Video

Obsessives: The Proper Cup of Tea

James Norwood Pratt is steeped in it.

Tracy, the wonderfully helpful and knowlegeable tea associate at Teance (Berkeley, CA) has advised me to brew in a GAIWAN for best results. I have ordered one, but I am clueless (head dropping in shame)! Of course, I have googled...

This video demonstrates the use of a gaiwan— http://www.chow.com/stories/10721 And there is some discussion of the gaiwan on eGullet— http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=123596&hl=

Getting frail at my age, I once again forgot to mention the exceptional eight treasure tea, gently fruitty and sweet, with the edged bitter-sweet ginseng evident but not dominant. Good tea service, individual gai-wan style...

. Valley Tea and Coffee, run by Lin Maoxiang and her husband, is quite unprepossessing: the number of teas sold is small, all are from Taiwan, no gaiwans were for sale, the place is unornamented and drab. But as best I can tell...

stylish in a funky sort of way. The teas are fairly good but pricey. At the low end it’s $3 or so for a cup (gaiwan style brewing where the tea is brewed in a large covered cup); at the high end it can come to $10 a cup,...

a couple of stores that sold gaiwans. One of them seemed to have reasonable prices. Another is, what do you think of Chado’s Oolongs? I found them to be OK – TGY in particular was unexceptional. But I really like...

was having a pot of lichee tea the other night I was sitting next to the ugly American. This woman was just reaming May out for serving tea in the traditional way ... complaining how impractical a gaiwan was ... and why these...

: Gaiwans: Direct drinking vs. Serving Guests Gung fu tea service: Choosing Yixing teapots. Serving guests Tea etiquette for host and guests and Selecting tea wares that best suit your individual needs 5/13 – Introduction to...

were served and passing around the table, but over time, as the table became crowded with gaiwans (Chinese tea cups), we became experts at distinguishing the imperial gold oolong from the aged pu errh by looking at the leaves and...

of boiling water to top off your personal giant gaiwan of good-quality tea. Go with a local if you can. Some dishes can only be obtained through dialog with the kitchen. Homey, satisfying food in an environment that’s not...

small insect bites on the leaves. These bites give the tea its fruity aroma and complex flavor. The leaves in my gaiwan were entirely unblemished. Not one bite on any of the leaves in my cup! I am sure the proprietress did not...

Sir Gaiwan is bang on the money. Those are my favourite cafes in Prague. At Bakery Praha you can even get a peanut butter and fluff sandwich, as well as oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies and skinny lattes. It looks like a NYC...

of buses. Always learning something new, May suggested for the teas served in the gaiwan to smell the lid, like a tea snifter. Good tip. It’s a good beginners place as well as May will talk about the tea and how to drink it...

. Celadon also has some nice tea ware. I love the clear glass gaiwan, that lets you fully admire the color of the tea while sipping it. The New Tea Lover’s Treasury is a good history of tea and description of the different...