You probably have a teapot…or two…or three…or a whole bevy! So, why not put them to good use steeping up teas that are so enticing that you can drink them by the potful? “Great idea!” you say. I think so, too.
Awhile back I wrote an article about “gulper teas” that could be drunk by generous mouthfuls instead of dainty sips.
“Twilight” isn’t just a series of novels and a TV show about vampires, werewolves, etc. It’s also not just a type of zone where tiny spaceships land on farmhouse rooftops or little boys can wish anything into existence they want. Twilight is a special time of day. A time for a great tea moment as you watch the first stars start to twinkle in the darkening sky.
When I started writing about tea, it was with the goal of showing how a cup of tea fit into about any situation in life. And made that situation better. Or at least tolerable. During the process, I also discovered that tea evoked various philosophical musings from me and some rather interesting memories. Like that time I beat the pants off (figuratively speaking) a local chess champ.
Hollywood (translation: people who make movies with the primary intention of earning big bucks) tends to portray tea in a less than favorable light. A good example is from the award-winning (but not for tea) movie “Amadeus.”
First, this movie is pure drama with a pinch of reality thrown in here and there. There really was a Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. There really was an Italian composer named Antonio Salieri.
I don’t fly much anymore - not that I miss it. Given the state of commercial air travel these days I'd rather eat my own foot than have to fly somewhere. But some time back, when I was still jetting around every once in awhile, I recall taking a longish flight to somewhere - the details aren't important.
What stands out in my memory was that the tea selection was decidedly unexceptional, as I was expecting.
Never heard of teas from Nepal? Never heard of Nepal? Okay. I understand. They and the country they come from aren’t on everyone’s radar. All the more reason to shine a spotlight on them here.
Topography and Teas Grown
Between two tea growing giants (China and India) lies the country of Nepal. Nepal teas are considered comparable to “classic” Darjeeling tea but sell at a more affordable price.
Recently, I listed why a cast iron teapot, popular in Japan, is a good tea steeping option. Time to look at another teapot style also popular in Japan: the kyusu.
The word “kyusu” means “teapot.” Many have the handle set at a 90-degree angle to the spout. These are yokode kyūsu (横手急須, side hand(le) teapot) and have a side handle and which is the more common type.
