Monday TeaDay 10/27/08 Best tea, wrong pot conundrum.

[Chip]

Let's start the week off right, let's be sure to drink lots of tea and to share what is in our cups today, all day.

Yesterday, "fruity" was the winner by far in favorite flavor component to tea. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic is contributed by Treazure who asked, "If you had the most incredible tea ever, but you didn't have the proper pot to make it in, would you make it anyway?" Please share what to do in this situation.

I am looking forward to another TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.

[Maitre_Tea]

I think that the most incredible tea would only be incredible if it were made with the right kind of tea ware. If the wrong kind of tea ware were used, the tea wouldn't taste incredible.

Imagine if the most incredible tea were matcha, and alll you had was a yixing teapot...I doubt that matcha would cease to be incredible if it were brewed in a yixing teapot

[Salsero]

Forget the teapot. I would munch the leaves like the Lotus Eaters that Brave Ulysses found. Speaking of altered states of consciousness, I just watched Into Great Silence, a must see movie for those who have an interest in the meditative life and monasticism … oh, and the patience to sit through 2 hours and 42 minutes of virtually wordless images and sounds! It really bowled me over ... but not for everyone I fear.

[daughteroftheKing]

"Maybe" How's that for non-commitment? I'd probably give it a try. After all, I've been enjoying oolongs for a good while now without having an yixing pot. Speaking of which, I bought my first yixing yesterday at a local antique/collectibles consignment store. Since I know nothing of it's history (or even authenticity), I'll season it before actually using it (probably with lightly fired oolongs???).

Off to sleep (what am doing up this late on a Sunday night?!), but looking forward to the first cup in a few hours .

[Victoria]

Most definitely! I can be very resourceful when it comes to the most incredible oolong ever!

Congrats on your new pot DotK!!

[Vulture]

Did maybe, it really depends on the type of tea. Sometimes you could just jury rig a pot together to use for it. But other times you just need a specific pot for that type of tea.

[bronzebed]

absolutely! wouldn't pass up a chance at an amazing tea and i would prepare it as best as possible.

nd: yunnan black

[kymidwife]

No doubt about it, I'd make the tea with or without the ideal teaware. That doesn't mean I wouldn't consider ordering a new pot! But, in the past, I've made tea in anything and everything... including shincha in a glass pyrex measuring cup, poured through a kitchen strainer into a large Mickey Mouse coffee cup. It tasted awfully good, even without the proper wares... and if I knew the tea was amazing, I'd never be disciplined enough to let it sit and wait for teaware to arrive.

No more tea tonight, as I'm off to bed... last tea was a "pinch of this and that" including some jade oolong, darjeeling, and a black iced tea signature blend (unflavored)... in honor of the Stash combo Victoria mentioned in another thread... made me wanna try some odds and ends. I declined to add any green or white, so I could keep the brewing parameters more reasonable...but I must say, it was very tasty.

G'nite all,

Sarah

[olivierco]

Unless it is matcha which I won't brew without any chasen or unless I have only a teapot that would alter the taste of the tea I would definitively make the tea.

Keemun with my breakfast.

[omegapd]

Sure would. Like Sarah said, out comes the measuring cup and the strainer...

EW

[Trey Winston]

I could never wait for anything good, so I would make it right away, in the most inappropriate of vessels. I do that every day anyway.

[Drax]

I said go for it, selfishly assuming that the most incredible tea ever was also not the most expensive tea ever.

I'm trying adagio's Pisces blend this morning. The odor and taste are reminiscent of an orange creamsicle.

[caligatia]

Like Sarah said. I'd figure out something.

Golden monkey in my cup right now.

[Sydney]

Based on previous experience, I'd do it, but I'd regret it. heh

[treazure]

Adapt or die. Wrong pot, awesome tea, I'll figure something out. I've even managed to make a decent tea in a pyrex flask over a bunsen burner, but don't let the tea police know! Gee, I wonder what the first tea drinkers used if they didn't have the right tea pot?

Golden monkey today - I'd give it two thumbs up but need one to help hold the teacup which isn't an approved TEA cup, but a glass world cup from Nescafe. It's heavy and has enough room to really smell the tea.

Ah- fellow vegetarians, no monkeys were harmed in the production of this lovely tea.

Jeanne