History Of The Teapot

In ancient China, Tea was prepared by boiling its leaves inside saucepans without lids; only when, under the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD), the use of steeping the leaves in boiling water became widespread, was it necessary to use covered vessels capable of keeping the temperature of the brew constant. The jugs that were used for wine at the time, similar to today’s teapots, proved to be the most suitable for use. Later they moved on to the production of rough ceramic jugs that were less crude than the previous ones because they were more slender and adorned with mythological animals, flowers, etc. Alongside these were used cups, without handle and saucer, so small that they could be held in the palm of the hand. Also during the Tang Dynasty, a specialized craftsmanship was established, financed by the nobility, which succeeded in producing a material, porcelain, that proved to be perfect for making objects and Tea sets: very durable, it enhanced with its whiteness the chromatic nuances of infusions without altering their aroma or flavor. The first “real” teapot made its appearance during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368); it was small, compact, and had no handles or lids. Designed for one person, Tea was drunk directly from the spout. Later, thought was given to equipping it with lids to better retain the aroma and handles to make it more manageable.

Choosing A Teapot

There are teapots in a myriad of shapes, sizes and materials. On the first two aspects one can indulge oneself, one just has to be careful that they do not turn out to be uncomfortable when preparing Tea, for the third, however, it is good to follow a few guidelines. So let’s see the pros and cons, depending on the material, of the various types of teapots to choose from:

• Earthenware
• Ceramic
• Porcelain
• Silver
• Cast iron
• Glass

Terracotta Teapots

This type of teapots are called “memory” teapots, as the porosity of terracotta preserves the memory of previous Teas (the dark inner patina) giving, from time to time, more flavor and strength to the Tea. Terracotta has, in addition, the ability to maintain constant heat during infusion. These teapots are recommended for the preparation of Oolong Teas and Black Teas that require somewhat higher infusion temperatures.

Ceramic Teapots

These teapots are the most common and generally inexpensive. Because they are enameled they are recommended for flavored, smoked and post-flavored Teas as they do not retain, after use, the aroma of the Tea that was infused in them and during preparation they push the fragrance of the Tea outward. They are not, however, not recommended for other types of Tea.

Porcelain Teapots

Porcelain teapots are often of good quality and like ceramic do not absorb extraneous odors, but they tend to disperse more heat during brewing since they have thinner walls. They can therefore be used for delicate Green, Yellow and White Teas.

Silver Teapots

Preferable to use them for strong Black Teas (Assam, Ceylon, Kenya) as they would not help more delicate Teas develop their aroma and may impart a metallic taste to the brew. They have the defect of getting red-hot once hot water is poured into them, so care must be taken when handling them.

Cast Iron Teapots

These teapots were originally used in Japan as kettles and can adapt to the preparation of any type of Tea. They usually have a removable metal strainer and are enameled on the inside to prevent rusting. The only drawback: they are unwieldy once filled with boiling Tea, so be careful.

Glass Teapots

This type of teapot is well suited to the preparation of more delicate Teas (green, white, yellow), while for blacks they are less suitable because they do not retain the water temperature enough, causing it to cool quickly. They are irreplaceable for bouquets of Teas and flowers, as they allow the Tea leaves and flowers to be observed hatching in the water.

Maintenance Of The Teapot

Once the teapot has served its purpose and cooled down, it needs to be cleaned. The first thing to do is to remove the leaves from inside, helping with the tap water jet is a strainer.

The teapot should never be washed in the dishwasher or with detergent, otherwise the next Tea will taste like soap. After emptying and rinsing, it should be placed upside down without the lid on, or with the lid open, in a dry place not exposed to direct light.  Do not use cloths or tea towels to dry the teapot internally, only to remove stains externally.

In ceramic, porcelain and glass teapots, over time, a dark patina may form on the inside walls, which still enhances the aroma of the Tea, but if you do not like to see it, you can wash the teapot (sporadically) using, in addition to water, just baking soda.