Five ways to keep your purple clay teapot in good condition
When you excitedly bring a rare and outstanding purple clay teapot back to your home, you must be anxious to try your favorite tea in it. But wait a minute, you'd better know something about how to prepare it for the first brew, and how to take good care of it. Otherwise, it may not exert its full potential. So hold your horses and read this article, then you will be qualified to become the master of your purple clay teapot.
Get ready for the first brew
Before using a purple clay teapot for the first time, it may smell strange or there could be sandy particles inside. This is natural and a result of the complicated firing process. But the pot needs to be cleaned before the first use to ensure a safe and pleasurable experience.
So put a small handful of tea (about 1/6 of the teapot capacity) into the new pot, fill the pot up with cold water, and put the lid on top. Put the teapot into a large kitchen pot, and fill the kitchen pot with cold water too. The water level should completely submerge the teapot.
Heat the caldron on the stove for about half an hour. When the water starts boiling, shut off the stove. Wait until the water is cool enough to touch again, and bring the teapot out of the caldron. Get rid of the soaked tea leaves from the teapot, and wash it with clean water. After that, let the pot sit and dry. Once the pot is totally dry, you have paved the way for its first use.
Daily maintenance
1. Bear in mind: Never clean your purple clay teapot with any soap or chemicals. Pure hot water is all you need. The porous purple clay soaks in the taste and scent of your tea, which accumulates over time. If you wash it with soap, the accumulated tastes and scents inside will be spoiled, and the natural, appealing gloss on the outside will never be the same.
2. Be sure to get rid of all used tea leaves and rinse away the old water before storing your pot. This will keep germs and other bacteria from forming inside and ensures your pot fresh for its next use. You can air dry the pot if you leave the lid slightly open, and you can use a soft rag to soak up excess water.
3. Because there will be moisture stored in the walls of your pot, always store it in a cool, well-ventilated area. This keeps your pot 'breathing' and it won't become stale. Besides, your friends and guests will want to see the unique design, so there's no reason to hide it away in a dark cabinet!
To see the last two important tips about caring for your purple clay teapot, check out my website below!
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Tags: china, clay, dishes, drinks, pots, pottery, purple clay, purple clay teapot, tableware, tea, tea pot, tea set, tea ware, Yixing, Yixing purple clay
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:14 am
Hello
With regard to seasoning of teapots why is this process necessary and instead the teapots be sold already seasoned and ready for use. Sorry for my ignorance about these matters.
Yours faithfully