Distilling Essential Oil From Tea Leaves to Season Yixing?

[Kongaloosh]

I just got a new little shui ping tea pot, which I'm really enjoying.

I'm a little wary of seasoning a new pot by boiling it--I worry that the detergent or oils that may be left over from cooking may damage it.

Instead, I've been just enjoying my favourite teas and letting the leaves sit in the pot. I've also experimented with cutting leaves after a pour with a serrated knife to release all the juices from the leaves, and spreading the pulp on the inside of the teapot for a little while to help it absorb the oil.

That got me thinking, it's a plant, right? What's preventing me from distilling the oils from the leaves once I've finished my steeping session, and using it to help speed up the seasoning with the teas I enjoy the most?

Has anyone else tried this? Does it sound like a horrific idea?

- KGL

[Tead Off]

Boiling a pot doesn't season it, just cleans it. Boiling with tea leaves also doesn't season it, just stains it. Seasoning happens over time. Just be patient. Either use the pot regularly, or pour brewed tea into it every day and let it sit for awhile. It accumulates over time.

[Alex]

I don't like to rush the seasoning of a pot. Part of its charm for me is that the patina is literally a build up of normal usage not something that's rushed to like its a goal but something that occurs through each tea session and the passing of days.

[Kongaloosh]

Boiling with tea leaves also doesn't season it, just stains it.

Hmm, I had thought that the reason people did that was for an initial seasoning--not unlike cast-iron cookware. If that's the case, what aspect of the brewing changes the pot over time that you wouldn't get with the boiling?

Part of its charm for me is that the patina is literally a build up of normal usage not something that's rushed to like its a goal but something that occurs through each tea session and the passing of days.

I certainly agree. Typically all I do is a regular session, and then leave the leaves in with some hot water for a little while before I clean the pot out and let it dry. It's not that I'm rushing to get it to some end point of being seasoned, I just want to experiment with the process and help the pot absorb the most it can from the leaves I enjoy the most.

[Alex]

Sorry my post was probably a little badly worded. I remember IPT saying that people use to buy pots from him and then pay him to season them for months.

[kyarazen]

I just got a new little shui ping tea pot, which I'm really enjoying.

I'm a little wary of seasoning a new pot by boiling it--I worry that the detergent or oils that may be left over from cooking may damage it.

Instead, I've been just enjoying my favourite teas and letting the leaves sit in the pot. I've also experimented with cutting leaves after a pour with a serrated knife to release all the juices from the leaves, and spreading the pulp on the inside of the teapot for a little while to help it absorb the oil.

That got me thinking, it's a plant, right? What's preventing me from distilling the oils from the leaves once I've finished my steeping session, and using it to help speed up the seasoning with the teas I enjoy the most?

Has anyone else tried this? Does it sound like a horrific idea?

- KGL

it wont work. its not simply essential oils that end up giving the gloss and nice texture, its a combination of the clay firing quality, clay type, together with the repeated temperature changes from brewing of tea etc.

if you distill the oils from the leaves you wont get much oil, just a huge bunch of waxes (cuticle waxes?) and other similar organic compounds. essential oil content of tea leaves is extremely little, a lot of the aromatics are volatiles in the form of alcohols, keto-aldehydes that constitute probably even lesser than 0.1% when compared to the amount of waxy stuff you may extract.

[Kongaloosh]

Sorry my post was probably a little badly worded.

Well, the way I worded it made it sound like I was rushing it, too.

I remember IPT saying that people use to buy pots from him and then pay him to season them for months.

Oh man, I can't imagine forgoing the chance to watch it change over time. I guess they just figured IPT knew what they were doing and they didn't want to make any mistakes.

[Kongaloosh]

it wont work. its not simply essential oils that end up giving the gloss and nice texture, its a combination of the clay firing quality, clay type, together with the repeated temperature changes from brewing of tea etc.

I wasn't really thinking about the gloss so much, as the seasoning on the inside of the pot and the flavour from it.

if you distill the oils from the leaves you wont get much oil, just a huge bunch of waxes (cuticle waxes?) and other similar organic compounds. essential oil content of tea leaves is extremely little, a lot of the aromatics are volatiles in the form of alcohols, keto-aldehydes that constitute probably even lesser than 0.1% when compared to the amount of waxy stuff you may extract.

Thanks for such detailed information! This is exactly what I was looking for.

[kyarazen]

I wasn't really thinking about the gloss so much, as the seasoning on the inside of the pot and the flavour from it.

Thanks for such detailed information! This is exactly what I was looking for.

hmm.. is there a final objective/state that you wish to achieve with this seasoning?

i like pots with nice seasoned appearances on the outside.. it heightens the beauty of the pot and exemplifies the quality of the clay.

[Kongaloosh]

hmm.. is there a final objective/state that you wish to achieve with this seasoning?

I want to help it on its way to being an aged pot. I'm hopefully going to get to the point where I can pour water in and get slight notes of the tea I've been seasoning it with.

i like pots with nice seasoned appearances on the outside.. it heightens the beauty of the pot and exemplifies the quality of the clay.

I agree with this. The the quality of an aged pot extends to its exterior, but right now I'm most interested in improving my brews and adding to the flavours.

[wyardley]

Hmm, I had thought that the reason people did that was for an initial seasoning--not unlike cast-iron cookware. If that's the case, what aspect of the brewing changes the pot over time that you wouldn't get with the boiling?

Pots don't need any special seasoning. If it's a used pot, you might boil it in plain water once or twice (very carefully), but generally, seasoning is simply making tea in the pot. It can take some practice to figure out what works for you in terms of pot maintenance, but it's not something that can (or should) be rushed.

Of course, there are some cheater ways to make a pot shine if you want a perfectly even, shiny pot, but I would skip this unless you just want a piece of decoration.

[Kongaloosh]

... generally, seasoning is simply making tea in the pot.

Yes, and that's what I typically do. I've really just been toying around with different ways I could encourage my pot along, and different things which could help maintain it in the long-run.

It can take some practice to figure out what works for you in terms of pot maintenance, but it's not something that can (or should) be rushed.

Certainly! I'm just experimenting with the idea of collecting everything I possibly can with the leaves and learning more about how yixing and tea interact.

I didn't mean to come off sounding like I was rushing the proccess. I fully intend to spend many years taking care of the pot.

Of course, there are some cheater ways to make a pot shine if you want a perfectly even, shiny pot, but I would skip this unless you just want a piece of decoration.

I agree. Worry less about the aesthetic, and spend more time on the brew.

[kyarazen]

how would you rate the porosity and the firing of the pot?

if the porosity is high, and the firing is on the low side, you may need a long long long time of usage before it actually would "perform" normally..

[wert]

how would you rate the porosity and the firing of the pot?

if the porosity is high, and the firing is on the low side, you may need a long long long time of usage before it actually would "perform" normally..

Actually, this is something that has "troubled" me for a long while. How do I judge the porosity and firing of the pot?

Also, from a scientific point of the view how did the surface of the pots get the sheen? How did cha shan developed inside the pot? Most common answer I get is essential oils. I am wondering if anyone have further inputs on this.

In relation to the above, and ultimately what I want to know most is how much benefit derive from using the same tea in the one pot? A stronger tea would leave some of its favour to the next brew but it would be gone in a couple of infusions? No?

[William]

how would you rate the porosity and the firing of the pot?

if the porosity is high, and the firing is on the low side, you may need a long long long time of usage before it actually would "perform" normally..

Actually, this is something that has "troubled" me for a long while. How do I judge the porosity and firing of the pot?

Also, from a scientific point of the view how did the surface of the pots get the sheen? How did cha shan developed inside the pot? Most common answer I get is essential oils. I am wondering if anyone have further inputs on this.

In relation to the above, and ultimately what I want to know most is how much benefit derive from using the same tea in the one pot? A stronger tea would leave some of its favour to the next brew but it would be gone in a couple of infusions? No?

I found most of my answers here ~ http://hojotea.com/article_e/mineral.htm