When I think about Italy a few things come to mind right away. Exquisite food, great wine, and lots of strong coffee/espresso. I always wondered about the tea scene, as my family is Italian and some members associate tea as something to only drink when they’re sick. Marco Di Ubaldo resides in Italy and is a tea lover known as the Enterteaner. He regularly introduces people to tea by sharing steeps along with his own tea experiences and tasting notes. I knew he was the one to talk to for some insight on tea in his country. At the tea table he talked about his must have tea tools, how he believes tea will evolve in Italy and that time he steeped tea non-stop for 24 hours.
The kettle is on and I can hear it about to sing. What tea are you going to steep for us today?
I’m going for a young sheng pu er. I drank a lot of pu er in the past year (and probably will continue to) so I think this kind of tea is the right one to show what Enterteaner is. I also tend to serve pu er to get to know the person in front of me.
How did you become interested in tea?
My passion for tea started 5 years ago when a friend and myself, during a lazy study afternoon, discovered a tea with strange (at that time for us) tips on how to brew it. We followed the instructions, we boiled the leaves and it turned out quite good. After that, I started testing different teas (also tea bags) with different brewing method until I came across gong fu cha. That was my official enter into this huge world. As you might notice, the thing which attracted me the most was the way of preparing tea. Still today I dedicate a lot of my time to find the best way to let the leaves express their flavours in water.
One of my earliest tea memories is a tea session in Padua. I made tea with a new tea friend. We brewed sixteen different teas and ate amazing Italian and international foods while talking about flavours. All of this happened in twelve hours and it was an amazing day where we trained our palates, enjoyed teas and shared good times.
You certainly know how to have a good time with twelve hours of just amazing teas and Italian food! However, I know you have steeped and shared tea for even longer than that. Tell us about the 24 Hour Tea event you hosted last year.
Oh yes, the #24HTEA is a tea event which really represents Enterteaner and a significant part of its tea attitude. The main concept behind this event is the hospitality and the will to share good teas with as many people as possible. During the event people could join the “tea-day” any time they wanted and they would always find a good tea cup ready to drink. Do you want to stay just for an hour? All day long? Join for some tea sessions then go out for a walk and turn back to sip another brew? It’s all acceptable. There are no rules.
During the 24htea you could also prepare your own tea, share something from your stash or bring something you think it will pair well with. I really enjoy this kind of thing and it’s all possible thanks to that crazy Enterteaner (yes, that’s me) who brews teas non stop for 24 hours.
I felt so good during the past #24HTEA and it also involved a lot of people in my country who weren’t aware about tea and that’s one of the goals of the event. I’m thankful also for the virtual participation I get via Instagram by the tea community and for the people and tea lovers who helped me during that event so I could focus on brewing tea with all my passion. During the last #24HTEA there were sixteen people who joined it physically and seventeen via Instagram. But, this was still just a “little edition”. In fact, I’m already working on a new tea day so… get your teacups warm!
My teacups are ready! Speaking of which, let’s say you can only choose three tea tools to have forever. Which ones can you not live without?
Obviously I’ll choose the perfect trio that I use to enjoy every tea: gaiwan, gong dao bei and a tea cup. These tools are essential for me because they allow me to study or simply enjoy some leaves depending on my mood. This answer of mine seems really clear because enjoying tea must not be a complicated affair. The more I get into tea the more I need to train my brewing skills and tools are part of this beautiful process for chasing the perfect the cup.
Italy is primarily a coffee/espresso loving country. What is the tea scene like in Italy and how do you think it will evolve?
This is a complex sociological question! Here in Italy the tea is not a consistent reality but, in my opinion (and that’s also a will for me), it is becoming a valuable choice for people who want a new life experience. In my country, coffee is linked to our food culture and tea can not substitute it but it seems it is developing its own path beginning from the North of Italy. A lot of people are getting aware of this beverage and they are also studying the culture and processing methods.
I hope the tea in Italy will be an affordable choice and create an opportunity to spend time with others while tasting something good. I see tea evolving in my country and people creating a space for it in their lives. However, we can’t forget that in Italy there are also a lot of other traditional things (like food, wine etc.) to enhance the wellness of residents.
Speed Round:
Black, Green, Yellow, White, Oolong or Puerh?
Pu er!!
Hot, Iced or Cold?
Hot
Teapot, Infuser or Gaiwan?
Gaiwan
Straight, Sweetened or Latte?
Straight
Cheese or Chocolate pairing?
Cheese pairing
Who has been your greatest teacher in tea?
I learn about tea through the interaction with other passionate people. I’m not necessarily talking about people passionate about tea but about those who are generally passionate in what they do. The interaction with them always makes you see a new way of living and developing your own passion.
Find Enterteaner:
ABOUT THIS SERIES: Tea tells stories and when connected with humans, more are created. That’s where the idea for this blog series, At the Tea Table, originated. With this series, The Cup of Life asks tea lovers around the world to take us inside their tea lives to share their favourite steeps, spaces, routines and more. Meet some of your fellow tea drinkers here.
very nice to hear about the tea culture in Italy! You should visit;)