Little Yellow Teapot Interview: “Cherry” from Expanding Leaves

© 2010 A.C. Cargill – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
Where would teatime be without some delicate, attractive, and thoroughly useful teacup and saucer? For one thing, it would be a bit tricky. Sure, some folks find that drinking straight from the teapot to be acceptable. For most of you tea drinkers out there, a bit more gentility is in order. Certainly, this charming teacup named “Cherry” gives her human, Melissa of Expanding Leaves, a teatime that is graceful and refined.

Little Yellow Teapot: Good afternoon, Cherry. Such lovely blossoms on your sides. They seem quite fresh. How long have you been doing your job?
Cherry the Teacup: I have been helping my human enjoy tea for only about 3 months. Me, my 2 sisters and brother were all sitting in the back of an antique store collecting dust with no tea in site! Could you imagine a life without tea? We lived without tea for months, and it was horrible for us teacups! Luckily, Melissa has changed that!

LYT: Bravo! Nothing is sadder than a teacup collecting dust, unused. I’m so glad you found a good home. Where were you made?
CTC: I was made in Japan, along with my family members. We are all hand painted with the most beautiful cherry blossoms on us and the coinciding saucers.

LYT: Yes, I can see the subtle variations that only come from hand-painting. Do you still keep in touch with your “siblings”?
CTC: Yes! Thankfully, Melissa didn’t break our family up, and I sit in her tea closet with my 2 sisters and brother! We have lost touch with our mom and never knew who our dad was. Our mom is a beautiful purple teacup with roses and carnations hand painted on her, but we still sometimes see her on TV or Perez Hilton. Lady Gaga bought her and brings our mama all over the world with her to sip tea out of! I have to say that must be a tiring but fun life!

LYT: Talk about living the high life! Your mama is quite lucky. So glad, too, that you have your siblings around you. I assume that Melissa keeps you all busy with tea. Which is her favorite?
CTC: Melissa doesn’t seem to have one favorite tea, but from what I taste, she really loves oolongs. I sip on them often with her! She seems to brew up greener oolongs, like Tie Guan Yin Iron Goddess of Mercy the most often out of all oolongs.

LYT: Yes, oolongs are great. My humans like the more oxidized ones, but they loved the Tie Guan Yin they tried awhile ago. Which tea does your human think is yucky?
CTC: That is a tough one, Melissa tends to treat each tea equally, and with respect. But she doesn’t seem to like overly flavored teas, or citrus teas like Earl Grey. She likes fruity tea as long as it is iced, but hot fruity teas she seems to make a funny face towards. Call her a traditionalist, but we get along because she and I have the same taste in teas. I couldn’t imagine having a human who didn’t like the same teas as me, that would be so horrible!

LYT: I know what you mean. You should see what I have to steep sometimes for my humans. At least they’ve given up on trying things like Rooibos. Thank goodness! Does your human usually add anything to her tea?
CTC: Melissa is a purist (I call it tea snobbery, but she doesn’t like that too much!). She doesn’t put anything in her tea, except for the steeped liquid. Though sometimes when she sips on iced tea, I spy from the cabinet her putting a bit of sugar in the bottom of her glass, but SHHHH, you didn’t hear that from me! ;)

LYT: I’ll keep your secret. Being a tea purist is a very good way to enjoy tea. She gets to really taste it that way. Does your human usually sip or gulp?
CTC: Phew, that really depends on the tea, time of day and what day of the week it is. Melissa tends to gulp down tea on early mornings during her school semester. She gulps down a green tea during those times! But during classes, and later in the afternoon and evening, she tends to sip on tea, writing down notes about the tea in this strange looking zebra covered notebook and enjoying every sip. She sips on most all teas, and only gulps tea when she is in dire need of that caffeine!

LYT: A zebra covered notebook? Cute! Sounds like she has this sipping and gulping stuff down to a science. Does she usually used bagged or loose tea?
CTC: Bagged tea???? My human, Melissa wouldn’t be caught DEAD using bagged tea. She thinks that is the worst form to drink tea, and says “why drink tea at all if its coming from a bag” or “that’s just the sweepings of the floor in there” (do you see this tea snobbery coming through again? and she pretends to be sweet...HA!). Melissa drinks loose leaf tea exclusively, and if she gets a sample of a loose leaf sachet (aka: BAG TEA, she claims it is different. Sachet...bag...what is the difference, really?) she will drink up and review it.

LYT: My humans seem to be in total agreement with her. They have even been known to cut open a bag (or sachet) and steep the tea loose. She sounds quite sensible. Any other thoughts (about tea, that is) you’d like to share with our readers?
CTC: I love tea, I grew up on tea, ever since I was a kid in that pottery store back in Japan. That was the good ol’ days, back when my mom was still with my siblings and I, and we would sip on fresh Japanese Sencha tea all day long. But, Melissa isn’t too bad either. ;)

LYT: She seems great, and you seem to be an important part of her tea enjoyment, as any good teacup should be. Thanks so much for your time. I’ll be thinking about you as I’m steeping tea for my humans.

Just goes to show all you wonderful tea drinkers out there, teacups have feelings, too. The next time you sip from your teacup, keep that in mind and be gentle.

[Thanks, Melissa of Expanding Leaves, for helping your teacup up her answers and send them along with her photo to my humans.]

Review: Teaflection’s Chinese Hyson Green Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject: Chinese Hyson Green Tea from Teaflection.com. (See Tea Time with A.C. Cargill for more information on this company.)

Rating:

Water temperature: 160° F / 65˚ C

Steeping time: 1.5 minutes (see comments)

Tea type: Green
Scents, flavorings, etc.: N/A
Aroma, dry: Fresh, planty-sweet
Aroma in the cup, plain: Grassy, planty-sweet
Taste, plain: See comments
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste, enhanced: N/A

2nd Infusion: See comments

Chilled: N/A

Comments:
In trying this tea, hubby and I were part of a “teachable moment,” that is, we learned something new and want to pass it along.

The package had no steeping instructions, nor were there any on the Teaflection.com site. However, since we have tried a number of green teas, we went by general guidelines we have followed for those. Unfortunately, one sip of the resulting infusion liquid told us that we had erred. No doubt the water had been overheated and we definitely had oversteeped. Thank goodness the vendor had sent us enough for a 2nd go-round with a fresh batch of the tea leaves.

Here’s the blow-by-blow of what we did for each steeping session and the results:

Session 1 – 1st Infusion
Heated water to about 80˚ C
Steeped tea for 2 minutes
Tea liquid was slightly cloudy, a pale orange, and strong-tasting with a bit of an edge

Session 1 – 2nd Infusion
Heated water to about 70˚ C
Steeped tea for 1.5 minutes
Tea liquid was still slightly cloudy, a paler orange, and smoother-tasting

Session 2 – 1st Infusion
Heated water to about 65˚ C
Steeped tea for 1.5 minutes
Tea liquid was pale green, light-tasting, delicate, smooth, slightly grassy, much more what we expected

Session 2 – 2nd Infusion
Heated water to about 65˚ C
Steeped tea for 1.5 minutes
Tea liquid was about the same as the first

#1 is the Session 1 – 1st Infusion.
#2 is the Session 2 – 1st Infusion.

You can try the tea either way, depending on if you want a stronger taste or a more delicate one.

We love that this is a loose broken leaf tea with good sized pieces. They sent along a tiny tea ball, but we just couldn’t bear to confine those tea leaves in it. The pieces expand quite a bit in the water. Letting them float loose in the teapot assures a good steep.

See Teaflection’s description of this tea.

I think hubby and I are gonna go shopping for gaiwans to enjoy the rest of this tea. Shh! don't tell the Little Yellow Teapot we said that!

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: Shui Tea’s Butter Baroness Black Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
The Subject: Butter Baroness Black Tea from Shui Tea.

Rating:

Water temperature: 212° F

Steeping time: 4 minutes

Tea type: Black
Scents, flavorings, etc.: Lemon myrtle
Aroma, dry: Lemony
Aroma in the cup, plain: Lemony
Taste, plain: Lemony
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste, enhanced: N/A

2nd Infusion: Slightly milder

Chilled: N/A

Comments:
You know that strong, acidy, sour taste you get from sucking on a lemon wedge? Well, forget it. Think instead of lemon meringue pie, lemon pound cake, or lemon curd on a plain scone. Voilà! You have the flavor of this tea — well, almost. Under that lemony flavor and buttery smooth texture is the distinct presence of “tea-ness.”

Thanks goodness. A flavored tea that still tastes like tea. A wonderful change from some flavored teas we’ve tried recently.

The package label didn’t have steeping instructions, so we winged it. Since it’s mainly a black tea, we boiled the water. We shortened the steeping time a bit, though. Usually, we steep our black teas for 5 minutes, but this one we stopped at 4 minutes, judging by the aroma from the teapot.

This is a broken leaf tea with bits of lemon myrtle. It spreads out nicely in the pot during steeping.

The liquid was a beautiful deep red-brown, smelled like lemon pie/cake/curd whatever, and tasted smooth, with no bitterness, and a buttery feeling. Unlike with other black teas (to which we often add milk and sweetener), no enhancement was needed. The 2nd infusion was lighter in color and a bit tangy but still not bitter. You might get two more even infusions if you steep the 1st for 3.5 minutes and the 2nd for 4 minutes. Worth a try.

This is a real sipper tea. You can sit back, relax, and sip away. The label recommends some tasty chocolate chip cookies to munch on while you sip. Hubby tried some semi-sweet chocolate chips with the tea and was quite pleased. Then, I got out the rice cookies we bought recently at the local Asian Market (they’re fairly dry and only mildly sweet). They were a fabulous accompaniment to this tea. Our guess is that this tea will go well with a wide variety of foods. My hubby’s special salmon filet is one that comes to mind.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Little Yellow Teapot Interview: “Claudius,” the Yixing Rat, from Lainie Sips

© 2010 A.C. Cargill – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
Teawares aren’t just teapots, cups, saucers, mugs, etc. In this case, it’s a teatime mascot named “Claudius.” Let’s see what he has to say about tea with his human, Lainie.

Little Yellow Teapot: Hi, Claudius. Wow, I’ve never met a tea mascot before. I guess that’s sort of like sports mascots, where they cheer on the team. So, I guess you cheer on your human as she makes tea. How long have you been doing this?
“Claudius,” the Yixing Rat: Since 2009, when she brought me home from Dream About Tea, a Chicago-Area tea room.

LYT: So, you’re a big city tea mascot. No surprise. You have that big city sophisticated air. And Chicago has just about anything a tea lover could want. Where were you made?
CYR: Yixing!

LYT: I should have guessed. That province in China really knows tea. I’ve never been there, but some of my favorite teas come from there, and my humans agree. Do you still keep in touch with your “siblings”?
CYR: Yes. Lainie [my human] bought many of her teawares, particularly her Yixing pots, from Dream About tea. We speak of old times often.

LYT: Speaking of your human, she seems to be really focused on tea. Does she have any type she likes best?
CYR: She is an oolong girl with a strong partiality towards Ti Kuan Yin. But she also loves good hong cha, and is constantly switching between Yunnan Golds and Keemun.

LYT: Boy, those are some I’ve enjoyed steeping up for my humans in the past, especially the Ti Kuan Yin. Obviously, there must be a tea she doesn’t like. Yes?
CYR: She isn’t a fan of Long Jing. I myself do not care for flavored tea, as I fear that the flavoring agents will ruin my patina.

LYT: Yes, flavored teas can be a problem. For my humans, though, it’s more a matter of not being able to taste the tea. I didn’t know it could ruin a patina, though. Learn something new every day! What does your human usually use in her tea?
CYR: Miss Lainie is above that sort of thing.

LYT: Gee, she sounds like a real tea purist. My humans go for milk and sweetener in the black teas and some oolongs, but they like greens and whites straight. How does your human clean you?
CYR: She gives me scalding hot showers every day, plus “sips” of whatever tea she drinks. When she prepares tea in the gong fu style, she splashes me with each infusion.

LYT: Very interesting! The job of tea mascot sounds quite intriguing. Since I steep each infusion, I always get to taste them (although, sometimes I wish I didn’t). Does your human usually sip or gulp?
CYR: I have observed her gulping many a tea, though some of her teacups are so tiny that she really has to sip. One of her favorite sipper teas is Chicago Tea Garden’s Silver Needle and a gulper tea she likes is Harney & Sons Supreme Breakfast.

LYT: Yes, those are good examples of each type of tea. Does your human usually used bagged or loose tea?
CYR: She only uses bagged teas if they are sent to her as samples. She chooses her teaware based on the tea and her own mood: For convenience, she likes the Piao I teapot/infuser. Otherwise, she is very fussy about teaware, she has seven Yixing pots and has her eye on more. She often uses one of her gaiwans, as well.

LYT: That’s a lot of companionship for a little tea mascot, a virtual teapot team. Any other thoughts (about tea, that is) you’d like to share with our readers?
CYR: Tea is a very fine thing that keeps Lainie happy and busy. I am a well-caffeinated rat who has no need of an exercise wheel. All is well.

LYT: Fabulous! Keep up the good work. You do all of us teawares proud.

Well, dear readers, that’s it for this round. My thanks to “Claudius” for sharing his teatime secrets. My humans and I hope he’ll be keeping his human happy for many years to come.

[Thanks, Lainie of Lainie Sips, for helping your rat type up her answers and send them along with her photo to my humans.]

Review: Shui Tea’s Dragon Phoenix Jasmine Green Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
The Subject: Dragon Phoenix Jasmine Green Tea from Shui Tea.


Rating:

Water temperature: 160-170° F

Steeping time: 2 minutes

Tea type: Green
Scents, flavorings, etc.: Jasmine
Aroma, dry: Jasmine
Aroma in the cup, plain: Jasmine
Taste, plain: Jasmine
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste, enhanced: N/A

2nd Infusion: Slightly milder

Chilled: N/A

Comments:
According to the company Website, the tea leaves are first rolled into their “pearl” shape and then dried with jasmine blossoms mixed among them. The “pearls” absorb the jasmine aroma and flavor.

Unfortunately, my hypersensitive nose is overwhelmed by one whiff from the little bag these “pearls” come in. As with other Jasmines we’ve tried, the floral dominates, with only a faint tea flavor coming through. Pardon the pun, but we’re now convinced that Jasmines are no longer our cup of tea. In fact, I think we will avoid them entirely in future.

Some positive points:

• Multiple infusions are possible. We did 2 and found them both to be about equivalent. You could probably do at least one more, possibly 2.
• The Jasmine flavoring lasts through the infusions, unlike other tea flavorings that fade away after the first one.

If you like a good Jasmine tea, you’ll love this one. Those of you sensitive to heavy florals, though, could be a bit overcome, as we were.

One thing’s for sure: this is a friendly tea. The “pearls” formed a smiley face just as I snapped the photo. Honest!

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Little Yellow Teapot Interview: A Very Prim and Proper Teapot from Mad Pots of Tea!

© 2010 A.C. Cargill – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
Time for another interview with a member of the most hardworking characters on your tea table, your teapot. This one is owned by Madam Potts, but this sweetheart teapot is rather demure. Her answers are brief, yet they speak volumes about her owner and her experiences with tea.

Little Yellow Teapot: Good morning, Madam Potts’ Teapot. How long have you been helping your human enjoy tea?
Madam Potts’ Teapot: 2 years now.

LYT: Sounds like you’re well adjusted to your work. That’s quite a neat design painted on your side. Very cheerful for teatime. Where were you made?
MPT: I was a gift to my current owner, probably made in China.

LYT: Do you still keep in touch with your “siblings”?
MPT: No.

LYT: Me neither. I’m much too busy steeping tea. Which is your human’s favorite tea?
MPT: Earl Grey.

LYT: Ooh, that’s quite a favorite with a lot of humans. Which tea do your human(s) think is yucky?
MPT: Bagged teas and straight chamomile (which yes I realize is an infusion, but it’s seriously gross!).

LYT: What do your humans usually use in their tea?
MPT: Honey (occasionally).

LYT: Ah, yes, I see a bottle of honey in your photo. Honey and Earl Grey go together well, I’ve heard. Does your human wash you regularly or let the tea build up in you?
MPT: Usually a good rinse out and washes me once a week.

LYT: She sounds quite attentive to you. Does she usually use bagged or loose tea? If loose, does she use an infuser?
MPT: Loose all the way, with a basket infuser.

LYT: Fascinating! My humans do mostly loose tea, but I don’t allow an infuser in me. Tea steeping is tricky enough without those bossy infusers getting in the way. Thanks for your time. This little teapot has sure enjoyed meeting you. Say “Hi” to Madam Potts. Wishing you both lots of mad pots of tea!

Well, there you have it. Another insight into the life of a teapot helping her human provide tea lovers like you with that tasty brew. Hope you enjoyed it.

[Thanks, Madam Potts of Mad Pots of Tea!, for helping your teapot type up her answers and send them along with her photo to my humans.]

Review: Shui Tea’s Black Ruby Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
The Subject: Black Ruby Tea from Shui Tea.


Rating:

Water temperature: 200° F (per package label)

Steeping time: 4 minutes (per package label)

Tea type: Black
Scents, flavorings, etc.: N/A
Aroma, dry: Fruity in a natural way
Aroma in the cup, plain: Light nut-brown liquid, fragrant
Taste, plain: Nutty, smoky-fruity, not bitter, no aftertaste
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste, enhanced: N/A

2nd Infusion: Slightly milder

Chilled: N/A

Comments:
Unlike most teas now on the market that are grown from carefully cultivated tea bushes (Camellia Sinensis), the package label states that this one is from a hybrid cultivation of wild tea plants.

Our taste experience doesn’t quite match what the package label says (that’s why we include a photo of it here, so you can see for yourself). But that doesn’t matter to us. In fact, we prefer not to have expectations laid out for us when trying a new tea so we don’t end up disliking or downgrading it for not matching those expectations.

In the case of this tea, we found the flavors and aromas to surpass what was on the label, and thus we had a tea experience that surpassed our expectations. No, we didn’t detect cinnamon, which was a very good thing, since neither hubby nor I can tolerate cinnamon in tea anymore (part of the development of our tea palate) since it tends to be a very strong taste. We also avoid mint in tea, whether the flavor is one that has been added or is naturally occurring, and were happy that we detected no such flavor in this tea.

What we did detect: fruity-smoky aroma in the dry leaves and in the liquid, a slight nutty flavor as the liquid reached various taste sensors on our tongues, and floral notes that developed after several mouthfuls. We did not detect any bitterness or unpleasant aftertaste.

I usually like my black teas with milk and sweetener but wouldn’t dare treat such a complexly flavored tea as this in such a disrespectful manner.

We did three infusions of this tea at the water temperature and for the time specified on the tea package. Such instructions are greatly appreciated, by the way. Sure there are general guidelines for how to steep various tea types, but special teas like this one can have special requirements to get the best liquid from them.

One drawback: the 3rd infusion was rather weak. One option would be to do three infusions and then combine the liquid from each. A good way to get the most out of your teas.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: Shui Tea’s City in a Garden Green Tea

BEFORE YOU READ THIS REVIEW, A CAVEAT FROM THE LITTLE YELLOW TEAPOT:
This tea is part of a package of samples that were selected by the company owner, Jim Schreiber. My humans would have cautioned him against sending any teas that have flavorings added. They have tried a number of these flavored teas and are usually disappointed that the tea flavor is overwhelmed by the added items. Nevertheless, they did their best to be objective in reviewing this tea.

The Subject: City in a Garden Green Tea from Shui Tea.



Rating:

Water temperature: 160-170° F (per their site)

Steeping time: 2 minutes

Tea type: Sencha-style Green
Scents, flavorings, etc.: Freeze-dried Orange
Aroma, dry: Orangey, strong spicy
Aroma in the cup, plain: Strong spicy
Taste, plain: Strong spicy
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste, enhanced: N/A

2nd Infusion: Weaker but still spicy

Chilled: N/A

Comments:
One of the neat things about trying a new tea is not knowing how it is supposed to taste, but rather confining our experience to our own perceptions (sight, taste, smell). We did that with this tea, trying it first, then looking it up on the Shui Tea Website.

Our perceptions: The tea has the fragrance of allspice (we have some and compared the two side by side), with a hint of orange, and totally overwhelms any fragrance from the green tea. This carries through to the pale green liquid. We did two infusions. The first was strongly flavored with that allspice-like scent. The second was weaker. Neither had any green tea taste.

When we saw on the Website that there was only freeze-dried orange added to the Sencha-style green tea, we were quite surprised. The spicy fragrance must be from the orange.

For those of you who like teas with fruit and spice flavors added in, this would be a great option. For us, though, we would prefer just the Sencha tea.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Little Yellow Teapot Interview: “Great White” Teapot from Devonshire Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
Once again, I step into the spotlight on this blog (usually dominated by my humans expounding on the virtues or not of some tea or another that I steeped for them) to see how other teawares manage. This time, I get cozy with the teapot from Devonshire Tea. She’s a real cutey that goes by the name “Great White” and is the star of several videos the company has done.

As with the Head Teapot from Shui Tea, this interview was a real eye opener. Just wish I could have done it in person, but she’s in Plymouth, UK, and I’m, well, here in my humans’ kitchen.

Little Yellow Teapot: Hi, Great White Teapot. So happy I could speak with you today. My first question is pretty obvious. How long have you been helping your humans enjoy tea?
Great White Teapot: I was recruited by the Directors of Devonshire Tea in Plymouth, England in February 2009 so that I could be fully trained ahead of the official launch of their blend the following month. I am their CHIEF Teapot, affectionately called “Great White”!!

LYT: Oooo…gorgeous and smart! You seem to really know what you’re doing in those videos and are a big help to your humans, Debbie and Gavin. So, where were you made?
GWT: I was born in China. I am a China Teapot!!! However, the birthmark, stamped on my bottom, says “John Lewis”.

LYT: Wow, all the way from China, and you arrived safely with no chips or cracks. That sounds like quite an adventure. Do you still keep in touch with your “siblings”?
GWT: Sadly no, the Directors of Devonshire Tea make certain I am worked hard everyday, and as such have no time for anything other than brewing delicious “Devonshire Tea”.

LYT: Speaking of your humans, they sound like they’re really dedicated to tea. Which is their favorite?
GWT: Devonshire Tea

LYT: I should have guessed. After all, it’s their company brand. I must confess that sometimes I get my humans to steep up a potful in me because I loved it so much. Do they have a tea that they think is yucky?
GWT: Supermarket own label and some of the “commercial” brands that make these “own label” versions of their own tea. Sorry, but my humans won’t let me mention any of these brands…

LYT: Understandable. By “Supermarket own label” I’m supposing you mean the store brand (as we call it in the U.S.). I’m too much of a gentleman to hurt your feelings by mentioning their names, nor some of those other brands. A teapot as cute as you wouldn’t let your humans steep yucky tea in you anyway. What do your humans usually use in their tea?
GWT: Lemon in “iced” tea & “Devonshire Pimms”. One of my humans (Directors) does have a little milk in their (hot) “Devonshire”, but the other takes it “neat black”. When they chill it / ice it they will include ice cubes and lemon. They even have a recipe for a “Devonshire Pimms” which they say is delicious, but as I am TEA-TOTAL I wouldn’t know!!

LYT: Sounds like you are one busy little teapot (but you still manage to keep your cuteness). Your humans must take good care of you. Do they wash you regularly or let the tea build up in you?
GWT: Before each brew they will ensure I am lovely and warmed with hot water. After a hard days brewing at home / office or even at an event, they will clean me out with hot water (no detergent)…

LYT: Smart humans. Pre-warming is the best. It helps you keep the tea warm longer. Also, I’m so glad they avoid detergent in you. That keeps the tea tasting great. Do your human(s) usually used bagged or loose tea?
GWT: “Devonshire Tea” is only bagged at present. I usually have the “tagged” bags, with the label hanging outside (as per my photo), although have been known to have the un-tagged bags brewed inside me as well.

LYT: I must confess my humans do not like strings and tags at all, but they understand that when you are on display at one of the many fests and shows you attend, you have to be able to show what wonderful tea is in you. You also look so cute with them neatly arranged over your side. Any other thoughts (about tea, that is) you’d like to share with our readers?
GWT: I LOVE TEA!!! I love the fact that I am a GREAT WHITE tea-pot, and particularly adore attending & working at Trade & Consumer Shows so that I can hear & see the delight of the humans who taste what I produce!!

LYT: That’s a feeling I know well. When I steep a great pot of tea for my humans, I feel very satisfied and warm inside (not just from the tea). Gee, we have so much in common. Some day I’ll get my humans to pack me up carefully and pay you a visit. Stay safe until then!

Well, there you have it. Another insight into the life of a teapot helping her humans provide tea lovers like you with that tasty brew. Hope you enjoyed it.

[Thanks, Gavin and Debbie, for helping your teapot type up her answers and send them along with her photo to my humans.]

Review: PG Tips’ New Green Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
The Subject: Green Tea from PG Tips, a Unilever Co.


Rating:
Water temperature: 160° F
Steeping time: 2 minutes (see comments)

Tea type: Green
Scents, flavorings, etc.: N/A
Aroma, dry: Fresh, planty, grassy
Aroma in the cup, plain: Grassy, slightly smoky
Taste, plain: Mild, grassy, slightly smoky, slightly astringent
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste, enhanced: N/A

2nd Infusion: Lighter color, milder flavor

Chilled: Didn’t try

Comments:
Little Yellow Teapot here. Every once in awhile, my humans like to cut open a teabag to see what’s inside. They did it with Bentley’s Oriental Treasure White Tea, and the experience proved very educational. So, you guessed it, they did the same with this tea.

In the bag:

Out of the bag:

Okay, I’m all done commenting. Back to my humans.

Thanks, Little Yellow, yes indeed a look inside this teabag was illuminating. For one thing, this is not a bunch of teadust. One look and you can see that this is made of tea leaves that have been finely processed. There’s a big difference.

We also did something pretty rare for bagged tea: a 2nd infusion. We cut open 2 teabags (we needed to do one for the photo but didn’t want to waste it, so we dumped it in the pot and cut open a 2nd teabag). Each infusion was 2 cups of water over that loose tea in the pot.

This PG Tips Green Tea is a new product, and we’re honored to be among those getting to try it. We enjoy the black PG Tips on a regular basis, so the great taste of this tea was no surprise. We detected a mild grassiness that also had some hint of smokiness. The liquid was a deep golden. We couldn’t resist taking a special photo of it against some Summer greenery.

Recommendation: Do your 1st infusion. Set the liquid aside. Do a 2nd infusion from the same bag. Combine the liquid from both infusions into one container. You will get one infusion that’s not too strong, not too light, mild, a hint of grassiness, and no astringency.

We didn’t try this chilled. It was too yummy. Before we knew it, the liquid from both infusions was all gone. Next time.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: The Boston Tea Company’s Ceylon Symphony Black Tea

Once again this little teapot did his duty by helping my humans steep up a fragrant potful of this tea.

The Subject: Ceylon Symphony Black Tea from The Boston Tea Company.

Rating:
Water temperature: 212˚˚ F
Steeping time: 5 minutes (see comments)

Tea type: Black
Scents, flavorings, etc.: N/A
Aroma, dry: Fragrant, mild, with lively sweet hay scent
Aroma in the cup, plain: Fragrant, mild, slightly malty
Taste, plain: Mild, slightly malty, tangy aftertaste, no bitterness
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: Smooth, malty
Taste, enhanced: Smooth, malty

2nd Infusion: Lighter flavor, aroma

Chilled: Didn’t do

Comments:
The Boston Tea Co. no doubt scoured the island nation of Sri Lanka (formerly called Ceylon) to find the most lively tasting Ceylon tea that hubby and I have yet tried. It’s sort of a blend of the fruity taste of Darjeeling and the malty richness of Assam. It takes milk and sweetener well but is equally good plain in the cup. The liquid is a dark red-brown and full of fragrance.

Tea almost single-handedly saved the economy of Sri Lanka years ago. They used to grow coffee as a main crop until the plants developed a disease that wiped out most plantations on the island. Tea plants thrived, though, and took over where the coffee plants left off. After trying this tea, hubby and I are so very grateful to the coffee plant disease.

We would have given this tea a 5-teapot rating except for the lightness of the 2nd infusion. We tried reducing the steep time of the 1st infusion and increasing the steep time of the 2nd infusion. Unfortunately, for us this weaker 1st infusion was insufficient and didn’t take milk as well as the full strength 1st infusion we initially made. If you like your tea plain and perhaps with a bit of sweetener, then you will be satisfied with a lighter 1st infusion and a heartier 2nd infusion. For us, this tea is not a multiple infusion tea and therefore not as good a bang for our tea buck as other black teas. It’s still totally delicious.

NOTE: This pouch is what the Boston Tea Company uses for samples. Their normal pouches are opaque, not clear, and block out light, very important for preserving your fine teas.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: TeaGschwendner’s China Yunnan Golden Downy Pekoe Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
My humans continue their exploration of the teas they bought at the TeaGschwendner tea shop in Raleigh, NC. As always, I was their guide in this tea adventure.

The Subject: China Yunnan Golden Downy Pekoe from TeaGschwendner.


Rating:

Water temperature: 212˚ F

Steeping time: 2 minutes (see comments)

Tea type: Black
Scents, flavorings, etc.: N/A
Aroma, dry: Mild, fruity, planty
Aroma in the cup, plain: Smoky, earthy, spicy, slight tang, no bitterness
Taste, plain: Smoky, earthy, spicy, slight tang, no bitterness
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: Smoky
Taste, enhanced: Smooth. Milk seems to bring out a smoky quality

2nd Infusion: See comments

Chilled: Didn’t do

Comments:
This is the final tea we bought during our first visit to the TeaGschwendner store in Raleigh, NC. This tea is another reason that the drive was well worth it.

We stayed true to the tea principles of the Little Yellow Teapot and followed the vendor’s label directions when preparing the hot version of this tea:

3g tea (1 heaping teaspoon) per 8oz. cup of filtered, boiling water. Allow to brew 2 min.

However, the label describes the tea as malty, tobacco-y, and truffle-like. Here’s where we have to differ. Sometimes, the terms used to describe tea aromas and flavors are a bit over done. To us, the dry tea has a mild, fruity, planty aroma when dry.

We did 3 infusions, not wanting to waste this wonderful tea made from the leaves and buds plucked from the tips of the tea plant (Camellia Sinensis) branches. If you’re the kind of tea drinker who likes to drink your tea totally unenhanced, you could probably do a 4th and even possibly a 5th infusion. After the 2nd infusion, the liquid tends to get rather light in flavor, so you may need to lengthen the steep time (we steeped for 3 minutes on the 3rd infusion).

Since this is a black tea, we wanted to try it with a bit of milk and sweetener, our normal enhancements for black teas. To our surprise, the milk seemed to enhance the smoky quality of the tea. The 1st and 2nd infusions took the milk well, but the 3rd infusion was too light tasting. One thing we suggest is to combine the three infusions into one potful (2 cups each and pour into a 6-cup teapot). The flavor will still be good and strong enough to stand up to the milk (but only use a little bit) and a pinch of sweetener.

This tea is a beautiful example of hand-selected tea leaves. When dry, the leaves and buds are curled into compact shapes. After steeping, they are fully unfurled so that the shape is clearly visible, as you can see in this photo. Wonderful!

The liquid looks so beautiful, both plain and with milk and sweetener, in the glass teacup we purchased at the store.

Our congratulations to Ryan Hinson, Store Manager, and his staff on an excellent tea.

Disclaimer: We purchased this tea from the company named during our first visit to the store. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Little Yellow Teapot Interview: The Head Teapot for Shui Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
As the real brains behind this tea review blog, I decided to reach out to other teawares who, I suspect, are the real brains behind their owners’ blogs. I wanted to find out the reality behind the façade of the blog. Here’s the first in a series: The Head Teapot from Shui Tea, whose teas my humans have and will review on this blog. This interview was a real eye opener.

Little Yellow Teapot: Let’s start with a fairly common and easy question. How long have you been helping your human(s) enjoy tea?
Shui Tea: I’ve been around Jimmy since December. Before me, he had an inferior teapot of mediocre quality. You wouldn’t believe the stains on that sad soul. Admittedly, I was worried that I would be treated as poorly as that old teapot despite my grossly superior upbringing. He got his act together and I’ve been happy enough with him.

LYT: Ha, ha, ha! Yeah, I can relate. I have to remind my humans every night to give me a thorough rinsing. So, where were you made?
ST: I was made in Japan. I know that the Human likes many Chinese and Sri Lankan teas. I tolerate that behavior, to an extent. Myself, I’m partial to genmaicha.

LYT: My humans raved about genmaicha, too. You’d think they’d invented it the way they go on. I have to keep them a bit humble by reminding them who does the steeping around here. It’s a tough job. Do you still spend time with your “siblings”?
ST: My siblings, no. They were sent off to others but we talk frequently. My big sister, bless her, is in a very nice hotel in Chicago called the Palmer House. She’s the pride of the hotel, and Mother couldn’t be more pleased with her. Jimmy [my owner] did pick up some of my first cousins and they’re a part of his tea store. It is nice to have some semblance of class around.

LYT: Speaking of your human, he seems like he really knows tea. Which is his favorite?
ST: Recently, he’s been steeping a lot of gyokuro later in the day. I’m proud of him. It was dreadful dealing with all of the experimenting and blending while he was still creating his store. He once put chili peppers in my infuser basket. How barbarian.

LYT: You poor thing. Imagine! Of course, my humans don’t even use an infuser in me. Does he have a tea that he thinks is yucky?
ST: Anything blueberry or chocolate flavored.

LYT: Yeah, I can see that. My humans tried some of each one time, and they haven’t been the same since. What do your human usually use in his tea?
ST: I catch him steeping tea into vodka at night. How very… dare… him. Thankfully he keeps that sort of disgrace away from my spout.

LYT: You said earlier that your human treats you better than he did your predecessor. Can you elaborate?
ST: I am a clean teapot, and I am washed regularly. By hand, only, please and thank you. I have seen the way he treats his “precious” yixing pots, and let me tell you, if I had a little less restraint, I would have called the police on him. Rinsing with water, drowning them. Simply barbaric.

LYT: Personally, I enjoy a good rinsing, but must confess that sometimes my humans get totally carried away. Sounds like you have yours well trained. Do you let him use teabags in you?
ST: I only accept loose tea. I have an infuser basket for a reason.

LYT: Bravo! Any other thoughts (about tea, that is) you’d like to share with our readers?
ST: It is in my charitable soul to worry about teapots of lesser manufacture. As I’m sure you are also, Little Yellow Teapot. Teapots of our stature are becoming quite rare these days.

LYT: So true. Well, thank you so much for your time. This teapot wishes you many good steepings to come.

Well, there you have it. This brave teapot, described by his human as “ornery and aristocratic,” steeps on, making one delicious pot of tea after another. Now, if he can only get his human to use a teacup!

[Thanks, Jimmy, for helping your teapot type up his answers and send them to my humans.]

Review: The Boston Tea Company’s Irish Breakfast Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
The Subject: Irish Breakfast Tea from The Boston Tea Company.


Rating:

Water temperature: 212˚˚ F

Steeping time: 4 minutes (they recommend 3-5 minutes) — see comments

Tea type: Black
Scents, flavorings, etc.: N/A
Aroma, dry: Malty
Aroma in the cup, plain: Malty
Taste, plain: Mild, no bitterness
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste, enhanced: N/A

2nd Infusion: Lighter flavor, aroma

Chilled: Didn’t do

Comments:
The Boston Tea Co. does it again with this outstanding version of a classic: Irish Breakfast Tea. They blend rich Assam with Ceylon to give you a balanced and very drinkable taste. One whiff of the dry tea leaves gives you the maltiness of a typical Assam tempered with an almost fruity Ceylon. While steeping, this tea is almost Darjeeling like. In the cup, the rich reddish brown liquid has an aroma dominated by the Assam maltiness.

The 1st infusion is quite something. Take a sip and get prepared for a surprise. If you’ve drunk a lot of Assams, you’re probably expecting that “pucker” element as the bitterness kicks in. Not here, though. This tea is smooth and free of bitterness. If you avoid Assams because you don’t like milk in your tea, this is one you can enjoy straight or with a touch of sweetener. Of course, it handles milk extremely well, too. The flavor is smooth yet robust.

Hubby thinks this is a prime example of a “gulper” tea. I think it belongs in the “sipper” category, so that every drop is savored.

The 2nd infusion is lighter in color, flavor, and aroma. This is another tea that I would recommend a shorter steeping time for the 1st infusion and a slightly longer time for the 2nd one. This should give you two fairly equal infusions and more bang for your tea buck. Tea is still one of the affordable indulgences, in my estimation, and with a bit of care, you can really stretch out your tea enjoyment.

Try some chilled. Hubby and I stopped our chilled tea extravanganza, since it required chilling the tea overnight and then taking a photo and tasting the tea the next day, which proved to be time consuming. Also, we usually drink our tea hot, but recognize that many of you like yours chilled/iced.

NOTE: This pouch is what the Boston Tea Company uses for samples. Their normal pouches are opaque, not clear, and block out light, very important for preserving your fine teas. Pouches are, overall, my favorite packaging, since, as the tea is used, excess air can be squeezed out before resealing, unlike tea tins and boxes. One drawback is that the wonderful full tea leaves get a bit crushed in the whole packing and shipping process. We were still very pleased with this tea.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.