Teaware
Cleaning Teaware: the Tea Master”Bathing the Immortals”
You can tell a lot about artisans by how they care for their tools. The same can be said of a musician and her instruments, or a chef and his knives. Just as a master of any skill or craft can be distinguished from an amateur by that singular, effortless grace known to the Chinese as gong fu,
You Can Roast Hojicha At Home
Find out how to roast hojicha yourself, and how to order a hojiki from Japan.
Choose the Best Japanese Kyusu For You
What type of Japanese kyusu is best for each tea? And what are the characteristics of each kyusu?
Maria Uspenski’s New Charity – A Tea Tumbler Set
The Tea Spot has teamed up with charity: water to sell a limited-edition Tea Spot Charity Tumbler Set…
Hohin Teapots
In this article, we discuss the Hohin teapot and what makes it so unique for brewing Japanese green tea…
Top 10+ Expensive Tea Gift Ideas
Tea lovers wanted to know what the popular expensive tea items are and what makes these expensive…
The Samovar Story
Russian Poet Boris Sadovsky once said about the great Russian samovar, “being a purely Russian phenomenon, it is beyond the understanding of foreigners.”
Gardening with Teapots
This past January I planted some succulents in teacups, teapots, and common planters.
Alternative Brewing Methods for Tea
There are so many ways to brew a delicious cup of tea that you might not have considered.
Women Tea Inventions: Correcting the History of Important Women in Tea Industry
It’s the time and the season to set the record straight about the innovations by women that are the core of the specialty tea industry in the U.S. For too many years now we’ve been crediting the wrong people for creating two of the most consequential innovations...
Gongfu Versus Western-Style Brewing
Let’s run through a standard description of both for comparison, based on my own preference more than a standard definition.
Teaware Oddities
Teaware has a long and at times amusing history; and tucked in amongst the tea accoutrements are a few oddities worth mentioning.
Updating an Old Teapot and Telephone Tea Date
During the late spring this year, I found a delightful little teapot for free that had a blue and white paneled cherry blossom pattern. The only problem: It was missing the lid! Upon showing it to one of my delightful housemates, she excitedly told me that she wanted...
Thermos Brewing
It's not exactly one of my things, but I tried out thermos brewing not so long ago, which is exactly what it sounds like. It was only a couple of trial runs, so anyone who uses this approach regularly would be a better reference. But I can pass on a results summary,...
Find Your Future In A Teacup
According to recent studies, 44% of Americans find themselves unable to be optimistic about the future. In today’s rapidly changing world, sometimes it feels like we can’t even trust the weatherman to predict what tomorrow holds. If you’re facing the unknown,...
A Decree on Tea: Rules For Brewing a Perfect Cup
Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, following water. All over the globe, it’s renowned as medicinal, spiritual, and nourishing. As such, it’s taken very seriously. In Japan, there are complex ceremonies that revolve around the brewing, serving, and...
Tasty Japanese Green Tea Cold Brewing Is Here! – Part 2
Continued from yesterday's post: Tasty Japanese Green Tea Cold Brewing Is Here! - Part 1 Product Cons: Only a few negative comments about the Hario were made. Here are some of the product cons I discovered: Customers disliked that the recommended brew time – 5...
Tasty Japanese Green Tea Cold Brewing Is Here! – Part 1
A great time to enjoy Japanese green tea is -- well--always! And that means when you live a busy lifestyle, you may not have access to a teapot and stove to heat the water for the perfect green tea infusion. If you could brew on the go, you would never...
What is Tokonome Yaki Teapot and Why Does Tea Taste Better With This Kyusu?
Enjoy your tea with a Tokoname Yaki Teapot If you're a lover of tea, then you might have heard of the term "kyusu" which means "tea pot" in Japanese. The Tokoname Yaki is both a remarkable and historic teapot which dates back to the 12th century. Because of the way...
The Importance Of Teapot Design
One of the many perks of founding T Ching is that I get solicited by tea and teaware companies to review their products. I was delighted to get such a request from notNeutral regarding their CALA collection of teaware. When my box arrived, I was very excited to have a...
Christmas Tea and Teapots
For many, Christmas means gifts. And gifts can really run the gamut from delightful to what-am-I-actually-supposed-to-do-with-this. Either way, we are appreciative because the individual went to the trouble of getting us something, of thinking of us, of trying to...
The Teapot
In lieu of an article, Dharlene sent us this tale by Hans Christian Andersen this month. Enjoy! "HERE was once a proud teapot; it was proud of being porcelain, proud of its long spout, proud of its broad handle. It had something before and behind,—the spout before and...
10 years, 2 weeks and 10 days to make one teacup
I’m sure you would agree that a drink tastes better when it’s served in an appropriate cup or glass. Would you even think of drinking Dom Perignon from a plastic cup?! Japanese tea in particular seems to come alive with taste and depth of character when it nestles up...
Tea gear; on brewing devices
In a sense I’m not the right person to be writing about tea gear; I just stick to the basics related to what I own and use. I usually use a French press to make tea at work (some of you can stop reading here), and usually a gaiwan at home. I own two clay pots I...
How to choose a teacup
A cup of tea or coffee is perhaps the best way to welcome your mornings. It rejuvenates the senses almost immediately and you feel invigorated. You are now ready to get off the bed, start the day gradually and go on having some good experiences in the world. You could...
The “Heavenly” Teapot
With California still experiencing severe drought, I was shocked to see a new fountain--one gigantic teapot suspended in the air, pouring water incessantly--erected near a busy San Gabriel Valley intersection. I circled the block twice - it was a sight both...
What do Teapots Have in Common with McDonald’s?
Tea and McDonald's? It might sound strange, but follow along with our L-theanine fueled logic. A customer asked if certain tea pots should be used with different teas. For the purposes of this discussion, we will rule out talking about Yixing tea pots since they are...
Artisan Glass Teaware from Rochester Glassworks – Part 2
I began the development of my custom teacup with tremendous excitement and minor trepidation if I’m being completely honest. Here’s where my artistic abilities would surely come into play. No more excuses about being a frustrated artist who was limited by her lack of...
Artisan Glass Teaware from Rochester Glassworks – Part 1
I’m often approached to sample tea or tea ware to review for T Ching. I recently got an intriguing email from Robin Hamm who had a proposal that I just couldn’t resist. Robin is the creator of Rochester Glassworks in Rochester N.Y. where he’s embarking on a journey...
Praise the Pot: My Experiences with Japanese Cast Iron Teapots
As a lover of all things tea, the teapot is a necessity in my life. I have often found myself collecting teapots while also looking for the perfect teapot. I own many teapots: glass, porcelain, clay, but by far my most praised teapot is my 44oz Japanese cast iron...
Appreciating teacups – reprise
My earliest memory regarding the design of teaware comes from one of my chores as a young boy in the 1960’s. I don’t remember how old I was when Mom decided that my brother and I were going to help with housework (alas, no girls in the household).
The travelling teacup
Have tea — will travel. Or could it be — will travel for tea?
American Chinese teaware
The art of gong fu cha, the Chinese tea service, is generally practiced using a specialized tea set. Collectively called cha ju (or equipage by people who insist on using French), the instruments of gong fu cha encompass a whole spectrum of diminutive, elegant, precisely-crafted little bits and bobs.
Cast iron teapots
A few years ago I attended a dinner party given by a reputable cookware manufacturer’s dealer, who didn’t like to be called a consultant.
Musings on tea and teapots
The language of tea is beautiful and multicultural, but not always easily accessible for new enthusiasts.
Modern Taiwanese teaware
Seldom have I enjoyed a tea-related exhibit as much as the Colors of Tea: Taiwanese Teaware and Tea Settings at the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles.
The inspiration behind my “Have Fun Teapot with Magneto-Bell Lid and Fuchsia Tail”
If a beverage can be an inspiration, tea is mine. I need to explain why this is true. In February, the Arts Guild of Sonoma in California invited me to be a guest artist for their annual Repo Show, a fundraiser for arts programs…
An online contemporary teapot exhibit
In many Asian countries, the annual ritual of spring cleaning is carried out during the Lunar New Year holiday. After moving to the States, my family found Thanksgiving weekend most suitable for observing this tradition…
West Coast Teapots 2012
Most tea drinkers are aware of the beauty surrounding tea. From photographs of tea plantations to the often whimsical names given to the end product – and all the pots, cups, scoops, and tables…