Tea Time

I sat down to start the final preparation for the brunch, and faced a difficult decision. Do I continue my wicked consumption of leftover birthday cake or make a cup of tea? Perhaps not such a difficult decision... tea time it is. So, I ran up to the Avairy to get my gaiwan. I received this several years ago through a class I took my local tea shop, but my busy schedule leaves little room for leisurely tea drinking.



The gaiwan is traditional tea drinking vessel that is used with loose leaf teas. It brews a perfect cup, and it is almost impossible to burn my mouth with a too hot cup of tea. (If the gaiwan is too hot to hold, the tea is too hot to drink!) Plus it is as cute as a button, and comes in a vast variety of styles and colors. I am coveting this classic blue and white china version.


I drink oolong tea in mine - the current favorite is Ti Kuan Yin. Oolong tea can be re-steeped multiple times before it loses it flavor, thus prolonging tea time as long as possible. Something that I fully intend to do...