Friday TeaDay 8/14/09 Too much TeaWare variety?

[Chip]

I bought lunch at a sushi place today, the food was good, the tea free but so weak I'm not even sure whether it was genmaicha, bancha or something else. But the cup I drank from was really nice, a small-ish yunomi with a smooth but sort of sandy glaze, sort of red.

Imagine drinking this same watery tea from a plastic cup? Dreadful...

Yeah, there is a sushi/hibachi bar here. The tea is not bad, but they serve in huge "coffee" mugs, they actually say coffee all over them, like a $ store special (and there was a dollar store next door). The mugs weigh a ton and hold 16 ounces. Totally ruins the whole tea/food experience.

Another sushi/hibachi place a few miles away serves genmaicha, it is served at the table in a tetsubin thatis left at the table. The cups are "sushi" tea cups, very nice.

Likely never enough, but time will tell. Display space is always an issue around here, because if I tuck it away in a cabinet, it will never get used. I am very visual, need to see it, plus looking at interesting teaware really is very enjoyable, am I right???

Began the TD with 88 Nights shincha from Sugimto USA. Next up, Yutaka Midori from O-Cha.

[Zanaspus]

I find it amazing how many folks think lots of teaware is good vs yesterday when when a lot of folks though lots of tea was bad.

I'm backwards as usual.

[Maitre_Tea]

I think the difference between yesterday's poll and today's poll is that tea ware can never go stale, although of course it can break. While that Sencha's flavor will deteriorate after a few months or so, your tea-ware can only get better with age (assuming you take care of it of course).

Enjoying some of the Tea Gallery's Classic Roast TGY...probably one of my most favorite teas ever...and quite a bargain too.

[Chip]

I think the difference between yesterday's poll and today's poll is that tea ware can never go stale, although of course it can break. While that Sencha's flavor will deteriorate after a few months or so, your tea-ware can only get better with age (assuming you take care of it of course).

My thoughts exactly. Also, variety in teaware adds variety to the whole tea experience. So, even though I may only have 3 sencha open, my sencha is different each time I have it.

Risheet FF Darjeeling with DW. Gotta love this year's FF Darjeeling. I remember reading about the drought and how the harvest was going to be dismal (which I swear they say every year for Darjeeling, negative reports every year it seems). I have had almost 20 FF Darjeeling so far, not a bad one in the bunch, alll good.

[MASALACHAAAAIIIIII]

I don't think it really matters, It would be nice to have more to choose from. But I don't have anywhere to store it, and as long as it works for what tea types I have it doesn't matter. More cups would be nice though, hate cleaning the same ones over and over and over again SOOO LAZY! hahaa jk

Having some masala chai right now! Had Zencha's takumi earlier, YUMMY! Gonna have some other stuff later, whatever I feel like dudessssss its friday!!! weeee

[geeber1]

I guess that too much teaware isn't really a problem if you use it all once in a while. But to me it seems really wasteful if you spend a lot of money on stuff you never use.

Today was a disappointing TeaDay. I had some good Irish Breakfast before work, and at work had some Plum Oolong (blech!) and then some bitter Nilgiri (now I remember why I haven't used it all up!) My tea experience was redeemed when I discovered a Darjeeling sample from a tea swap. That was a great discovery!

[Intuit]

No, experiential evidence for *most* tea enthusiasts is the same for teas and teaware. Acute interest may easily pass the point of physical and financial practicality and evolve into mild obsession.

It's tough to sort out what you really need versus what you reflexively desire. I find it useful to step back, make an idiot list of teas and necessary teaware to brew them and wait a bit to seriously rethink longterm need versus passing desire.

Inevitably, as you are exposed to higher quality teas and teaware, you find just as you did for lower quality teas, that your old standbys don't suit anymore. For teaware, formerly beloved pot and even kettle are seen as too large for finer teas due to altered perception of 'adequate' volume and brew quality. It typically necessitates purchasing more teaware.

Interestingly, a reverse case arises as well: teaware deemed 'too small' that sat unused and unloved can be rediscovered at the back of a cupboard. Several diminutive yixing pots and a 'English bachelor's' silver tea set are two examples of changed perception that obviated the need for new teaware.

Editing of teas and teaware becomes essential if you're to manage the difficulties of space and budget constraints over time. I believe that you can find a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction with carefully moderated tea and teaware variety.

So I find myself nodding in agreement with Zanaspus and Depravitea - sort of, anyway...as I mince my way into exploration of Chinese and Japanese greens (meaning, more teaware purchases too)

*eyes rolling*

Roasted kukicha in my cup.

[entropyembrace]

Maybe...I really don't know...being a klutz I break teaware almost as fast as I can buy it.

Today I've been drinking 2nd Flush Margaret's Hope and thinking of having some pu-erh later...

[brlarson]

I don't think you can have too much teaware variety. If you can afford it and have the space to store it then go for it! My needs are simple, so I don't have need or want a lot of teaware.

Adagio Ali Shan for breakfast with O-Cha's Uji Miyabe for lunch.

[silvermage2000]

I dont think theres too much tea ware.