The long, flat leaves yield a light emerald cup with a rich, slightly nutty taste. this is probably the most famous green tea both inside and outside of china. lung ching means dragon well, and the tea derives its name from the beneficent dragon said to live in a local well. lung ching traditionally comes from the west lake district of zhejiang province, although much of the production has moved southeast to the mountains around the town of xinchang. lung ching is still made the way in which it has been for centuries, by individuals hand-rolling the leaves in a hot, steep-sided pan. this "pan-firing" method requires great care to match the temperatures with the size and tenderness of the leaves. when done with skill, and when using leaves from the spring growth, the result is a rich and nutty-tasting green tea, with natural hints of fresh corn and vegetables. each 4 oz tin of loose leaf tea makes about 40 cups.
