tea
reserve
Song Tea Fuding Bai Hao Yin Zhen (Silver Needle)
Fujian, China
About this product
Fuding Bai Hao Yin Zhen (白毫銀針, White Hair Silver Needle) is the king of Chinese white tea — produced only from the unopened buds of the Da Bai varietal in Fuding, Fujian. Song Tea & Ceramics (San Francisco) is one of the most respected American curators of Chinese tea, sourcing directly from known farmers with transparent provenance. Silver Needle undergoes minimal processing: buds are hand-picked in spring, spread in sunlight for 72 hours, and allowed to dry slowly without rolling or firing. The result is a tea of extraordinary delicacy: cool, floral, melon, and a characteristic white peach sweetness.
The deductive profile Library
stylewhite tea — bud only
originFuding, Fujian
harvestspring (pre-Qingming preferred)
varietalDa Bai (Big White) cultivar
processingminimal — sun-wither 72h, natural dry
aging potentialimproves with age up to 15 years
Service
noteswhite tea is underextracted by most people; use more leaf and longer time than instinct suggests; glass allows bud appreciation
vesselglass or white porcelain gaiwan
infusions4
brew temp c80°C
steep time first90 seconds
leaf to water ratio4-5g per 150ml
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Pairings
complement
casual
Fuding Silver Needle's delicate white tea bridges the rice congee's clean simplicity; both express pure grain and water
classic
casual
complement
food
Bai Hao Yin Zhen's ultimate delicacy pairs with the clean cucumber jelly; both are expressions of restraint
classic
pre_dessert
complement
pastry
The white peach note of Silver Needle and actual white peach in the tart: a direct flavour-ingredient resonance
classic
dessert
complement
fish
The delicacy of Silver Needle requires the most delicate food pairings; hamachi crudo in citrus oil is precise
established
starter
complement
Fruit delicate
The shared white peach note between Silver Needle and the sorbet creates a pure complement at the dessert interlude. Both expressions of the same fruit flavour — one frozen, one infused.
established
pre_dessert
complement
amuse
The neutrality of tofu provides the cleanest backdrop for Silver Needle's delicate aromatics; neither competes
established
amuse
complement
Seafood delicate
Silver Needle's gossamer delicacy requires an equally gentle food partner. Crab chawanmushi's silky sweetness won't compete; both share melon and oceanic sweetness.
suggested
starter
complement
seafood
Silver Needle's cool cucumber-melon character resonates directly with the cucumber granita; the oyster provides the mineral anchor
adventurous
starter