CRESTED CRANE PAI MU TAN

I was wondering whether you had ever saw a dancing crane. The grey-crowned crane is a mystery to those who have never seen the savannahs of Kenya, where it is found. As its name suggests, the crane is an exceptionally magnificent bird. Its body is coated in a smoky grey plumage, and its white wings are covered in a rainbow of coloured tiny feathers. Spectacular, with a white face and a brilliant red, inflating pouch on its throat and a crown of stiff golden feathers floating over its head.
Now, remember how we said this bird had a passion for dancing? Grey Crowned Cranes are unusual among birds in that they have equal participation from males and females of all ages. The dance includes head-pumping, bowing, running, jumping, tossing grass and sticks, and wing-flapping by the cranes. To those of you who have visited Kenya, If you go, you’ll see that it’s a spectacular show. No one knows for sure why cranes dance, but ornithologists speculate that it may serve to defuse conflict, calm aggressive behaviour, and cement relationships between partners. (Interestingly, for these same reasons, one would want to brew a pot.
Premium Pai Mu Tan type tea, also known as Crested Crane, was created by tea masters in the highlands to the west of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley who were willing to experiment.
Pick the leaves carefully on dry days, avoiding those with purple buds, incomplete openings, insect damage, wind damage, or abnormally long or short stems. After being picked, the leaves are wilted very slightly till they are a pale green and thrown away. Kenya is the tea world’s Tuscany, thus it seems sense that their product would be excellent. (And deserving of its own jig.)