Tag: Teaware

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Yixing Teapots — Tips on Their Use

purple Zisha-3First of all, what exactly is a Yixing Tea Pot? It is a clay teapot made with clay originally from the Eastern province of Yixing in China. During the mid 1500’s a monk from the region began hand crafting tea pots from this particular clay.  Being very elegant and high quality, these became favourites among scholars and other influential people in China and were much sought after. Today, most of the teapots are made in  Dingshan  — which is part of the Yixing area.

There are several reasons why these teapots are so popular. Many, especially those made hundreds of years ago, are considered national treasures. Hand made teapots are usually more expensive than those that are mass produced using a mould. Other factors determining price include the artist who crafted the teapot, the design, age and the type of clay used. Very much a tea collectors item, they are also very good reasons for choosing a Yixing teapot for brewing especially oolong or black tea.

During the steeping process, amounts of the tea seep into the porous clay so that eventually, with use, a film coats the inside of the teapot which helps to retain both the taste and even the colour of the tea as well. For this reason it is usually recommended that only one type of tea is brewed with each teapot, as eventually it will enhance the flavour of the tea even more.  This is why you may well see many small Yixing teapots on display when sharing a cup of tea with a dedicated loose leaf tea drinker.

_APThere are standard types of teapots, such as the one shown at the top of this post, and there are more highly decorative types such as the one you can see to the right of this paragraph.  You can also find Yixing drinking cups and other ornamental items — though the tea pot is perhaps the most famous and widely known item made from Yixing clay.

Is Shape Important?

Yes, shape can be an important consideration. The main thing is that the water is able to circulate freely around the tea leaves. For this reason, the cauldron shaped teapot is a favourite and you really won’t go wrong in buying one of this shape.

Other Considerations

You may want to make sure that the lid of the teapot fits snug onto the top of the teapot. Some of the better made ones actually create a little vacuum when the lid is taken off. The spout should be well formed, you don’t want tea dribbling down or around the spout when you are trying to pour a cup of tea!

Preparing the Teapot for Use

Thanks to a post I have just read on the Tea Guardian site, I have learned something new–that is how to properly prepare a teapot for first time use. You can pop over and read it yourself if you like, otherwise here is a summary of  ‘s tips:

  • Rinse the pot in water
  • Totally submerge the pot (and tea lid) underneath water and let soak overnight
  • The following morning, rinse the teapot with fresh water again. Fill a deep saucepan with water, set on the stove and completely submerge the teapot in this water. Boil the teapot in the water for five minutes.
  • Finally to actually prime the teapot you pop it back on the stove, submerged in a large pot of water and bring the water to the boil. Once it comes to the boil, turn the stove plate off and pop in tea leaves of the type of tea you are going to brew in this particular teapot. Steep the tea pot in the tea over night.
  • Lastly, rinse the pot again in fresh water the next morning and set it down to dry naturally.

Your Yixing teapot is now ready to use! Remember, one type of tea per teapot whenever possible in order to get the optimum taste from your cup of tea.

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Portable Tea Infusers – A Handy Alternative To The Teapot Infuser

Portable Infusers

Just recently I have been experimenting quite a bit with a couple of different portable infusers, which while very popular in other countries are not that easy to find here in Australia.  Consequently, we are trying out different portable tea infusers so we can get a good idea of which ones to import and sell.  So far we have a couple that are in the running, a selection of glass portable infusers and a very nice metal portable infuser made from brushed stainless steel.

While they appear to have more of a golden glow in this picture, unfortunately that is because of the limitations of the lighting in our kitchen in late afternoon and our camera.  Actually the stainless steel sections are grey not golden — but at least this gives you a fairly good idea of what they look like in general.

They are definitely very handy items to have on hand, great because they are very portable, enabling you to brew tea on the run, in the car, while at work, on holiday etc. without having to take an entire tea set with you. They are made so that you can drink out of the bottom section of the infusers if you want to, meaning that you do not even need to take a tea cup or mug with you — this (and your loose leaf tea of course) is really all that you need, providing you have access to hot water. You can even make your tea in advance and because of the nature of the infusers they will keep your tea warm for you for a while.

Open Infuser

How To Use A Portable Infuser

They are very simple and easy to use.  The infusers unscrew into three separate parts. The top section is the lid.  The next section has a metal infuser at the bottom. This is where you place your tea. Finally the larger bottom section is where you pour in your hot water.  Once the tea leaves and water are in their respective sections, you screw the infuser back together and then reverse it so the infuser with the tea leaves is sitting on the table. The water pours into this section and very effectively brews your tea.  After a few minutes–depending on the type of tea you are making–you can turn it back the other way, unscrew the middle section and sip your tea.

In theory and in principle this generally works very well. There are a few things you need to be aware of when using the infusers but once you have used them a couple of times you should not have any difficulties with them at all.

Pros and Cons of Portable Tea Infusers

Although we have only tested a smattering of portable infusers, we have noted some disadvantages or things to be aware of — although this does seem to be based more on the actual portable infuser rather than portable infusers as a whole.

The portable glass infuser is made from double glass. This makes it very easy to use even when filled with hot water. You do need to remember, however, that although you can hold the glass infuser comfortably the tea on the inside can be very hot.

Another problem we have seen is that sometimes the glass infuser at least can be a tad difficult to get to screw together properly, with the resultant effect being that the hot water pours out onto the table rather than into the bottom section of the infuser when you turn it upside down. Naturally, that would be a bother if it happened on your desk at work, or in your car and it is fairly disagreeable when it happens at home too!

Finally, the glass in particular seems to tighten once the hot water is poured into it and it is a little harder to undo though that is not really a problem as such–it merely requires that a little more effort to open it afterward.

The advantages are many. They are very easy to use.  They are extremely portable, enabling you to make tea on the go at any location providing you have access to hot water. They also brew a very nice cup of tea; just as good as those you would brew at home with a regular teapot. The infusers we have are also very nicely made and they look great with artful decorations on the exterior of the infuser.

Cost Of  Portable Infusers

Another advantage is that they are relatively inexpensive, though the stainless steel infuser is more expensive than the glass kind.  The stainless steel infuser is virtually indestructible and while the glass infuser made with two layers of thick glass is fairly sturdy it would potentially break if dropped on a hard surface.

We are still finalizing pricing for these items although we will offer a selection of different portable infusers, both medium and large sizes which will be priced according to both size and the materials they are made from. They make an interesting gift idea for any tea lover and as such we will be preparing a gift set as well that is artfully presented in a nice case.

I will keep you updated as we finalize our decisions on these infusers. Meanwhile, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to comment on this post or send me a note via my contact page. We’d love to hear what you have to say or any comments you have on these items as it will help us in making our decisions on what you are interested in.

 

 

 

 

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Teapots With Infusers: When To Use Them

Photo By: Rob Chant

If you look at the variety of different glass teapots, ceramic teapots or metal teapots available you will find many come with an infuser. Oftentimes the teapot is designed so that the infuser can actually lift out of the teapot if you like. Why would you want to invest in a teapot with infuser and when would you use it?

What the Tea Infuser Teapot Is Useful For

Many people prefer not to have tea leaves swirling around in their cup of tea. This is especially true for those who drink loose leaf tea as the leaves, when unfurled, can oftentimes take up a lot of space inside the teapot. It is also quite a bother if they get stuck in the spout of a teapot as, unless you have the right accessories, they can be quite difficult to dislodge. This is where the teapot infuser comes in very handy.

Photo By: Lucius Kwok -- Loose Leaf Tea in a Teapot Without An Infuser

How To Use The Teapot With Infuser

They are very simple to use. All you need do it put the same amount of tea leaves in the actual infuser that you would have placed directly into the teapot. Pour boiling or just boiled water–depending on the type of tea you are drinking–over the tea leaves and allow it to brew as you normally would. The water will mingle freely with the tea leaves and you will have a nicely brewed pot of tea usually within minutes.

 

One thing that some people can tend to do is pack the infuser too tightly with tea leaves. This will not make for a better cup of tea. Instead, the water will not be able to freely mix around the tea leaves and you may well end up with a weaker tea than you  would have had you packed the tea leaves less tightly. In summary, usually you need to place the same amount of tea that you normally would for the amount of cups you will be pouring.

 

Another thing to determine before buying your infuser teapot is that the infuser is actually large enough for the teapot. This is not normally a problem when the teapot is sold with the infuser, but I have seen problems when people buy an infuser to use with their teapot and they end up buying one that is too small. For this reason, unless you are sure what you are doing, you may want to opt for the teapots with infusers rather than buying a separate loose tea infuser for your pot.

Cleaning Your Loose Leaf Tea Infuser

They are really very simple to clean. Once you have finished serving tea you should be able to detach the infuser unit from the pot. From there you simply tap the infuser on the side of the trashcan or food disposal unit till the leaves come out. Some people don’t mind pulling the leaves out with their fingers; others prefer to use some sort of tongs or other accessory so they don’t have to touch the limp and usually cold tea leaves. After that, rinse the infuser out under the faucet and pop it back into the teapot.

If the infuser does not come out of the teapot you’ll have to resort to using either fingers or tongs to get the tea leaves out. Again, rinse the infuser and teapot under the tap and set it aside to dry.

It is not recommended to leave the tea leaves in the infuser as tea can be a great thriving ground for mould–now, getting mouldy tea leaves out of an infuser is much more unpleasant. Believe me, I’ve experienced it!

 

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What To Look For When Buying Glass Teapots

I love watching a blooming tea expand in a glass teapot. I am also fascinated when I see the loose leaf teas unfurl while brewing. One of my main problems is deciding which type of glass tea pot to choose as there are so many options to choose from. If you are thinking about buying one, here are a few things to keep in mind as not all glass teapots are the same quality and even though one particular design may look great you will want it to also brew a fantastic cup of tea and be easy to use and clean. You may also find the best teapots for sale wherever you buy tea from.

The best glass teapots are made from high quality borosilicate glass, just as Pyrex kitchenware in Europe is.  (Not all Pyrex is made from borosilicate though–in the US it is made from soda lime glass instead.) This glass is heat resistant, and while lightweight it is also very durable. Most of the teapots made from this glass are crystal clear however you can find some beautiful amber coloured glass teapots as well. Because they are made from borosilicate glass they are safe to use to brew tea and they are generally dishwasher safe as well. Some caution may be needed if the dry heat in your dishwasher is extremely high–but in general they are safe to use in most home and commercial dish washers. I would only recommend buying teapots made from top quality borosilicate glass–it should be clearly labelled as being made from this material.

What Style Of Glass Teapot Is Best?

Now, that is out of the way we can talk about what else you should look for when purchasing a teapot. What style of glass teapot is best? It really depends on your personal preferences and the type of tea you are planning on brewing. If you want to show off your blooming tea you will probably want to look for a teapot that is either tall–so the flower can expand up, or fairly rotund leaving lots of room for expansion inside the teapot.  If you love loose leaf teas you may want to opt for a glass teapot with infuser. Tea leaves are popped into the tea infuser and boiled water is poured on the leaves. The tea brews nicely but you do not have to worry about tea leaves getting stuck in the spout when you are pouring the tea–and glass teapots with infusers are also quite a bit easier to clean in some respects. Maybe you love watching the tea leaves unfurl to their full size–then buy a teapot that either has an infuser that you can take out if you want, or buy a simple glass teapot without an infuser.

Photo By: Lucius Kwok

You can also find some teapots that have a removable strainer in the actual spout of the teapot. These allow you to brew the tea without needing an internal teapot infuser so you can see the tea as it expands yet it will keep the tea leaves out of your teacup. While a glass teapot with strainer will work well with a blooming tea they are not as useful if you are using loose leaf tea as the tea leaves tend to clog up the strainer fairly quickly.

Another very neat design that I saw recently was a glass teapot that actually sits on top of the cup while the tea is brewing. When you lift up the teapot the tea pours into the cup. This unique design could come in very handy–and it is also a bit of a novelty if you are looking for something a little unusual.

Best Size Teapot To Buy

What size teapot should you buy?  How many people will you brew tea for? If you are brewing a cup or two for yourself then a smaller sized 400 ml. teapot may be sufficient. If you are planning on brewing enough tea for your family to sip after dinner you may want to look at the larger 1000 or even 1200 ml. teapots.

Some teapots are fairly simple in design, beautifully showcasing the tea inside. Other designs are more intricate. For example, it is possible to buy double walled glass teapots. These are designed to keep the tea warm while keeping the teapot itself cool enough to handle. Some are styled after Japanese teapots, Arabic teapots or the small Chinese teapots. Most have a smooth glass surface but you can also find some where the glass surface is faceted to where the teapot has a jewelled appearance. Again, you will probably have your own preference.

Other Features

Photo By: Rob Chant

Other features, relating to how well the tea pours, are also important to consider. In general, the spout of the teapot should be slightly higher than the lid. This allows for optimal pouring.  The lid should be tight fitting, with some kind of seal around it so that it does not come off while you are pouring the tea–loose lids really are awkward as you have to keep your finger on the lid when serving tea. On the other hand, the lid should not be that tight fitting that you have to struggle with it to get it off as that can result in damage to the teapot and lid. Another area to pay attention to is the handle of the teapot. The joins should be smooth–with some teapots you cannot see any join at all, and the handle should look sturdy and secure. This is especially important if you purchase a larger capacity teapot.

How To Care For Your Glass Teaware
We had a kettle; we let it leak:
Our not repairing made it worse.
We haven’t had any tea for a week…
The bottom is out of the Universe.
~Rudyard Kipling

Some are designed to be used directly on either a gas or electric burner, while others are not. Pay attention to the instructions for use as improper treatment of your teapot could cause it to break. Following are a few tips on caring for your glass teapot as proper care and handling will be sure to prolong the life of your tea pot.

Unless specifically stated, the teapot should not be placed over direct heat or a flame. In other words, if the instructions do not implicitly state that it can be used in this way that means that it cannot.

When placing in the dishwasher, do not leave it in for too long–drying time should only be around 15 minutes maximum. You may need to adjust your dishwasher settings if you regularly use high temperatures for longer periods of time.

Although I do not see the need for doing so, still you should not place your teapot in the refrigerator or freezer if the internal temperature is set to maximum coolness. If you want to cool down your iced tea I would suggest transferring it to another refrigerator safe container, or making sure the temperature is not too low. Remember too, it is not a good idea to place a hot or very warm teapot directly into a cold refrigerator.

Finally, when cleaning your teapot do not use abrasive cleaning agents or abrasive cleaning pads as they will scratch the surface of the teapot and not only mar its looks but also damage the teapot.