Friday TeaDay 7/17/09 Teaware aquisition usage?

[Chip]

Happy TeaDay once again. Please come in frequently and share what is in your cup today.

Yesterday most responders indicated they had a desire to learn about the region where their fave teawares originated. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. YowCha, this one might hurt a little. What percentage of your teaware acquisitions over the last year are you actually using? Now be honest.

I am most certainly looking forward to sharing TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.

[olivierco]

I try to use all my teaware. I have some futaoki I don't use however so more than 90%.


futaoki= lid rest

Otsuusan sencha this morning.

[Thirsty Daruma]

Both my budget and my personal philosophy on possessions keeps my collection to a minimum. One cheap kyusuu, one cheap gaiwan, one cheap brewing mug, one cheap brewing kettle, and and two yixing tasting cups. I use them all, and too good effect.

Now, the case might be a little different if I was out of school...

Oh, and the Zojirushi boiler gets used 10-15 times a day. The heaviest investment, but it sees by far the heavest use.

[Salsero]

I went with more than 70% but perhaps that is wishful thinking. Most gets used infrequently; but even if not used, it is often admired and handled.

[Ebtoulson]

Hmm over that past year I got :
2 yixing pots,
1 hand thrown stoneware cup,
1 hand thrown gaiwan with 3 matching tasting/aroma cups
4 yixing clay cups,
1 glass teapot

and the only thing i haven't used in a while is the glass teapot, so 8/9 = ~89 percent. Not bad, I guess that's because I've been going for much small portions, 3-4 oz infusions vs making 16-24 oz at a time.

[Maitre_Tea]

OMG! I'm a terrible person! I've only been using 33% of my acquisitions since last year. When I started on my tea journey last year, I bought 6 yixing teapots in a package deal from a shop in Shanghai. Sadly, they were way too big, so they're essentially decorative pieces. I broke a gaiwan and an yixing teapot, so I obviously don't use them anymore (maybe that won't count for the sake of this poll).

So for the tea ware I've purchased more recently, I've been trying to rotate through them. I think of my tea ware like my children, and I don't want them to think I have favorites (which I do, but don't tell them that!). I do have a Zisha Yixing that's going un-used. I bought it thinking I would dedicate it to DC, but it's too thick. I might dedicate it to old Sheng pu'er, when I actually go down that path.

[sriracha]

I voted 90%, but it's just a guess. I do use a lot of what I own on a daily or almost-daily basis. I love choosing the perfect cup or right size brewing vessel for every tea. I use my small Chinese cups a lot, several at the same time so the tea will cool faster.

My first, large and not very easy to handle gaiwan and two small glass cups are the most neglected, I think. The cups I just don't like very much for some reason. Luckily I have four new coming my way from Golden Tea House.

Yunnan again this morning.

I bought 6 yixing teapots in a package deal from a shop in Shanghai. Sadly, they were way too big

How big is too big, in your opinion? *curious*

[Drax]

I use > 80% -- there's one pot I don't use because it's poorer quality, and there's two I don't use because they're more for display. But I don't have many other display pieces. I use the rest. Even the gaiwans, I will mix up which ones I brew with, but I don't have too many, and I resist the urge to buy more.

Ooooooooooooooooooolong.

[clareandromeda]

I use it all since I just started collecting so my collection is small, last of the miyabi today. I'll open some new shincha I got at Ito En last week. It's from Uji and is very fine so as sad as I am about finishing the miyabi I have the Ito En to look forward to. Field trip today and then training and then baseball, looking forward to the day. Have a good day all!

[Aphroditea]

I have only just recently really started pursuing collecting and have thusfar only got 2 cups so pretty easy for me to be using 100% of what I have collected so far

[CutieAgouti]

Over 90%. My collection is small, two kyusus, 3 matcha bowls, a gaiwan, and some other teapots here and there. It's growing gradually.

Matcha this morning, and every morning!

[brad4419]

100%

All I got this year was a gaiwan, teapot, farness cup and tea cups and becasue thats my whole collection I use then all the time. Just wait till next year though

no tea yet

[Victoria]

I use everything when it's new, but I have a lot so I don't get to some pieces
in rotation for awhile. But it's always nice to come back to them.

In my cup this morning Japanese Black.

Have a nice day everyone!

[Artemis]

100%! I don't actually own a proper teapot, so I use my ingenuitea every day. I'll make some mugs once I'm back in school with access to the kiln.

[kymidwife]

I'll say 90%... I use almost everything pretty regularly. I have one matcha chawan I have never used yet, but I will get to it soon.

I'm off to Nashville to get my cracked brand-new iphone repaired. If time and weather permit, I'm going to the big Farmer's Market... rumor has it that they have a nice international market including tea. I might even stop by the dreaded Teavana while I'm at the mall.

No tea yet... gonna have a cuppa something and then a cuppu something else to take on the road. I'm thinking something in green and something in Darjeeling.

Sarah