TGFOP Tea Reviews (c) Silverneedles est.2005

After using the yixing teapot,

i wash it with filtered water,
no scrubbin, no soap. (using substances on it will get absorbed into the clay and retain the soap smell).

turn it upside down and let dry.

If that doesnt do/cant wait, i pat it dry with papertowel.

When it seems dry enough i put some papertowel inside, and put it back on the rack.

I noticed that after about a day, taking the papertowel out it is moist - replace with new dry papertowel.

Dont want it to grow any fungus/mold so trying to keep dry.
Could also put in the oven to achieve better dryness (but that will heat up my kitchen).
Put it in the oven, 400F? forgot it in there about 1 hour or more, when i opened the oven door i smelled clay i thought id see some cracks but thank goodness the little yixing is ok! nice and dry now.

So when i received this little pot it smelled profusely of clay dust. and it still had some clay dust inside.

i washed it for 1 day in filtered water - still smells.
i put boiling water in it - still smells.
i put it in boiling water - still smells.

yixing swimming in filtered water.

after a couple ’swimming lessons’ decided to brew some not so exciting oolong (but not crappy either) in it. after about 3 times it started to smell less obtrusive.
the resulting liquid was not drank, but let soak in the pot for hours or so. then i started to use it.

about 5 times of brewing/infusing nice dancong (phoenix) oolong in it, the little pot almost lost its clay smell. i did not perceive any clay taste in these brewings.

some say to put the pot in the oven to cure it, dont know how that will make the smell evaporate. i didnt try it.

i put it in the oven after using it, just to make it dry faster after cleaning it, and seems to make it smell less.

Zhong Guo Cha 28$

Very cute, little pot, first one i got, i liked its architecture.
Seems like good workmanship, very clean lines, no deformities*, nice detailed inscription on the sides.

Picture is at an angle, it makes it seem more chubby than reality.

The lid fits very snug, but its very easy to handle.
The little blow-hole on the lid dont know what is used for but as you can see in these 2 pics, the lid is indeed tight, water only flows when blowhole is unobstructed.

*just noticed looking at the pictures: the handle is millimeters off-center

Yeah, I did it ! Got my first YiXing !

8oz 28$ Zhong Guo Cha
ZGC says its authentic purple clay, i dont know, but i bought it because i liked it.

has a bunch of chinese writing on it! yay! i have no idea what it means!

uh… what do i do with it now… im gonna wash it, cure it, prepare it for its first oolong!

will followup with a post with … pictures