Sipdown no. 110 of the year 2014. My inaugural use of the Yixing pot!
It may not have been the best choice because I had very little left, not really enough to fill the 140 ml pot to one third or so. But I chose it because I had tasted it fairly recently and remembered what it tasted like well enough to compare the taste from the porcelain gaiwan to the clay pot.
This is a fascinating experiment in so many ways. First, there’s a definite effect on the taste of the tea. Though the tea is underleafed and a little watery tasting, it is also somewhat rounder than I recall it tasting before. So the clay is doing something. I just can’t tell how much of the taste difference is because of the underleafing or whether some of it is the pot drawing flavor into the clay. The little pot pours fast and very evenly! I expected to taste some clay, but I don’t really.
I got a little worried when I did the “clink” test on the pot because it doesn’t ring like a bell. It has a high pitched metallic clink, but not the ringing sound I heard on this Youtube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_OoIxP5zYE
I was impressed, though, by how quickly the water I poured on the outside of the pot was absorbed into the clay rather than rolling down the sides. Really fast. And I sniffed the pot (okay it had tea in it but still) after pouring hot water over it and it really does smell like a hot rock rather than something muddy or earthy. I take all of this as signs it’s a good little pot for the price.
While I was enjoying this experience, I might have accidentally ordered another pot or two from Yunnan Sourcing.
If you don’t see me online for a while it’s because the BF has tied my hands together to keep me from ordering more teaware. He very rightly made the comment that the whole point of us drinking tea was to clear space in the house, which I’ve been filling with teaware purchases, and which can’t be sipped down. I can safely say, though, that the ratio of space taken by tea to teaware at this point is probably about ten to one at least, so I can stop now (or soon) and still come out ahead. ;-)
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Omg what have you ordered fr YS? I’ve been I that site for hours deciding on a pot.
You go girl!!! I am living my yixing wants vicariously until I order my own…i’ve been eye-balling some Mandala teaware…
Heehee, who needs space when you can have an abundance of teaware? Priorities!
Glad I’m not the only one who participated in successful experiments today!
I might have accidentally done the same thing. I ordered another one and then while I was at Zhi yesterday – they made me a screaming deal on the adorable one you see in my photo. So um, yeah. Three.
Oh and um, I have a pu-erh cake coming too.
I may have accidentally ordered the Golden Zhu Ni Dragon Egg and the Bao Lan Zhu Ni Yu Lan….
ahahahahaha!!!
scribbles, which of the Mandala are you eyeing? Sami, heh, I am with you on the priorities, but we really do need to reclaim some space in the kitchen. Just to a manageable level. ;-) Keychange, yes, I, too, am glad that we both had successful experiments today!
Omg what have you ordered fr YS? I’ve been I that site for hours deciding on a pot.
You go girl!!! I am living my yixing wants vicariously until I order my own…i’ve been eye-balling some Mandala teaware…
Heehee, who needs space when you can have an abundance of teaware? Priorities!
Glad I’m not the only one who participated in successful experiments today!
I might have accidentally done the same thing. I ordered another one and then while I was at Zhi yesterday – they made me a screaming deal on the adorable one you see in my photo. So um, yeah. Three.
Oh and um, I have a pu-erh cake coming too.
I may have accidentally ordered the Golden Zhu Ni Dragon Egg and the Bao Lan Zhu Ni Yu Lan….
ahahahahaha!!!
scribbles, which of the Mandala are you eyeing? Sami, heh, I am with you on the priorities, but we really do need to reclaim some space in the kitchen. Just to a manageable level. ;-) Keychange, yes, I, too, am glad that we both had successful experiments today!