getting into tea......but first, a teapot......

The first posting is about getting started with a teapot.

What are some of my favorite teapot designs?

Well, there's the Bitter Teapot which is a german brand that lies down on its side to brew until it's ready. Then you tilt it up
before it becomes...well...bitter....


There's the Gropius teapot, a streamlined work of art.


There's the Betty teapot which is the British traditional round pot. That one holds a deceptive amount of tea. 8 to 10 cups.


You can also go retro and get a pyrex cruet or a white pyrex coffee pot. that allows you to simply reheat everything straight on the burner

For teapots that absorb flavours, you can go with the Yixing Clay teapots which, some swear, absorb so much of the tea flavour that, later, one can actually pour in boiling water and get the fragrance...sort of like a well seasoned cast iron pan? Maybe....

One can also just get a full on glass tea pot. Pyrex used to have a nice model that you can still find kicking around....you could put it straight on the burner but mine have been a bit on the delicate side.....

Then, of course, one can go Danish Modern....


And then there is the boiling of water. You've got several options here:

1. Just boil it like everyone else does on the stove--cheap

2. Get an electric teakettle which will boil your water in seven minutes flat...several companies make them.
Make sure you get the sort that can actually be taken off its stand. Otherwise, you're dragging the cord everywhere.
A particularly exquisite model is glass so you can see the water boiling madly.....60-70 dollars....

3. Get a zojirushi waterboiler/heater (100-200 dollars) This is like having a hot tap: a constant and instant source of hot water. Terribly convenient but tea people believe that water boiled and boiled over again loses its flavour. Well, is there scientific evidence to prove this? Yes. Boiling rids the water of oxygen. Oxygen (and a tiny bit of salt as well as other chemicals) gives water it's 'flavour'. If you don't believe me, check out the salinity of Evian. Way higher than tapwater. Sort of is reminiscent of saliva, isn't it?

I'd say option 2 is convenient but won't get you snubbed or parley itself into an inferior cup of tea.

Next, we'll talk about how to make a good cup of tea as well as some tea accoutrements....after that.....some good online tea sources and tea brands....