Thursday will be TeaDay 6/19/08

[Tadpole]

I like it all, and would love to have a giant space to display lots of beautiful teaware. As it is, I have very limited space (and funds), so I make do with basics. My trusty white gaiwan, glass pitcher, and matching white tasting cups is really what I use most often because I like to see the colors of the tealeaves and tea itself. So I guess white is my favorite in that it is the most universal and practical.

The fun teaware that gets used occasionally: a blue gaiwan with light blue interior, a celadon gaiwan with raised white plum flower pattern, a brown 2-cup Chatsford teapot, a glass Numi teapot, 2 glass teacups, a large 20 oz. teapot shaped like a fat green toad (creative friend acknowledged my obsession with tea and frogs all in one go).

Once I get more living space, I'd collect a lot more blue, gree, celadon, and brown teawares.

There is WenShan Baozhon in my mug this morning. The floraly peachness is really working for me at the moment.

[Chip]

I like it all, and would love to have a giant space to display lots of beautiful teaware. As it is, I have very limited space (and funds), so I make do with basics. My trusty white gaiwan, glass pitcher, and matching white tasting cups is really what I use most often because I like to see the colors of the tealeaves and tea itself. So I guess white is my favorite in that it is the most universal and practical.

The fun teaware that gets used occasionally: a blue gaiwan with light blue interior, a celadon gaiwan with raised white plum flower pattern, a brown 2-cup Chatsford teapot, a glass Numi teapot, 2 glass teacups, a large 20 oz. teapot shaped like a fat green toad (creative friend acknowledged my obsession with tea and frogs all in one go).

Once I get more living space, I'd collect a lot more blue, gree, celadon, and brown teawares.

There is WenShan Baozhon in my mug this morning. The floraly peachness is really working for me at the moment.

You have nice "basics!" Where is your Wen Shan Bao Zhong from?

Celadon has been calling my name a lot lately. Seems GREEN is my color...in anything and everything actually. I like a bacic white Asian cup for everyday use, like Sal and others, generally just like to see my tea in its natural glory. White is just very simple, uncomplicated and approachable. I have used the same cheap set for 9 years now. But greens...and glass are what make me go gaga.

However seeing all the teaware here and under the "show us your teaware" topic makes me realize I would like almost anything.

Started the day with Yunnan Gold from adagio. I can tell it is good, but after 9 years of trying Yunnan blacks and never loving one of them, I should come to grips that it is not my cup of tea. I hate giving up on a whole "class" of tea...I will finish this off.

And onto Fukamushi Houryoko. WOW, great session. This is better than the Maki by a hair. Fukamushi Supreme still reigns supreme this shincha for me though.

[Katrina]

I like it all, and would love to have a giant space to display lots of beautiful teaware.

Space is definitely an issue here, but placing my teaware above the reach of the toddlers is a bigger problem. I just got a bunch of corner shelves that I'm mounting in my kitchen. Each holds 1 smaller size pot or a gaiwan and cup. I thought it was a good way to maximize space, get to see my teaware, and ensure that my teaware remains in one piece!

[bi lew chun]

I was so excited for TeaDay that I voted too fast, thinking we were still on teapots, so I voted brown. But as far as teaware in general goes, definitely white.
I remember making a cool infusion of Oolong #18 a while ago. I wonder if it's ready.

*where's my ruler?*
Do tell us how you are brewing up this cold oolong - please?

*protects knuckles*

Actually it wasn't a cold infusion, just a lazily cool one. I used 2 g/150 mL, heated the water to a little above lukewarm and just left it to steep for a while. I even forgot about the second infusion for hours and it wasn't over-brewed.

Sometimes if I'm about to walk out the door I add tea to a bottle of water and go (the sports bottles seem to filter the tea pretty well).

[henley]

I like it all, and would love to have a giant space to display lots of beautiful teaware.

Space is definitely an issue here, but placing my teaware above the reach of the toddlers is a bigger problem. I just got a bunch of corner shelves that I'm mounting in my kitchen. Each holds 1 smaller size pot or a gaiwan and cup. I thought it was a good way to maximize space, get to see my teaware, and ensure that my teaware remains in one piece!

That's how my cups & saucers got on the kitchen walls & in the china cabinet. I have to admit, it's really been nice using these pieces that I've admired for so many years.

[Victoria]

Busy day at work today - very long meeting ahead.

To help me through Baozhong from FLT in my cup.
So much nice than this morning's cup.
I am starting to realize Tung Ting is not a favorite.

[henley]

And Mr Mailman was my friend today & definitely saved the best package for last! Had Sencha Overture & Magnolia Oolong for lunch. Verdict is still out on both of them. While the sencha didn't have the usual 'green' taste I describe, it was NOWHERE near as good as the Shincha Hatsumi. The magnolia oolong was pleasantly surprising but not sure that I would order it.

[RussianSoul]

This is like graduate school exam... The question is too hard!

I like blue and white, cobalt and white to be exact. I like red/orange. I like brown, earthy and natural. Clear is beautiful. Silver gets me every time. I prefer my cups white on the inside so I can admire my tea, the rest is open. When it's beautiful - it's beautiful regardless of color.

So far I had hot Irish Breakfast in the morning, went to the gym and took some iced Assam with me. Long Ya is next.

[Salsero]

The fun teaware that gets used occasionally ....

Ain't it the truth. Like Chip, it's my few core teaware items -- serviceable old friends -- that I keep coming back to and that give me the most pleasure. I guess once I become attached to something, I am just loyal to a fault in some ways.

Sometimes if I'm about to walk out the door I add tea to a bottle of water and go (the sports bottles seem to filter the tea pretty well).

Powdered sencha is phenomenal this way.

[Geekgirl]

WOWOWOW!!! The teaware in this thread rocks. OMG! Love the kyusu, and was the Yuzamashi I saw Hokujo? Soooo jealous.

Teaware color... had to go with "other." It really all depends on the style. LOVE dark browns/blacks for Japanese pots, dark reds/browns for yixing. White on my cups, at least on the inside. Have always been a sucker for celadon, though I don't have much, and only one teacup. But we have green carpet, my home office is painted green, most of my regular office is done in green and tonals. My clothes, well the only color I put in my wardrobe is usually green.

Surprisingly, I don't have a lot of green teaware though. Hmmm...

I've been a bit schizoprenic with my tea this morning. Started with shincha, but first the water was too hot, then the tea brewed too long. Third time was juuuuussst riiight. But by then I was distracted, hubby wanted a ZojiLatte. I made one of those, then I was a wee bit jealous, so I dragged down my favorite coffee mug of yore, and made a very strong cup of 500 Mile Chai from ToT. YUM.

Here is my coffee mug posing with my little race-car bear. He is a much loved member of the family who doesn't care what color teapot you use. He came to live with us before I was an "us." Brought back as a souvenir from Tahoe on my parents' honeymoon, over 40 years ago. I rescued him from near-loss in the "go to Goodwill" box about 10 years ago. He's a stand-in for my morning flower.




PS: that mug would be very satisfying to the girls here who like BIG mugs, it's a very generous 16oz and heavy stoneware. Yeah!

[geeber1]

FANTASTIC mug! The bigger, the better!

Your bear's so cute, he fits perfectly in your photo. Good thing you rescued him!

[auggy]

<sigh> the poor daily struggle of Auggy. If someone calls me at 6:15 unless it's work, i probably won't answer. The mute button on my phone is a wonderful thing.

If it were work I wouldn't answer. But there was a time of two years that every 6 months, someone died and we always got the call early in the morning - and the last time the ILs called early in the morning, hubby's grandma had died. So I only answered it because I thought something awful happened. Had I known she wanted to chat about the kitties' ringworm....

... so I'm not sure what she was thinking.

She must really value you as part of her family. There's no one we victimize more than family!

Ah, if only I were valued less. Sadly, she calls more often to talk to me than she does to talk to her own son.

I sure do complain a lot, don't I? Yikes. Contrary to what it must seem like here, I'm actually a really optimistic person. I guess I just whine.

I have been surfing tea cups on eBay today. I blame all the pretty pictures of girly teacups we've been getting on TD lately. And in a week or so, I might have some to share!

[Ladytiger]

I'm drinking Candy Cane from Adgio that was in the tea box pass. So many teas! I don't think I'll be bored for a while.

[auggy]

I'm drinking Candy Cane from Adgio that was in the tea box pass. So many teas! I don't think I'll be bored for a while.

Wow, you got that fast! Isn't it fun to open it up and see so many teas????

[Chip]

<sigh> the poor daily struggle of Auggy. If someone calls me at 6:15 unless it's work, i probably won't answer. The mute button on my phone is a wonderful thing.

If it were work I wouldn't answer. But there was a time of two years that every 6 months, someone died and we always got the call early in the morning - and the last time the ILs called early in the morning, hubby's grandma had died. So I only answered it because I thought something awful happened. Had I known she wanted to chat about the kitties' ringworm....

... so I'm not sure what she was thinking.

She must really value you as part of her family. There's no one we victimize more than family!

Ah, if only I were valued less. Sadly, she calls more often to talk to me than she does to talk to her own son.

I have been surfing tea cups on eBay today. I blame all the pretty pictures of girly teacups we've been getting on TD lately. And in a week or so, I might have some to share!

I know what you are saying about the scarey late night/early morning calls. It is always bad news...unless it is my crazy relative who thinks it is normal to call around midnight. She should drink more tea and less of the hard stuff which seems to impair her judgement.

Girly teacup photos from the women folk are always a pleasure to the men folk here...keeps us in touch with our feminine sides...or whatever...