The Chinese tea tradition is not only the centuries-old art of growing and preparing teas, but also the art of making tea utensils and caring for them, which over thousands of years has become an integral part of the philosophy of tea.
No one will argue with the fact that the best Chinese teapots, which fully allow you to reveal the depth of taste and aroma of the drink, are made of clay. The Chinese clay teapot is a handmade work of art, a source of aesthetic pleasure and the embodiment of harmony. Brewing real Chinese tea in such dishes is a real pleasure.
In order for a clay teapot to serve you for many years and share its merits, you need to learn how to properly care for it. After the first purchase, thoroughly wipe the outside and inside of the kettle with a damp cloth, not using abrasive products. The outer surface can also be lightly sanded with very fine sandpaper.
The next stage in the preparation of the teapot is "feeding" with tea infusion. Remember that earthenware absorbs the aromas and juices of tea, so only one variety can be brewed in such a teapot. For example, you can buy pu-erh tea and use your new Yixing teapot only for this variety, so that the drink becomes more flavorful with each new brew.
Prepare a strong tea infusion, pour it into a kettle and boil over low heat. Then leave the teapot to cool. The aroma of tea will be absorbed into the walls of the dishes for the first time, and the clay itself will lose the smell of earth. After two to three hours, the infusion can be drained, and the kettle can be dried at room temperature. After that, it will be ready for direct use. If you neglect this step, do not forget to at least warm up the kettle by pouring boiling water into it twice in a row and then draining it. The kettle must be warmed up: only in this case the tea will be brewed really correctly, and the drink will give you all the variety of its flavor bouquet.
After use, the kettle must be rinsed with hot water. First you need to shake the tea leaves out of it, then rinse and remove the tea leaves, then wipe with a damp cloth and dry. Some suggest wiping the inside and out of the kettle with damp tea leaves. In rare cases, when tea is left in the teapot for a long time, it can acquire an unpleasant odor. In order to eliminate this smell, you need to remove the old tea leaves from the teapot, pour boiling water over it to the brim, and then put the boiling water teapot into cold water.
