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When you think of a teapot, what do you envision? Do you see a practical ceramic teapot like a Brown Betty? Or do you see a hand-painted floral-ensconced bone-china teapot like Hyacinth Bucket sported on “Keeping Up Appearances”? Do you see a tea kettle and not a teapot?
Many wish for the durability of a tea kettle and the functionality of a teapot – something that is both beautiful and sturdy. In centuries past, tea kettles were passed from generation to generation – and not just the fine bone china that existed in wealthy homes. In farm homes and less-wealthy families, cast iron teapots were considered to be workhorses of the kitchen.
Of course cast iron teapots were used to brew tea for the family, but they were also used to boil water for cooking, for baths, and for other household purposes. And they were sturdy.
Cast iron teapots originated in China, although the precise point in history when they were created is unknown. The teapots symbolize strength and indeed provide workhorse-ability in kitchens all over the world.
In previous centuries, cast iron teapots were expected to oxidize (rust) internally, but the iron provided dietary nutrients that otherwise weren’t available in vitamin pill form. Today, cast iron teapots are enameled on the inside and have a durable finish, sometimes colored, other times, showing the natural finish of the iron and allowing it to age naturally and gracefully. The enamel tends to be a ceramic finish that prevents rusting and withstands a bit of scrubbing without flaking off and exposing naked iron inside the pot.
These teapots heat evenly and retain heat beautifully and don’t need a tea cosy to retain their heat. They can be used on a gas-stove (burner on very low), over a fireplace with a hook to suspend it over the flames, or on a warmer that uses a tealight candle to provide extra heat.
Most of these teapots also work well with tea-infusers; the small baskets contain the tea leaves you use to brew your tea and can make it easier to avoid bitter tea from over-steeping. Sizes range from 17 ounces to a whopping 85 ounces – from just a few small cups of tea to enough tea to allow a large family a cup and then some.
These teapots are definitely functional and beautiful, and can last for years – your children and grandchildren can appreciate the same teapot you did and marvel at its beauty and functionality.
Sue also blogs at A Mother’s Heart. Stop by and pay ‘er a visit!
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© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
On any given day, but especially the cold ones, you’ll find me fiddling with my tetsubin and making a pot of fragrant, steaming tea. The pot is green and has beautiful, raised patterns on it, and generally keeps my tea warmer than a regular ceramic teapot. Tetsubin (tehts-oo-bin) is the name commonly given to cast-iron teapots that originated in Asia, and as one who lived in Japan as a child, I have a fondness for all things Japanese. This coincides with my English heritage and I end up with a fusion of cultures in my own kitchen when I use my tetsubin to make tea commonly consumed in Britain.
Originally, tetsubin were not enameled and released iron in the tea, fortifying the drinker’s overall health with the added nutrient. Today’s tetsubin, however, are enameled on the inside to prevent rusting, but continue to retain heat like their historical and traditional counterparts. The handle is positioned over the top of the pot (unlike most ceramic pots), and the pour-spout tends to be short and well-balanced for the rest of the pot.
Traditionally, tetsubin are heated over a charcoal fire, especially if used in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. But today, most tetsubin are receptacles with infuser-baskets that receive pre-boiled water, just as a ceramic pot does. If you have a gas-stove, you can continue to heat your tetsubin on the burner with a very low flame, but as I have a smooth-top range, I don’t try to heat my pot on it. You can also heat a tetsubin over an open fire or fireplace (with an appropriate device for suspending the pot above the flames), or you can
find warming-devices for them, which are typically not much more than a cast-iron cup-like stand with a lid and space below for a tealight candle. The tealight provides heat to maintain the temperature of the tea and is easy enough to come by that anyone can use this method.
Most tetsubin are on the smaller side; my pot holds 38 oz of tea, which is just enough to fill three of our (larger) mugs with tea. Some tetsubin hold only a half-litre of tea; larger ones have space for up to 5 litres.
Most ceramic teapots end up with similar shapes, due to the nature of forming, throwing, and firing clay. Tetsubin often have more unusual shapes, and mine is a bit “squatty” and low. I chose this type of pot for its ability to maintain the heat of my tea and avoid needing a tea-cozy, which this does admirably.
Whether you’re a tea-fanatic or a collector of teapots, a tetsubin will add an east-meets-west flair and another dimension to your tea-drinking experience.
Sue also blogs at A Mother’s Heart. Give ‘er a read!
[Editor's note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
