I’m fantastic at starting projects, but terrible at finishing them. I always want to give up when I’m close to the end. This is true not just of writing projects, or of going through the process to get my Pilates studio up and running, but even short-term challenges with a tangible end point. For example, when John and I summited Guadalupe Peak, an out-and-back hike that required a back-country camping permit, I wanted to give up a mile before the very end. As in, we spent a day hiking a thin trail with no coverage to step off and pee, camped in claustrophobia-inducing backpacking tents, reached the summit of the mountain . . . and on the way down, a mile from the parking lot where our car was parked, I was just absolutely and totally done. Unfortunately, there is no rescue mission coming for an uninjured hiker a mile from the parking lot. As Frank O’Hara says, “the only thing left to do is simply continue.”
That is a long-winded way of saying I’m in a slump with this project. I’ve tasted 76 teas; I’m more than three-quarters of the way done. And I find myself losing enthusiasm for this project. Which leads me to wonder whether this is simply the end-of-project blues I always encounter with everything I’ve ever done, or if I really need to drink 26 more Earl Grey blends in my quest to really understand it. Ultimately, I rely on the evidence: I’m historically a starter, but not a finisher. This slump is most likely my monkey mind doing what it always does, getting bored as the project draws to a close and wanting to start something new. So with that, I resolve to continue on.
Simpson & Vail’s Creamy Earl Grey is straightforward: black tea, vanilla, and bergamot. I admit that I’ve grown somewhat accustomed to seeing dried cornflower petals in cream Earl Grey blends, but ultimately, they don’t contribute very much (some say they don’t contribute at all), and just because a cup of dry leaves looks pretty doesn’t mean the steeped brew is of high quality. While I do like to note pretty cups of tea when I see them, that’s never the most important part of the evaluation.
The dry leaf aroma is vanilla-forward, followed by bergamot, and then tea. The flavorings are so strong that the scent of the tea is actually difficult to detect! With the steeped aroma, however, the tea and vanilla come through equally, with the bergamot being difficult to detect. I followed the instructors for a three-minute steep, and on taste, I got tea first, then vanilla, and then bergamot. The citrus really shines on the back end, though, resulting in a bright finish.
I did enjoy this blend, though since Cream Earl Greys aren’t my first choice of beverage, I’m hard to impress. The folks at Simpson & Vail know their stuff, and I know there are plenty of tea drinkers out there who would like this blend. There are simply other Simpson & Vail teas in my cabinet that I prefer.
The Ohio Tea Company blend contains a mixture of orange pekoe grade Sri Lankan black tea (I love how specific the company is in their notes!), vanilla, cornflower petals, and bergamot. The scent of the dry cup is vanilla-forward, followed by tea and bergamot, and the steeped liquid has the same aroma profile.
Upon drinking this blend, I find that the tea flavor is actually the strongest, followed by vanilla, and then bergamot. While bergamot appears light on my palate, it’s certainly present; I never find myself searching for it. While it’s a little lighter than I personally prefer, you’re not going to miss it. Ultimately, this is a well-conceived and expertly-executed Cream Earl Grey. I think this will appeal to a number of tea drinkers who like bergamot but are put off when it’s the dominant flavor.
I don’t see this particular blend becoming part of my collection, because while it does illustrate masterful blending, it also didn’t change my life. I admit I feel a little bad saying that, as this is my first review of an Ohio Tea Company blend. However, I’ve actually already sampled three of the four Earl Grey teas that I ordered from them, and one in particular is going to get rave reviews in a future blog post. I genuinely think this is a perfect blend for some tea drinkers out there, and I encourage you to give it a shot. (Also, Ohio Tea Company allows you one free sample a month. All the more reason to shop there!)
Simpson & Vail uses China Green Sencha and bergamot oil in this blend. (Yes, sencha is generally a Japanese tea, but according to the map on the tea’s information page, there are producers in the Sichuan province.)
I was skeptical going into this blend, because when I smelled the dry leaf, the bergamot was overwhelming. Yes, I like a bergamot-heavy cup, but I want to be able to detect the tea as well! Fortunately, there was a better balance in the aroma of the steeped liquor. The liquid has a lovely green body and is clearly a sencha.
In terms of taste, this blend is refreshing. It’s something you could drink all day, and would be excellent brewed both hot and cold. My one complaint is that the bergamot is noticeably weak on the second infusion. One of the great things about green tea is that most of them can handle multiple steepings, and I like to make the most of my leaves! The tea was still tasty, it just didn’t seem much like an Earl Grey anymore. I do recommend this tea, just know that you’re only going to get one cup where it really tastes like an Earl Grey.
Tea Market’s Earl Green blend contains Pouchong green tea from Taiwan; the leaves are big, bright, and gorgeous. Combined with triple bergamot, they dry scent is citrus-forward, but the floral tea aroma is still there. That scent profile repeats with the steeped liquor.
Per the steeping instructions, I let this tea set for three minutes before drinking it. I was surprised by how light the bergamot was, considering that this tea is triple-scented. I found it light, refreshing, and easy to drink. This is another tea you could easily drink all day, enjoy hot, or serve cold at a summer picnic. Still, I was hoping for more bergamot flavor.
Given how light the bergamot was on the first tasting, I assumed it would be entirely absent on a second infusion. Still, I always like to do at least one additional steeping round, so I gave it a try. I was surprised to find that this tea actually had a stronger bergamot flavor on the second infusion! Yes, it was better the second time around. So if this tea doesn’t suit your palate the first time around, give it another infusion. This is a complex tea that definitely unfolds on subsequent steepings!
I’ve only got 24 teas left to taste, and I have all the teas in my queue I need to stay on track for September. The London Tea Room St. Louis sadly closed last week, and since all the teas were discounted, I got every Earl Grey option they had in stock.
Even with deliberately seeking out some green and tisane Earl Grey blends, ultimately, the proportions haven’t changed that much. I expect things to hold more or less in this pattern for the rest of the challenge. On some level, I wonder if I should have put the greens and tisanes into the Special Variation category, but when I started this project, I really thought I would encounter more of them. It wasn’t until much later in the challenge that I realized just how few of these particular blends were out there. I suppose I could just re-classify them, but at the same time, I think I want to stick with my initial categories since I’m so close to the end of the project.
While the final stretch is always the most challenging part of a project to me, I’m excited to delve into the London Tea Room blends. With just 16 samples left to purchase, I can’t help but wonder what will come next!
(Also, while I hate Christmas Creep, tea companies are starting to reveal their 2024 advent calendars, and I can’t resist looking. I’m bummed that I won’t be able to afford the Fortnum’s wooden calendar again this year, I’m still excited for the more economical options to choose from!)
Read previous installments here:
The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics
The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals
The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics
The Earl Grey Year Part 4: Greens and Tisanes
The Earl Grey Year Part 5: Cremes and Special Variations
The Earl Grey Year Part 6: Classics and Florals
The Earl Grey Year Part 7: Classics and Special Variations
The Earl Grey Year Part 8: Cremes and Variations Part 2
The Earl Grey Year Part 9 : Four More Florals
The Earl Grey Year Part 10: Halfway Point
The Earl Grey Year Part 11: Kusmi Tea
The Earl Grey Year Part 12: Cremes and Classics
The Earl Grey Year Part 13: Four More Special Variations
The Earl Grey Year Part 14: Tisanes and Classics
The Earl Grey Year Part 15: European Classics
The Earl Grey Year Part 16: Even More Classics and Variations
Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share!
Note: This is an ongoing list of all the reading I have done so far for this project. The bibliographic entries here are not necessarily cited in this specific post.
American Chemical Society. (1965). “Bergamot Joins Lineup Of Synthetic Oils: Glidden process breaks down ß-pinene, back-blends components.” Chemical & Engineering News Archive 43 (33), 24-25. DOI: 10.1021/cen-v043n033.p024a
Avila-Sosa, Raúl et. al. “Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Oils.” Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety. Ed. Preedy, V.R. (2015). Elsevier Science & Technology. pp. 247-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416641-7.00027-4
Di Giacomi, Angelo and Giovanni Dugo. “Origin, History, and Diffusion.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375
Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. “Composition of Leaf Oils.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375
Galper, Amy. (December 14, 2022.) “Shelf Life of Essential Oils.” Cliganic. https://www.cliganic.com/blogs/the-essentials/essential-oils-shelf-life
Heale, Christopher. (n.d.) “A Guide to the Tea Grading System.” Herbs & Kettles. https://www.herbsandkettles.com/blogs/blog/a-guide-to-the-tea-grading-system
Lo Curto, Rosario. “Uses of Juice and By-Products.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 531-542. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375
Nishida, Kei. “What Does Astringency Mean for Tea Drinking?” (n.d.) Japanese GreenTea Co. https://www.japanesegreentea.in/blogs/japanese-green-tea-lovers-in-india/what-does-astringency-mean-for-tea-drinking
Petite Histoire. (July 7, 2023). “The [Complete & Complex] Guide to Natural vs. Synthetic Fragrance: What’s the Difference?” https://nyc.ph/blogs/inspiration/the-complete-guide-to-natural-vs-synthetic-fragrance
Rosen, Diana. (November 3, 2020). “New – Coffee Leaf Arabica tea.” TeaSmart. https://www.teasmart.com/article_201106.html
Twinings. (n.d.) “What is Bergamot?” https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/what-is-bergamot
Before I commence with this week’s post, I want to take a moment to thank Kimberly Kuchar for buying me three coffees in support of this work. I’m grateful for the support! I’m working on some late summer and early autumn bonus content. If you want to contribute financially, you can do so using the button below.
I recently stumbled on a 178-page PDF of Bashō’s poetry compiled by Hungarian writer and artist Gábor Terebess. What I find remarkable about his work is that virtually every haiku includes three or more translations of the same poem. I wish I’d happened upon it sooner! You can view the document for yourself here: PDF.
In focusing on classical haiku this season, I’ve naturally given a great deal of thought to translation. One of the things that I’m interested in is translational range: the ways in which one poem can seem similar or different based on who translates it. Terebess’ PDF is an excellent resource because it allows the reader to see a number of translations of the same poem, illustrating the range in form and content.
I’ve admittedly neither taken as in-depth a look at classical haiku or thought this much about translation as I have before this season of the project. (I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but it’s true.) And in reviewing Terebess’ PDF, I had a realization that was new to me but perhaps an old idea to people who have been studying haiku longer than I have. It finally occurred to me that not only does translation affect the tone and emotional resonance of the poem, but it can change the ways in which readers perceive the subject matter of the poem.
Here is the romaji version of Bashō’s haiku:
aki chikaki
Matsuo Bashō
kokoro no yoru ya
yo jō han
Terebess offers seven different translations of this haiku1. In five of the variations, there was nothing that suggested to me that I should include this poem in my database2.
Autumn is near;
R.H.Blyth
The heart inclines
To the four-and-a-half mat room.
as autumn approaches
David Landis Barnhill
our hearts are drawn together–
a four-and-a-half mat room.
Autumn nearing
Robert Aitken
Inclination of my mind!
A four-and-a-half-mat room.
Autumn approaches
Sam Hamill
and the heart begins to dream
of four-tatami rooms
Smell of autumn –
Lucien Stryk
heart longs for
the four-mat room.
However, two of the translations meet my definition for inclusion in this project:
sensing autumn’s approach
Makoto Ueda
four hearts draw together
in a small tea room
as autumn draws near
Jane Reichhold
our hearts feel closer
to this small tearoom
As I’ve mentioned at various points during this project, I take a broad view when collecting poems for this project. Planting and composting, cooking and cleaning, feast and famine are all part of the spectrum. So a tea room merits inclusion, but a general room does not.
At the time of this writing, my Japanese is not strong enough for me to make an informed decision of my own regarding the original. (I let my Duolingo streak lapse in the midst of moving last year, and at this point starting over just feels overwhelming.) This example shows me just how much I am at the mercy of translators (in pretty much any language) to accurately and poetically convey the subject matter.
One might ask whether or not this issue truly matters if one is simply reading for the sake of reading, rather than collecting material for a large project. But I believe that it does. While the issue of the tea room versus the general tatami room is my primary cause for concern, the translational range for this poem is wide. Blyth, Aitken, Hamill, and Stryk have translations that imply a single person and a sense of longing, whereas Barnhill, Ueda, and Reichold mention multiple people. I perceive the latter three poems having a greater degree of intimacy.
I focus on food because it’s a useful lens for me to explore larger topics. Yet the challenges I find and the themes I come across are ultimately not specific to my area of focus. The challenge of whether or not to classify this as a culinary haiku is just a small component about the broader issues that readers face when reading in translation.
Translation is an art unto itself, and like all arts, it is subject to human foible and human preference. There is no perfect approach, and even if there was, an ostensibly perfect translation wouldn’t necessarily resonate with all readers. I think it’s worth embracing that imperfection. That doesn’t mean being uncritical; rather, it means that our criticisms are grounded in this knowledge of translational fallibility.
I think that the best thing that we can do as readers and practitioners is to read translation as widely as possible. If we can study translation the way we study poetry written in our native language(s), we can learn to appreciate the spectrum of what’s available. Identifying what we enjoy and do not enjoy in a translated work is a useful aesthetic exercise that can not only yield insights about our own poetic values, but also help us recognize potential blind spots. For example, I’ve learned to appreciate R.H. Blyth as a product of his time. I don’t think any of his translations will be my favorite, but I can still find value in his work, as well as gratitude for his anthologies, and the groundwork he laid for future haijin writing in English.
Ultimately, I will add Ueda’s and Reichold’s translations to my database. I admit that the Ueda version is the one I find most aesthetically pleasing. Beyond that, though, I have decided that I want to simply live with the contradiction of culinary and non-culinary versions of this haiku. Existing with contradiction is one of the driving forces of this project.
On the day I write this, every coffee shop (chain or local) is selling pumpkin-flavored beverages. Students have gone back to school, the days are getting shorter, and those who care about such things have put their white clothes away. But summer vegetables are still in abundance, and I worked up a serious sweat on my lunch hour walk. We’re nearly at mid-autumn on the haiku calendar, but are still in summer based on the Gregorian calendar. Working on this project, I am constantly aware of how I am always existing within the contradictions of seasons and cultures. So it makes sense to accept the contradictions of working in a form whose foundational texts I must (for now, at least) read in translation.
In Gratitude
Thank you to M.A. Dubbs, who bought me three coffees in August! I’m now 35% of the way toward my goal of covering website costs for the year. Those who want to support the podcast financially can do so at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/culinarysaijiki/.
November Community Blog Post
I’m putting together another community blog post (view the May community post here).
Theme: Harvest
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. CST on Wednesday, November 23rd
Submission Form: https://forms.gle/TxZWqf3zbfi1i9uR8
Notes: Haiku in languages other than English are welcome; please provide a translation. Experimental haiku are also welcome. If sending previously published haiku, remember to provide publication credit.
More From Peter Schmidt
Read Peter’s haiku in the May community blog post: https://culinarysaijiki.com/2022/05/31/bonus-post-spring-and-summer-celebrations/
Hear Peter’s haiku in the podcast community open mic: https://culinarysaijiki.com/2022/08/30/bonus-episode-community-open-mic-transitioning-from-summer-to-fall/
Read Peter’s contest-winning poem here: https://allysonwhipple.com/2021/02/27/february-poetry-contest-winner/
Verbing Weirds Language
View the Calvin & Hobbes strip we referenced here: https://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1993/01/25
Theme Music
“J’attendrai” by Django Reinhardt, performing at Cleveland Music Hall, 1939. This recording is in the public domain. Hear the whole song at https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/show/6045.
In Gratitude
Thank you to Lorraine who bought me three coffees in August! I’m now 28% of the way toward my goal of covering website costs for the year. Those who want to support the podcast financially can do so at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/culinarysaijiki/.
More from M.A. Dubbs
Failed Haiku Food Issue
You can find the May 2022 Failed Haiku issue themed around food here: https://failedhaiku.com/2022/05/
Theme Music
“J’attendrai” by Django Reinhardt, performing at Cleveland Music Hall, 1939. This recording is in the public domain. Hear the whole song at https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/show/6045.
Where to Find the Three Saijiki
Haiku World: An International Poetry Almanac by William J. Higginson can be purchased at many used bookstores, including AbeBooks: https://www.abebooks.com/9784770020901/Haiku-World-International-Poetry-Almanac-4770020902/plp
The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words by Kenkichi Yamamoto is available at: https://thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/items/show/821
A Dictionary of Haiku Classified by Season Words with Traditional and Modern Methods by Jane Reichhold is available at: https://thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/items/show/1798
Join the Conversation
I’m seeking guests for December! If you’d like to be on the podcast, visit https://culinarysaijiki.com/join-the-conversation/ and fill out the form. My life is a little hectic right now, so if I don’t follow up in a timely manner, send me a reminder.
Support the Project
You can make a one-time or recurring donation to the Culinary Saijiki at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/culinarysaijiki. You also can help by sharing this episode with people you think will love it!
Theme Music
“J’attendrai” by Django Reinhardt, performing at Cleveland Music Hall, 1939. This recording is in the public domain. Hear the whole song at https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/show/6045.
In Gratitude Thank you to our anonymous donor who bought me three coffees this month! I’m now 20% of the way toward my goal of covering website costs for the year. Those who want to support the podcast financially can do so at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/culinarysaijiki/.
Episode Contributors
Christine Wenk-Harrison
Listen to Christine’s previous Culinary Saijiki episode: https://anchor.fm/culinarysaijiki/episodes/Episode-4-Christine-Wenk-Harrison-One-Jam-Harvest-e1m0e2a
Agnes Eva Savich
Listen to Agnes’ previous Culinary Saijiki episode: https://culinarysaijiki.com/2022/06/21/episode-1-agnes-eva-savich-the-redemption-of-the-pear/
M.A. Dubbs
View M.A.’s webiste here: https://melindadubbs.wordpress.com/
Peter Schmidt
Read Peter’s contest-winning poem here: https://allysonwhipple.com/2021/02/27/february-poetry-contest-winner/
Mark Scott
Hear Mark’s appearance as community judge on the Poetry Pea podcast: https://poetrypea.com/s5e8-original-haiku-senryu-with-punctuation/
Join the Conversation If you’d like to be on the podcast, visit https://culinarysaijiki.com/join-the-conversation/ and fill out the form. My life is a little hectic right now, so if I don’t follow up in a timely manner, send me a reminder.
On the Blog Visit https://culinarysaijiki.com/2022/08/23/meat-in-haiku/ for the latest post, about meat in haiku.
Theme Music “J’attendrai” by Django Reinhardt, performing at Cleveland Music Hall, 1939. This recording is in the public domain. Hear the whole song at https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/show/6045.
When planning this project, I decided that I would publish posts and podcast episodes on Tuesdays. Since there’s a fifth Tuesday in August, that means an extra week for content. When there was a bonus Tuesday back in May, I did a blog post in which I published community submissions around a theme. For August, I want to do a bonus podcast, again featuring community recordings.
To participate in the open mic, click the link to my Anchor voicemail box: https://anchor.fm/culinarysaijiki/message. Record your haiku according to the guidelines below. If you run into any trouble, please contact me! I want to help you record your haiku and be part of the episode. The submission deadline is Saturday, August 28th at 11:59 pm CST.
Guidelines:
