English Tea Pots
What Are They, How to Care For
and What to Brew
English tea pots bring to mind my trip to London and the tea and cookies or biscuits as they are called in England.
These pots can be made out of the following:
1. Porcelain
2. Bone China
3. Pewter
4. Iron
5. Silver or Stoneware
They can be round and fat as in the Brown Betty pot. Or tall and elegant like the Royal Patrician tea pots.
What To Buy
Knowing which type of pot to use for which kinds of teas is essential to making a good cup of this beverage.
- Black tea is best fermented in stoneware pots.
- Assam and Ceylon teas are said to be best when brewed in a metal tea pot of pewter, iron, or silver.
- Green teas (which are light) are best brewed in porcelain or bone china.
How To Clean
- These pots regardless of what they are made of usually are not washed in a dishwasher or soapy water.
- After a period of time the tannins from the tea will build up in the pot.
- Some people say they like to leave the tannins in their unglazed pot because it gives the tea more flavor.
- In order to clean the tannins from an unglazed pot, fill it with boiling water. Put in two tablespoons of baking soda and allow it to sit overnight. Then rinse and wipe.
Choosing As A Gift
If you are planning on purchasing an tea pot as a gift for a friend you need to discover what their favorite kind is. Then you can buy the proper pot for brewing it.
Having the right pot will make the difference between a good cup and a great cup of tea.
