The brown gaiwan that travels/stays with the box is found two places.
Tao of Tea:
http://www.taooftea.com/detail2411-Brow ... aiwan.html
And Dragonhouse Tea on ebay:
http://tinyurl.com/6gvah2
Jul 13th, '08, 00:11
Posts: 2299
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tenuki
Jul 13th, '08, 10:09
Posts: 591
Joined: Apr 21st, '07, 23:01
Location: Indianapolis IN
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augie
I have been looking at this one for a year, but my brain is just not wired for Gaiwan usage:tenuki wrote:The brown gaiwan that travels/stays with the box is found two places.
Tao of Tea:
http://www.taooftea.com/detail2411-Brow ... aiwan.html
And Dragonhouse Tea on ebay:
http://tinyurl.com/6gvah2
http://www.houdeasianart.com/index.php? ... cts_id=934
They look similar with an $7.50 price difference, though. The HouDe Gaiwan may have thinner walls/different material?
Jul 13th, '08, 11:31
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Joined: Oct 23rd, '06, 19:46
Location: Seattle Area
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tenuki
the flare of the rim is not as pronounced, and the saucer angles are different. I am pretty certain it's a different one, and also that it is probably better quality. However, I have found gaiwans to be very different in regards to use. The one at Hou De looks to me like it would be harder for me to use, but obviously everyone's hands are different. I will mention that several people have complained about the ToT one, the clay at the core is lighter than the slip that covers it, but I like it and use it daily. It's porcelain inside, I'm not really concerned if it is genuine YiXing all the way through or not.
The more pronounced rim flair of the ToT one protects your hand from the heat and makes pouring nicer IMO than others without the flair. Having a saucer that slants upward enough is important as well, so that your fingers can easily slip underneath it to pick it up. In fact, that is the one feature I always look for in Gaiwans now, can my fingers easily slide under the saucer. The largish knob on the top is also important, it insulates your thumb/finger from heat as well and it's shape is important to give you purchase since often you need to manipulate the lid to change the opening size during pouring. Hou De's glass gaiwan actually looks more like a shape I would seek out from a practical point of view.
Watch my gongfu garden video with these things in mind and see what I mean.
The more pronounced rim flair of the ToT one protects your hand from the heat and makes pouring nicer IMO than others without the flair. Having a saucer that slants upward enough is important as well, so that your fingers can easily slip underneath it to pick it up. In fact, that is the one feature I always look for in Gaiwans now, can my fingers easily slide under the saucer. The largish knob on the top is also important, it insulates your thumb/finger from heat as well and it's shape is important to give you purchase since often you need to manipulate the lid to change the opening size during pouring. Hou De's glass gaiwan actually looks more like a shape I would seek out from a practical point of view.
Watch my gongfu garden video with these things in mind and see what I mean.
Jul 13th, '08, 13:15
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ABx
Hou De's is made a little differently so that everything can fit inside the gaiwan for travelling. You can look at the larger pic to see how it all fits together. It's pretty neat, but the practical aspect seems to be focused more on portability. It may still be perfectly easy to handle, though. I don't know.
augie, just wait for the Oolong Box and try the one in it. It is simply great and amazingly easy to use. I have only used a gaiwan a few times before, very few, and I have always burnt my fingers and spilled tea all over - that is with a gaiwan I have at home. The gaiwan from the Box, I was able to work it like a pro. It is very well designed. So I terrorized Tenuki until he revealed his source 
. I am definitely getting one of these cuties.
. I am definitely getting one of these cuties.Logistics:
I have finished loading my sample baggies and am now packing up the Box while drinking Ali Shan High Mountain Golden Lily from Teahome – very tasty BTW!
However...
I will be attending my daughter’s college freshmen orientation with her on Monday and Tuesday. According to the schedule it will be a whole day affair for both days. So I am planning to
1. Invite a friendly trucker with his 18-wheeler
2. Ply him with delicious tea
3. Have him take me and my Box to the post office on Wednesday.
However...
I will be attending my daughter’s college freshmen orientation with her on Monday and Tuesday. According to the schedule it will be a whole day affair for both days. So I am planning to
1. Invite a friendly trucker with his 18-wheeler
2. Ply him with delicious tea
3. Have him take me and my Box to the post office on Wednesday.
Jul 13th, '08, 22:18
Posts: 591
Joined: Apr 21st, '07, 23:01
Location: Indianapolis IN
Contact:
augie
Re: Logistics:
Can't wait to see that gaiwan, more so than the tea!RussianSoul wrote:I have finished loading my sample baggies and am now packing up the Box while drinking Ali Shan High Mountain Golden Lily from Teahome – very tasty BTW!
Oh, good luck. I just got my 14 y.o. back from Band Geek Camp in Champaign/Urbana. 7 long days -- we heard from him once for 5 minutes. Can't imagine what it's going to be like. Enjoy your time and take some tea.RussianSoul wrote:I will be attending my daughter’s college freshmen orientation with her on Monday and Tuesday.
Yellow Freight is around $250 and they'll come to your door . . .RussianSoul wrote:Have him take me and my Box to the post office on Wednesday.
Re: Logistics:
Okay, it's late & I'm exhausted but this struck me as funny... I love the different stages of life we're all in. Your daughter's soon starting college & mine's soon starting kindergarten.RussianSoul wrote: I will be attending my daughter’s college freshmen orientation with her on Monday and Tuesday.
We can cry on each other's shoulders w/a good cuppa oolong!
This Oolong box pass seems like a wonderful idea and a great teachat community initiative, it's already given me some teas to add to my shopping list.
Does anyone know which Wenshan Baozhong from teamasters this is? I got the price list and there seems to be about 5 or 6 different ones listed.RussianSoul wrote:But in the afternoon I tried Wenshan Baozhong from Stephane of teamaster's blog and it blew my mind. Not that I am very experienced with Oolong, not at all, but I tried a few, maybe a dozen - maybe about twenty. I have never tried anything like this one - it is thick and sweet. And I don't mean a sweet note floating somewhere there in the middle of the tea taste, but SWEET, like in sweet things - amazing!
Yes it's the 2 year old tree one.
And it is most excellent!
And it is most excellent!
- Victoria -
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
Where is the price list? Or do you have to email to request it? I'm not sure I can wait for the box pass to try that tea, because I have a bad feeling there won't be any left.... I am far down the list!
Thanks in advance,
Sarah
Thanks in advance,
Sarah
***This organic blend is earthy & spicy, with a fragrant aroma & smooth flavor to captivate the senses. Naturally sweetened in the Kentucky sunshine & infused with natural energy. Equally delicious when served piping hot or crisply chilled.***
If you two can hold off on ordering - you may find a few more reviews for Tea Masters coming along. Tenuki may weigh in with some addtional choices, I just placed an order for 2 or 3 (How bad is it when I can't remember?) different ones that will be here any day, as did Bi Lew Chun and perhaps even Salsero?
- Victoria -
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
The Oolong Box is on its way to Georgia!
I had so much fun with it - it is hard to even begin to describe! And I learned a bit too. So I have a couple of suggestions for the people down the chain.
1. If you haven't tried using a gaiwan before, definitely try the gaiwan in the gongfu mini-box. The gaiwan Tenuki sent is amazingly easy to use, so much better than the one I have at home and always feel like a klutz trying to use. Besides tea tastes so much richer brewed in gaiwan, you don't want to miss this experience.
2. There are now 40 different teas in the Box. You may want to be prepared to take samples because there's no way a person can try all he or she wants to try in a reasonable amount of time. The solution can be to get tea sample baggies. I know Upton and TeaSource sell them, perhaps there are other vendors as well.
Other than that, enjoy and have fun!
I had so much fun with it - it is hard to even begin to describe! And I learned a bit too. So I have a couple of suggestions for the people down the chain.
1. If you haven't tried using a gaiwan before, definitely try the gaiwan in the gongfu mini-box. The gaiwan Tenuki sent is amazingly easy to use, so much better than the one I have at home and always feel like a klutz trying to use. Besides tea tastes so much richer brewed in gaiwan, you don't want to miss this experience.
2. There are now 40 different teas in the Box. You may want to be prepared to take samples because there's no way a person can try all he or she wants to try in a reasonable amount of time. The solution can be to get tea sample baggies. I know Upton and TeaSource sell them, perhaps there are other vendors as well.
Other than that, enjoy and have fun!