The Exotic Teapot

It is time to stop considering tea to be a beverage only and see beyond. Tea has always been the most sought after beverage, but the time is not far when you might be looking for the deodorant that is made of tea. This is not a far off fantasy but actually stands true. There is a stick deodorant that has got tea as an ingredient and it is made of all natural ingredients. So now tea promotes the use of natural ingredients in everyday products. Indulge!

M.C. Escher is known for his graphic shapes which created a tantalizing maze.  Through sheer determination the Dutch artist started with one subject then repeatedly positioned into an amazing motif tiling.  An algorithm created to emulate his process is successfully shown in the teapot image to the right.  Escher progressed to add two objects then three as he perfected his complex tiling artwork.  Only four circle shaped patterns were created throughout his career.  The teapot image below was produced applying Escher’s non linear warp method. 

Drinking tea now can bring out the budding astrologer in you! Yes, you can ‘read’ tea leaves patterns after you stir your tea and know what is in store. This rather unique process entails in you interpreting the shapes of clusters of tea leaves that get settled in the variant corners of your tea cup. From simple symbols like Triangles, Squares and Circles to more complex ones like an Arrow, Rose or Star, they all carry definite meanings. Works or not, it certainly piques the interest.

There is a TV commercial in the USA with a mini giraffe that viewers just love.  Even though not real ,who would not understand why the giraffe’s body shape would not be regularly emulated as  a teapot: it’s extended neck as the spout to control the pouring of steeped tea; round body as the base to retain enough cups of tea for guests; long legs for a handle, and; colourful spots for design.  If you haven’t seen the mini giraffe, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVxxLYmypv8

Mint tea for cats is good for their health and if you have a feline friend that stays with you, a little cold peppermint tea is beneficial not just for the physical health, but is also said to have a positive impact on the feline mentality. It has been concluded that they tend to be more agile and sharp at senses after regular consumption of mint tea. Mint is related to catnip, a happy drug for felines that gives them a feel good factor. So order’s up for your cat!

Tea is now an exotic collector’s item. Pu’erh is also called Pu’er or Bolay is the traditional Chinese tea that has been fermented and lovers of tea have found that when it is stored for years, sometimes even 50 years or more, it improves with age. This storage results in tea acquiring aroma which differs with age. It is said that the tea stored over 50 years is considered to be most valuable and collectors from China and Hong Kong are willing to pay handsome prices for it.

Black, robust, aromatic plus delicious with or without milk or sugar defines a great breakfast tea. Organic black teas from India in the Assam region are some of the most superb morning blends.  This is due to Assam’s perfect balance of humidity and heat.  These growing conditions result in tea that has a gentle malty yet spicy taste.

What to name the new furry or feathered addition to the family is a joyous debate.  Often the owner will select the pet’s physical appearance, characteristic traits, native origin or simply his/her favorite gender name.  Some humans put more thought in the process, incorporating one of their own habits into the salutation.  This is the case for husband and wife museum curators and writing team Ron and Janet Benrey.  Featured in their stories are two British shorthair cats Lapsang and Souchong.  Their fur is a smoky gray; these types of teas have a smoky flavour.  Their Shiba Inu, an ancient Japanese canine breed, is named Cha-Cha; cha is referred to as tea in many parts of the world.  And, of course their African Gray Parrot is called Earl.

Margaret Bohls, curator for “Teapots:  Function, Formal, Narrative” has written an article to ceramic artists.  The purpose was to share with them the reasons for creating that magnificent object referred to as the teapot.  She writes:

 The teapot is, arguably, the most visually and culturally loaded pottery form. Trade, fashion, social class, nationalism, and industry, have all contributed to the layers of cultural and historical meaning inherent to this particular cultural artifact. Being at the same time an aesthetic object and a utilitarian object, the teapot also carries all of the potential and all of the contradictions inherent in the field of contemporary ceramics.  

 Margaret addresses the various avenues a ceramic artist can focus on when deciding how to design their teapots.  Besides functional these include:  the aesthetic challenge, the physical relationship to the body, the historical or story-telling perspective and that of decoration.   

After reading the article and with a cup of tea in hand I realized that I was looking at my teapot collection so to gain a greater insight from the artists designing the ones displayed on my shelves.  

I stumbled across a fun quiz to test one’s knowledgeof tea etiquette.  Thus far, the average score is 42.5/100.  Less than 3% of testers passed the test.  These are the easier True/False questions:

1.      If serving tea at a tea party or high tea, lemons should always be in wedges, not in slices.

2.      If you are at a formal tea party, it is proper to keep your gloves on while drinking tea.

3.      Traditionally a tea cup holds 6 ounces.

4.      It is proper etiquette to hold your pinky in the air while bringing your teacup to your mouth for a sip.

The quiz can be found at:

http://www.quizmoz.com/quizzes/General-Etiquette-Quizzes/t/Tea-Etiquette-Quiz.asp

There is a woman in Canada that is sure of it.  Her words:

The next day, when I was in the washroom, the same cold chill went right through me. It was a strong enough wind, to move the toilet paper. I knew for sure then that we had a ghost. About two nights after that, I had made a cup of tea after my hubby went to work and went to watch T.V. I must have fallen asleep on the couch, because a couple of hours later, the tea kettle fell off the stove, and crashed to the floor. There was water everywhere. First thoughts I had was that maybe I didn't put the kettle back on the stove right. But, when the kettle fell, the water was ice cold. And the next day I did a few tests to see if it was possible. I tried for about an hour and couldn't get the kettle to fall again. The only thing I could think of is that the ghost wanted a cup of tea. I tried talking to the ghost, to find out why it needed its presence felt at this time. No response. It has been quiet since then. The odd cold wind pushes through, but no more kettles on the floor. I guess he got his cup of tea somewhere else.

Image “Tea drinking with a ghost” 2006

What do teapots and bicycles have in common?  Apparently it is bells.  In some countries riding bicycles are as common as drinking tea.  In Copenhagen it is a law to have a bell on one’s bicycle. In many countries bells have traditionally been used to summon the serving of tea.  The famous psychologist Pavlov was able to condition canines to salivate at the sound of bells as the dogs realized treats would follow soon thereafter.  Could a bell the shape of a teapot placed on a bicycle beckon the driver to the nearest tea house?    

A 13 year study conducted by Dutch researchers recently reported results of tea consumption in relation to heart disease.  Daily drinking of three to six cups of tea, compared to one cup drinkers, was linked to a 45% reduced risk of death from heart disease.  But drinking over six cups per day dropped the percentage 10%.  Having two to four cups of coffee only reduced the risk 20%. 

Tea leaves are usually stored in tins to prevent exposure to light.  However, some tea leaves warrant exposure for all to see.  The bottled leaves shown are from the historical Boston Tea Party dated  December 1773.  It occurred to me that having tea for a special occasion or celebration is historical amongst our own circle of family and friends.  Retaining some of these tea leaves, placing in a small decorative bottle with a hand written label to identify the event would be a charming and personable gift for guests.

Being the sensible young adult that my goddaughter is, her wedding registry list contains the basic items she believes are needed to start a home.  However, one item that most couples forget to include as a must to start their lives together is the tea kettle.  Kettles provide the most basic of all needs – heat water.  The kettle’s water makes tea, coffee, hot chocolate, sauces and soups.  It can be used to sterilize water and heat baths during bad weather and emergency outages.  Plus, tea kettles make a sparsely decorated kitchen look welcome.

With the fast paced advancement in technology, it is easy for teens of today to disassociate with what was considered three decades ago quick and simple.  Making tea is no exception even though the preparation has been one of the easiest of beverages to brew for centuries.  Drinking from plastic bottles, the substitute-sugar laden brewed tea, using the lower grade of the leaves, is now considered a healthy alternative .   This is true even in the rich tea heritage nation of Japan.  Tea Master Kazuya Matsumoto is taking the time to brew tea the “old timey way” in this country’s parks so to introduce his better flavoured tea to the youth.  Perhaps we should take note and brew a cup for our adolescents.  Who knows, maybe even a civil conversation will ensue.

According to Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor research has been conducted to determine the most effective and expeditious method to cool a hot cup of tea.  Leaving the teaspoon in the cup ranked the least efficient.  Adding warm milk resulted in the third worst.  Stirring the tea for one minute dropped the temperature by 6 degrees.  However, blowing in the cup of hot tea for the same amount of time while stirring was the quickest method, nearly twice as effective.  Why?  Because blowing and stirring maximizes the surface area between the air and the liquid.   

Using a tea bag can be convenient and accommodating.  Whether traveling or taking to work, bags allow drinkers to place their favourite loose tea and desired amount in each bag.  All that remains is to obtain some hot water, a cup and stirrer.  This teabag mug and saucer alleviates even further the complications that could be associated with making tea.  Simply place the teabag in the position permanently marked on the cup, fill with water, stir then place the spoon as shown.

What healthy benefits are lost when tea is iced?  Research has been conducted.  Scientists at the University of Hong Kong proved that only 20% of the admirable antioxidants in tea dissipate when cooled to 98 Celsius.  With warm weather on the arisen this is good news.  Americans prefer iced tea to hot, perhaps due to the higher temperatures in North America.  Additionally, lemon is normally added to their iced tea.  Lemon in fact has shown to delay the reduction of antioxidants.   However, do not add the sugar dosage commonly used by westerners; this is where the calories add up.

The benefits of drinking rooibos tea continue to increase.  Of most notable is the discovery of it containing SOD, short for superoxide dismutase.  This enzyme is a cellular antioxidant that actually seeks out free radicals that damage cell proteins and genetic materials hence, leaving cells vulnerable to cancer.  SOD is the body’s primary defense against these radicals.  Unfortunately, it is not found in most foods.  Research has proven that SOD can repair the tissue damage after a heart attack and illnesses of the kidneys, intestines and pancreas.