Jicuzan

22/05/2011, posted by Cha in teaware

Recently I have traveled to Barcelona, and there,  following a hint i got on twitter (thank you Brandon)  I went to check Caj Chai teahouse.

I noticed they have a great selection of good teas and that they really know how to brew them.  If you find yourself in Barcelona, do go there.  If you don’t enjoy Japanese or Chinese tea, you can try a  Chai there, which I bet it is very nice for those who love it.

After I was served with a very nice gyokuro, I have purchased this teapot, called Jicuzan. I really enjoy the shape, color and feel of this teapot. I plan to use it to brew gyokuro and perhaps some other Japanese greens.  I find Japanese greens  to have an unique cooling effect, which I especially enjoy during hot summers.

Tea Coasters

03/02/2011, posted by Cha in teaware

Tea Coasters. I always admired them whenever I saw posts on other blog sites.  On Teamasters and MattCha you often see them in a wonderful setup. Matt also goes sometime deeper with the explanations,  and writes about their effect.

For me, a tea coaster is something important for my tea sessions. I  believe it can bring balance to a tea session. Besides the aesthetic and practical aspect, you can enforce metal, wood or earth into your tea setup. That will make things right (or wrong).

Many avoid metal when choosing tea coasters, but I find these very nice and I like how they cool down the tea a bit, just enough to feel it somehow smoother.

Stéphane Erler(from whom I acquired these) has sent me more information via e-mail:

The drawings on the Chataku represent plants with strong symbolic meaning : “matsu” (pine), “kiku” (chrysanthemum), “ume” (plum blossoms), “take” (bamboo), and “yuri” (iris).

More explanations on some meanings:

Plum = a flower that blooms in winter -> age makes us wiser, more beautiful!
Pine = leaves that are always green -> long and eternal life
Bamboo = bends but never breaks -> virtue

Tea table

18/12/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

In most of the cases, I drink tea while sitting on the floor. Not only me, but also my guests. While it’s great for me,  it does require my  guests to bow when you pick a tea cup.   I have noticed many times that many use low tables for their gongfu tea.  On flickr, I most often see this on Aeternitas photostream ( Great tea photos btw).

So, after a while, I noticed one for sale at a local tea shop.  While it’s very rough, it does improve the quality of my tea sessions.  First, once you sit near it, it creates it’s own space.   You feel like in a tiny tea room once you sit down, rather than having tea in a larger room. My guests also feel more comfortable.

The pic above shows a tea setup based on a Cha Bu (while using the table) . The pics bellow depict a typical Saturday morning for me.    No special setups, and the table also ‘hosts’ the previous tea (see the glass jar and the wet leaves).

Crackle Glaze Tasting Cup

29/10/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

A 40ml crackle glaze cup, for Gong Fu tea making, acquired from Jing Tea. This size is rather big for my own personal taste, but I do enjoy drinking from it from time to time, especially green tea and light oxidized oolongs, mostly because of it’s green color. The tea from the main pic is not so green (in terms of color) actually, the cup gives that effect.

Tea Towels

25/10/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

Many have changed in my way of brewing or in my teaware, but these towels have not.  I am using them on all my tea sessions, without exceptions. They belong to my brewing sessions.

I use the blue towel to clean my teapots and my tea cups, while the yellow one to grab extremely hot things or to clean accidental water drops on the ground or any other place.  Of course, they were not  created specially for tea. I will use them until they can no longer hold together, because their usage made them unique.

Teapot stand

16/10/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

A simple piece of teaware that it’s used most often to dry my yixing teapots.  Other than that,  I use it to support various items when I brew without a tea tray.

A nice accessory , but not a necessary one (for me).

Tea Cup in Yuan Dinasty Style

09/10/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

This tea cups,  although touched by the Yuan dynasty spirit,  are also something European now.   The tea cups are made by David Louveau, under the guidance of  Stéphane Erler.  This is the result of their first collaboration, I’m  honored to have them.

I actually acquired a set , two cups and a tea boat, but I will write about the tea boat some other time . These tea items traveled from Europe to Taiwan, and then ,  back to Europe .  Somehow, their spirit was unsettled for a while .

These cups  were designed to match  shu puerh.  The cups material develops little cracks in time that absorb the tea color, which will give the cup an unique character.

I also tried the cups with hong cha, the results were nice,  but not as nice as for shu puerh. I reached the same conclusion when I tried the cups on a sheng (?) puerh ,

Speaking of size, this cup  has a capacity of 7 centiliters, being  the biggest cup (used for Chinese tea)  I own .  The support has a diameter of 10 centimers and  a height of 8 centimeters.  It’s Chinese name is Cha Tuo.

You can find much more information about the cup here, on the first post about a cup like this.

Scoops

26/09/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

I have acquired these scoops as I was walking  through my city. They are not made out of bamboo and they look quite rough.  The person who crafted them probably never imagined they would be used for tea .

I don’t want to be a somebody who can drink tea only if  he has the most exquisite teaware made in  the most traditional regions by the most reputable masters.  If  I’ll do that one day, I guess I will understand why I need that.  Until then  … . I will try to use as much local items as possible. I started to use regular (but nice and simple) plates and  other kind of objects that are simple and (not necessary , but often)  cheap.

I strongly believe that every piece of  teaware can become great if we put enough soul in it. After all, the human factor is the most important in gongfu ( at least, I think that way).

Qing Hui Ni Clay “Shi Piao” Yixing Clay Teapot

22/09/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

Handmade and kiln roasted at the perfect temperature. Breathes well and is easy to cultivate through brewing tea. It will only increase in beauty as it ages. This teapot has a dignified and traditional shape. Its handle and spout are well-proportioned. This is a product of exquisite craft – simple and refined. It has a tight-fitting lid and a smooth flow of liquid. Practical and useful, this is a product of the highest value. This teapot comes with a certificate of authenticity.

About the creator: Zhou Shun Fang is a nationally certified practitioner of fine arts and a member of Yixing pottery association. A fifth generation craftsman of Yixing teapots Mr. Zhou has been taught the art of teapot making by his father and grandfather. He enjoys rendering traditional teapot designs in an elegant fashion often using older and rarer clays to give his creations a vintage look and feeling.

[Bottom Inscription] “Zi Ni Lao Zuo” (entirely handmade by Zhou Shun Fang, Qing Hui Ni clay)

Yixing Cups

18/09/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

I have acquired  this tea cups from Canton Tea a while ago.  I enjoy  sipping tea from them , even tough they are some how larger (50 ml) than my usual cups . For weeks now,  I used them the most.

While I determined that the size and shape of a cup play a important role,  I was not aware of how the color affects tea. Until recently, almost all my cups had the interior white.  These cups have the same size, same material , but different color.  Perfect for such tests. I was surprised to learn that color does affect the perceived taste.  Also, the cup material seem to add it’s own character to the tea.  Other cups of the same size and thickness, but from a different material, give a different feeling.

Now I have two more things to try  in terms of cups : unglazed and antique cups.

If you like these cups, you can buy them here. Use the code LEAF for a 10% discount.