Mind Your Manners The Ancient Chinese Powers of Tea – with Jesse Appell
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Dec 16, 2025 Jesse Appell, an American comedian and tea entrepreneur, shares his deep insights into Chinese tea culture. He reveals how tea is viewed as a medicinal force and a social ritual, describing the significance of tea tables and the skill of hosting. Jesse recounts his experiences with Chinese comedy, including humorous encounters with authorities while drinking tea. He explains the six types of tea, their health benefits, and the importance of trusting your tea source while navigating the market's challenges.
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Tea Markets As An Unofficial Language School
- Jesse found Beijing wholesale tea markets as a secret language school to practice Mandarin with locals who didn't speak English.
- The tea stalls trained him to understand heavy accents and opened his path to living in China.
Comedy And Tea Share A Common Stage
- Xiangsheng (cross-talk) comedy grew inside tea houses and remained linked to tea as social fuel.
- Jesse learned to view tea as part of life material for comedy and social observation.
Pandemic Pivot From Comedy To Tea Business
- During COVID Jesse pivoted from Chinese comedy to making tea videos and building Jesse's Tea House for Western audiences.
- He used his farmer contacts to import quality tea and teach preparation techniques online.