Caring For Your Chinese Teapot

Your Chinese Teapot is an investment for life.... and even longer.

With this in mind, I've decided to put together a simple guide "Caring For Your Chinese Teapot"

Your Chinese Teapot is prized for its functional and aesthetic design which includes the composition of the special clay which over time will absorb and enhance your tea's flavour.

Before you use it for the first time you need to "cure" or "season" your Teapot.

Here's how:

1. Rinse it with hot water to remove any dust or other residues.
   
   
2. Prepare 4-5 infusions of tea, each time leaving the tea to brew for at least 30 minutes.
   
   
3. Do not drink the tea.
   
   
4. Throw out the tea and used tea leaves.

We highly recommend you use only one kind of tea for your Teapot (example: Wuyi Rock Oolong) because the essential oils and associated flavour of the tea will gradually soak into the clay of the pot. Using different kinds of teas will essentially cause a clash of oils and flavours.

You will find after a few weeks of frequent use that your pot will begin to form a shiny "patina" coating on the outside. This is highly prized and can be encouraged by pouring tea over the outside of your pot and after each tea session, polishing your pot with a non-abrasive microfibre cloth. If you continue this practice your pot will become evermore increasingly beautiful (and valuable) with time. You can see an example of this in a previous blog post here (click)

Here are some important rules to follow:

• Never use soap to clean your teapot.
  
  
• Never use a scourer, brush or other abrasive type cleaning fabric.
  
  
• Never put your pot in the microwave or on a stove.

Considering a teapot can last for life as your faithful loving tea-time companion, why not treat it with utmost respect and follow the guidelines and rules above. You can be sure that your pot will reward you, not to mention your tea friends will love to join you and your pot for tea :)

Have a favourite teapot you would like to show us? Feel free to email me your photo: george@kungfucha.net

Looking for a unique high quality teapot? Drop in to our online tea shop and have a browse: kungfucha.net

PS Both photos above are pots currently available at our shop. Like all of our pots, they are very limited in edition.