It's All About Tea — teapot

Learning the sophisticated art of gong fu cha, we begin to understand the subtleties involved. First, we learn that tea is alive. And only by treating tea properly, preparing it the way it deserves, we are granted an impeccable, sweet, and aromatic brew.

Then we learn about teaware. We understand how to take care of the teaware — with care and never using dish soap. Gently drying after each use. We also learn that teaware is alive, particularly the clay from which the teaware is made.

A Yixing teapot is not just about the clay's porosity, the way it looks, the name, or even the way it makes your tea taste. It is all about the way you take care of it. If not correctly taken care of, a Yixing teapot is just about as useful as a run-of-the-mill ceramic teapot. (Read more)

Last month, we wrote a little bit about the history of the teapot. While kettles for brewing tea have existed for millennia, teapots as brewing vessels became widespread during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). This was around the time when loose leaf tea started gaining popularity over powdered tea. Thanks to the teapot's evolution, we now have not only many shapes but also many different materials to choose from! (Read more)

Many tea drinkers around the world might be under the impression that teapots were invented practically the same day the tea leaf was first brewed! It’s an interesting image, indeed, but not an accurate one. The teapot itself had to go through some evolution in times past. (Read more) 

As many variations as there are within tea categories, there are the same with teaware. It is no surprise that there is an ideal teapot or gaiwan for each type of tea. Many find these through experimentation, while some knowledge is more widespread. However, in general, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the right teaware for a particular type of tea. Whether it's for gong fu or more casual tea drinking. (Read more)

Yixing teaware has gained immense popularity. By many it is considered the only possible option for gong fu style tea, beating porcelain, glass, and even other clay types. However, the steep price has tea drinkers questioning if it's really superior to other types of unglazed clay teapots. (Read more)