark your calendars : Busan's Tea and Craft fair is coming up on the 20th-23rd of June 2013. One particular website : TCF mentions that there will be exhibitors from Taiwan, China and Japan. I haven't seen any from Japan in the last few years so they will be another welcome addition! Every year it gets bigger and better! Not only do companies promote their products but regular customers can cash in on many items that are there for sale.  The Trade Shows website above provides many pictures from previous Tea and Craft Fairs.

This is not to be mistaken for the later Tea and Craft Fair that occurs in October. Both are run by the same organizers. Information on the October TCF can be found here.

PNUs Chabatgol Teahouse

 Lately I've been studying Korean at the PNU branch of KLIFF (Korean Language Institute for Foreigners). The classes there are excellent and tonnes of fun!
Often before class or after I've been dropping by one of my old favorite haunts : Chabatgol Teahouse. It is easy to get to:
Just go up the street as if you are walking up to Pusan National University's main gate. Up ahead you'll see the NC shopping mall on the right. Stay on the left side of the street and keep going up the street.

 Next you'll come to a GS25 Convenience Store and a narrow alley next to it. Take that left alley:

 At the end on the 3rd floor there's Chabatgol! On the 2nd floor there's a Pool Hall.

 Aha! Here is they're menu to study. Any questions? Post away on this blog or @Busan Tea Cozies on Facebook.

 Since the last time I'd posted they've changed their decor a bit with some calligraphy drawn by Beomosa monks and new lanterns over the lights. They are open every day from 10:30 am to 10:30 pm!

Cooking with tea traditionally

 Available on Amazon.com (which ships to Korea taking a month or so to get here) or from Seoul's What The Book which take about 10 days to arrive, Mistress Oriku : Stories from a Tokyo Teahouse describes the life of Mistress Oriku, owner of a teahouse in Tokyo's now famous Asakusa neighborhood.

     Her tea house was famous for its Ochazuke which is a kind of fish and rice soup with a green tea broth. At Oriku's tea house her Ochazuke was made with clams from the nearby river. To make your own Ochazuke at home here is a recipe for Ochazuke found at The Tea Horse Caravan.

At some point later in the semester I shall try out this recipe with ingredients found at the local department store. Until then, stay steeped!