Chinese version of Yuzamashi (porcelain?)

[fire_snake]

I've ordered a gaiwan and cup set from the Tea Gallery. It looks great online, I hear good things about it, so I can't wait.

TTG seems to to be missing a few things, though, unless I'm mistaken . . . a little bowl for the tea (presentation before brewing) - though there is "tea jar", a pitcher, and another vessel for cooling water (yuzamashi?)

I assume I can find these elsewhere online, but they might not match. Is there such a thing as a porcelain yuzamashi to be used with a gaiwan set?

Christian

[MarshalN]

Nope -- why do you need one? Most of the time you are using hot, hot water to make tea.

[fire_snake]

Nope -- why do you need one? Most of the time you are using hot, hot water to make tea.

Yes, you're right actually. These are Chinese greens, after all.

[wyardley]

Yeah - TTG doesn't really specialize in selling all these kinds of things, and they've been sold out of the cha hai that they used to carry for quite some time (it's from a different manufacturer than their gaiwans / cups anyway, I'm pretty sure).

I wouldn't worry too much about matching precisely. Not all "white" is the same, but it shoul be possible to find some things that match well enough. You can find a "cha he" (tea "lotus") and / or a "cha hai" or "gongdao bei" (tea ocean or fairness cup) from a number of other vendors. The former isn't really needed, and you can always substitute a small ramekin or other dish if you don't have a specialized object. As Marshaln says, you probably won't need a cooling pitcher.

Depending on how you're brewing, you might like a dish or boat for the teapot to sit on and / or a bowl for waste water.

[Chip]

You can use your cups for cooling the water ... for greens. This also will then give you the exact amount of brew you need to fill the same number of cups.

[MarshalN]

Well, a normal way for cooling water when making Chinese greens is to use two pitchers -- pour water back and forth between them (much faster than waiting for a yuzamashi).

[Alex]

The upturned lid of a gaiwan makes a good cha he.

[fire_snake]

The upturned lid of a gaiwan makes a good cha he.

Ha! Good point. That reminds me. The other night I was watching a little video on gaiwan use, and the lovely Chinese presenter remarked that the upturned lid of a gaiwan can also be used to serve a bit of tea to children - the shallowness and surface area of the lid allowing the tea to cool quickly. Suitable for the little 'uns.