The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
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| Yixing Teapots Centuries of Beauty and Functionality |
| From the town of Yixing (pronounced e-shing) near Lake Tai in China's Jiangsu Province, comes the beautiful, yet functional Yixing teapot. |
| Dating back to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), some Yixing teapots were on the original tea ships enroute to Europe, with thousands having survived over the centuries. Sought by collectors, these priceless antique teapots can fetch prices upward of $100,000. Yixing pots are made from a rich purple clay found only in the town of Yixing, where many devoted collectors travel to purchase directly from the centuries old factories that still manufacture these amazing teapots. The colored ore pigments found in the clay used to make Yixing teapots comes in a range of naturally-colored earth tone shades ranging from a terra cotta red and purple-brown, to black, ochre, and teal. |
| The most sought after color is dark brown (called zisha or purple sand), but the most common color is the terra cotta red. "Zisha" has been used to describe all colors of Yixing clay, but collectors and connoisseurs only use Zisha to describe the prized dark brown color. It should be noted that the teal pots are oxidized to brighten the colors and should not be used for brewing, however, decorative teal details are harmless. Also, some teapots are painted rather than getting their color from the ore. But to tell the true color of the teapot you need simply look inside. The "Brown Betty" English style teapot has been compared to Yixing tea- pots for the similar type of red clay used to make them. Both the Yixing teapot and the English Brown Betty teapot have excellent heat retention, porous permeable clay, and high plasticity. And although the clay used to make the Brown Betty style teapots may be similar to Yixing clay, the Brown Betty has been in existence for far less time than the centuries old Yixing teapots. |
| What to Look For When Buying a Yixing Teapot |
| Whether it is whimsical, elegant, or contemporary, if you are buying a teapot to use rather than as an addition to your collection, you need to first consider its functionality. Ask the seller how it pours, as some whimsical shapes and figures may not be practical for brewing tea. Also, the lid should fit snugly, so when steeping the tea leaf is exposed to the beneficial heat and steam from the water. Yixing teapots may look fragile but they are actually pretty sturdy and practical to use for brewing and can withstand near boiling water without cracking. The color won't fade or change and the zisha clay has no odor. Most Yixing teapots are rubbed with a piece of water buffalo horn to smooth and polish the pot both inside and out. Also be sure to look for the chop mark of the potter located both on the bottom of the teapot, as well as on the lid, as the price of the pot is usually determined in part by the fame of the potter who made it. There are four levels of price for Yixing teapots, depending on how famous the potter is who made it, the intricacy of the design, how fine the clay is and the color, and how much surface polishing the teapot has received. The first level, which is the largest category of Yixing teapots produced, are the simple, basic ones that sell for about $10 - $15 in China. Second are the standard pots, also a fairly large category of production. These teapots are a little more stylish and detailed than the first level and sell for around $35 - $60. The next level are the collector teapots, made by well known artists with traditional or modern designs selling anywhere from $150 - $800. Lastly are the antique Yixing teapots that can sell for $3,000 up to $100,000 or more. The intrigue of a Yixing teapot is that over time it absorbs the flavor of the tea brewed in it. Yixing teapots don't have an interior glaze, so when purchasing one for brewing tea you should always get one for each type of tea, using one for brewing black tea and another for green tea, etc.. And you should never brew scented or flavored teas in your Yixing teapot as it will absorb |
| the odors and flavors and contaminate any other tea brewed later in that pot. Yixing teapots can be found in many unique shapes and designs, from whimsical animals and flowers, to sleek, stylish, contemporary designs which make them not only enjoyable to collect, but fun to use as well. |
| Seasoning Your Yixing Teapot |
| The Yixing teapots found today are made in much the same way as they have been for centuries. Sometimes the pot has a thin layer of paraffin wax covering it, which needs to be removed before using. To do this simply place a terry cloth or linen towel in the bottom of a deep cooking pot and add a few inches of cold water. Remove the lid and place the teapot on the towel and the lid beside it (not touching), and cover both completely with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 15 - 30 minutes. This will remove the wax and also sterilize the teapot. Carefully remove the pot and lid and let them cool down a little. The next step is to season the pot with the type of tea you will always be using with it. Brew a fairly strong pot of tea using loose leaf tea (or tea bags - whatever you would normally be using), leaving it in the pot until cool. Empty the teapot, discarding both tea and leaves (or tea bags), rinse with water and brew a second pot of tea, letting it again cool. Again discard the undrinkable tea and leaves. Rinse pot with water, dry carefully and allow to completely air dry with the lid off (do this each time after use). Replacing the lid too soon after rinsing could encourage mold to develop. As Yixing teapots are unglazed and porous you should never use dish soap or put them in the dishwasher. Only use warm or cool water to rinse your teapot. With careful use and cleaning, you should be able to enjoy your Yixing teapot for a lifetime. Enjoy. |
| Copyright 2010 www.theteadetective.com All rights reserved. No reproductions of any kind allowed without permission. |
| For beautiful and functional Yixing teapots, fine teas, and tea related gifts and accessories, visit: The Tea Detective's Gift of Tea Shop |
| For information and to learn more about tea, visit our other pages: How to brew tea. Easy step-by-step instructions and a few helpful tips will have you brewing the perfect cup or pot of tea the first time, every time. How can I tell if the tea I'm buying is fresh, quality tea, at a fair price? Check out these handy tips for buying loose leaf tea before shopping online, by mail order, or from your local specialty tea shop. How do I calculate how much loose tea to use for brewing either one cup or a pot of tea? Learn how to measure the proper amount of tea to perfectly brew either a single cup or entire pot of tea. Also learn how to calculate the number of cups and cost per pound of loose tea. How should tea be stored? Save money by never having to throw away spoiled tea ever again. Learn tea storage tips and information on how to keep your tea fresh, preserving quality and flavor. What's the difference between China's pan fired green tea and basket fired green tea? Learn how the processing method for China's artisan style basket fired and pan fired green teas differ, and the secret to their unique qualities and flavor profiles. (For quality pan fired and basket fired green teas, visit Silver Leaf Tea Co.) |
Receive A Guide To Tea, an 88-page book on the history and enjoyment of tea free with your first Adagio Teas order of $19 or more.
An easy-to-use ingenuiTEA teapot, whose ingenious design has been featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine and HGTV.
Gifts for lovers of tea with free wrapping of all items.