Yixing
Home
News
Wine
More Wine
Coffee
Espresso
More Espresso
Tea
Forums
Wine Lists
Cocktails
Beer
Whiskey
Cognac
Machines
Vendors
News
Wine
More Wine
Coffee
Espresso
More Espresso
Tea
Forums
Wine Lists
Cocktails
Beer
Whiskey
Cognac
Machines
Vendors
An Yixing (pronounced ee-shing) clay teapot is a historical tea tool. It is made of a red, purple, or tan clay found in China's Jiangsu province, northwest of Shanghai. The clay is porous and never galzed. This allows the tea's flavor and oils to permeate the pot's walls.
Yixing lovers designate a pot for each tea to avoid mixing flavors. For instance I have a pot for Shu or Shou (cooked) Pu-erh and a pot for Sheng (raw) or green Pu-erh and another pot for high grade Oolong tea.
Tea drinkers outside of Asia are often surprised at the small 150ml - 180ml (about 6 to 8 ounces) size of the typical Yixing teapot. Unlike huge eight-cup-teapots, the Yixing teapot is a personal and intimate treasure. Also, keep in mind, that a 'cup' of tea is about 3 or 4 ounces.
Pot preparation begins with the seasoning of the new pot. First, rinse (no soap!) the pot with water to remove any loose materials. Then, allow an infusion of the type of tea to which the pot will be dedicated to steep in the pot for up to 30 minutes. Discard the tea and rinse the pot with clear water. The seasoning process is only done once before a pot's first use.
Some will tell you to fill the pot with water and submerge it in a large cooking pot on the stove and boil it for two hours (this is quite common). There are even instructions that talk about doing this and then doing it again with tofu inside the pot. You could also dance naked under the moon with the teapot strapped to your head while you're at it...if you think it'll help. Another instruction says that when you've used the pot you can rinse it alternating between hot and cold water form the faucet until you no longer smell earthy-clay odors. Good luck.
To make tea:
Warm: pour boiling water into and on the empty Yixing pot. This warms the pot. Do the same with the cups you will be using. This sounds messy and it can be, this is the reason for the slotted bamboo tea trays you'll find in some tea shops and available from online vendors.
Rinse: add loose leaf tea to the pot; the amount depends on personal preference, but 2 tablespoons in a 2-cup pot is a safe starting point. Remember that the higher the grade of tea the more likely you'll be able to get a rinse plus 3 or 4 brews from the leaves.
Fill the teapot with hot water and place the lid on top. Allow the tea to steep for about 20 seconds. Pour this into the cups you're going to use and then pour the rest out and empty the cups into the sink or tray.
Brew: fill the Yixing pot with water again. This time, allow the tea to steep for however long is recommended for the tea you are using.
Pour the tea into your warmed cups. Remember - high grade tea leaves support 4-6 steepings. A good cooked or ripe pu-erh may brew up to 10 times.
Caring for a Yixing teapot could not be easier. Use clear water to flush the leaves out of the pot, and turn the pot upside down to dry. Soap or detergents should never be used on either the outside or the inside of a Yixing teapot. Never wipe the pot with anything, inside or outside (towel, tissue, etc...).
Yixing lovers designate a pot for each tea to avoid mixing flavors. For instance I have a pot for Shu or Shou (cooked) Pu-erh and a pot for Sheng (raw) or green Pu-erh and another pot for high grade Oolong tea.
Tea drinkers outside of Asia are often surprised at the small 150ml - 180ml (about 6 to 8 ounces) size of the typical Yixing teapot. Unlike huge eight-cup-teapots, the Yixing teapot is a personal and intimate treasure. Also, keep in mind, that a 'cup' of tea is about 3 or 4 ounces.
Pot preparation begins with the seasoning of the new pot. First, rinse (no soap!) the pot with water to remove any loose materials. Then, allow an infusion of the type of tea to which the pot will be dedicated to steep in the pot for up to 30 minutes. Discard the tea and rinse the pot with clear water. The seasoning process is only done once before a pot's first use.
Some will tell you to fill the pot with water and submerge it in a large cooking pot on the stove and boil it for two hours (this is quite common). There are even instructions that talk about doing this and then doing it again with tofu inside the pot. You could also dance naked under the moon with the teapot strapped to your head while you're at it...if you think it'll help. Another instruction says that when you've used the pot you can rinse it alternating between hot and cold water form the faucet until you no longer smell earthy-clay odors. Good luck.
To make tea:
Warm: pour boiling water into and on the empty Yixing pot. This warms the pot. Do the same with the cups you will be using. This sounds messy and it can be, this is the reason for the slotted bamboo tea trays you'll find in some tea shops and available from online vendors.
Rinse: add loose leaf tea to the pot; the amount depends on personal preference, but 2 tablespoons in a 2-cup pot is a safe starting point. Remember that the higher the grade of tea the more likely you'll be able to get a rinse plus 3 or 4 brews from the leaves.
Fill the teapot with hot water and place the lid on top. Allow the tea to steep for about 20 seconds. Pour this into the cups you're going to use and then pour the rest out and empty the cups into the sink or tray.
Brew: fill the Yixing pot with water again. This time, allow the tea to steep for however long is recommended for the tea you are using.
Pour the tea into your warmed cups. Remember - high grade tea leaves support 4-6 steepings. A good cooked or ripe pu-erh may brew up to 10 times.
Caring for a Yixing teapot could not be easier. Use clear water to flush the leaves out of the pot, and turn the pot upside down to dry. Soap or detergents should never be used on either the outside or the inside of a Yixing teapot. Never wipe the pot with anything, inside or outside (towel, tissue, etc...).
