Feb 19 2010
Chinese Clay Tea Sets: Yixing
Undoubtedly, the best tea is brewed in natural clay pots. This is perhaps the oldest method for brewing tea, but quite certainly one of the most beautiful, traditional, and even practical methods. Yixing sets are know all over the world for their elegance and intricate designs.
What makes clay tea sets unique, is that the clay is very porous, as opposed to bone china tea sets, porcelain, silver, etc. This porousness actually allows the pots and cups used to soak up the tea, so that after many years of usage, it is no longer necessary to add tea to the hot water, because there are small traces of the tea in the clay. So, the pot and cups will flavor the hot water naturally. Yes. Very cool.
What\’s more, there are a few more points that are worth mentioning. Even though you may have a new Yixing clay pot, that isn\’t necessarily seasoned yet, it will still liven the color, aroma and flavor of any tea you steep, simply because it is made of clay.
Yixing clay tea sets exemplify craftsmanship and quality. They are often carved with very delicate, ornate designs; depictions of ancient Chinese life, culture, and traditions; these are the most traditional. Of course, nowadays you can find almost any variation. There are clay pots that have been dyed different colors, or painted with contemporary art. If nothing else, a Yixing clay tea set makes a great conversation piece.
If you are worried about the maintenance of your Yixing tea set, don\’t be! They are really quite simple to maintain. The only rule is to never use cleanser or soap on your set. This is important to remember: whatever you put into your pot, has the potential to soak into the pores of the clay. So, unless you want your tea to taste like soap, I wouldn\’t recommend using it to clean your set. What I would recommend however, is to pour some hot water over your tea set when you\’re done using it, and then rinse it again with water. You can then dry it with a tea towel, or simply let it air dry.
In addition, it is said that you should only use one particular flavor of tea in your clay tea set. This is because if you use one type one day, and another type the next day, both flavors will soak into the clay, so in the future your tea won\’t taste as pure as it should, because it will start to be a blend. The bad thing is, once you have mixed teas in your Yixing set, it will be very hard to gain consistent flavor from it again.
The internet has made it much easier to learn about and purchase Yixing clay tea sets. You no longer need to make the long trek to China. If you love tea, then you really can\’t go wrong with a clay tea set, after all, you can\’t get any more traditional.
Looking to find the best deal on Yixing clay tea sets, then visit www.coolteasets.com to find the best advice on clay tea sets for you. You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.
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