I recently joined a new social networking group – Taste Casting.  It’s a group of social media marketers of sorts.  We attend a complimentary tasting in our town (Cincinnati) and in exchange, we blog/Twitter/Facebook about the tasting.  Taste Casting groups are popping up all over the country.  If you’re interested in learning more, visit Taste Casting.

Our recent visit was for a tasting of fine teas at Essencha Tea House.  Tracy Monson is the owner and I can’t imagine that there could be a more knowledgeable tea house owner on the planet!   This woman knows her tea!  Having traveled the world over, she fell in love with the teas of different cultures and brought that love back here to us in Cincinnati.

The tea house is located in Oakley, a quaint suburb of Cincinnati.  I arrived a bit early and got to sample from their Tulsi Apple Pear iced tea while I waited for the others to arrive.  After everyone got there and introductions were made, we got down to business.

Owner and founder, Tracy Monson, led us on a taste testing of numerous teas.  Tracy mentioned that they like to serve their drinks in clear glasses so that you can enjoy the visual aspect of the tea as well as the aroma and the taste.  It’s obvious that the visual aspect is an important aesthetic to Tracy as the whole tea house “atmosphere” is very well put together.

Tracy gave us a mini- “Tea 101″ class.  She explained that black tea is created by plucking the tops from the tea plant and allowing the tips to wither.  The tips are left out to release oxidation and the enzymes turn the leaves black.  Green tea, on the other hand, gets roasted or steamed to keep it green and is NOT oxidized.  She also explained that black tea is infused the longest, making it the highest in caffiene levels.  (I sure hope I got all that right! We were eatin and drinkin and writin all at once!).

The tea was outstanding, as was the food.  We were served a variety of samples: a quinoa salad with fresh lentils, two wraps and a cupcake (which had tea in it!).  I must confess that quinoa is not my favorite thing in the world… until I had it at Essencha.  Tracy has three chefs on staff and I am here to say that someone in the kitchen makes some mean quinoa!  It was a mix of fresh green lentils, red peppers, calamata olives, feta and had a drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar – which makes all the difference folks.  It was YUMMY!

We also got to enjoy two wraps – both in a buckwheat crepe.  One was a vegetarian wrap and the other was turkey with Havarti cheese.  Again, these were just excellent.  I would have licked my plate had I not been with a group of people .

I have gone on long enough.  This will have to be a series! I will make part two all about the tea.  You don’t want to miss “Bubble Tea” – which has tapioca pearls in the bottom of the glass.  And part three will feature a fabulous video of Tracy explaining the tradional Japenese Tea Ceremony.  And don’t miss the third in the series, a video of Tracy detailing a Japenese tea ceremony.

Live in Cincinnati?  You don’t want to miss the Essencha Tea House, located at 3212 Madison Road in Oakley.

Find them on the web at http://www.Essencha.com and on Twitter @essencha