  With use, Yixing teapots develop
a rich patina enhancing the taste, color, and aroma of fine tea. The more
you use your teapot, the better it gets. The teapot's appearance will
change with age and use; its surface will become more glossy and the color
will intensify.
A zisha
pot should never be used for more than one type of tea, lest the flavor be
compromised. A new teapot, since it is unglazed, is considered raw. To
prepare your teapot for use, first inspect the pot's interior bottom for any
remaining sandy residue that may not have been removed after manufacture,
and rinse it out. Second, the cleaned pot must be cured prior to using it
for preparing tea. The classic curing method requires many extended
infusions of the same type of tea that is destined for use in the pot. Brew
at least three or four separate pots of tea, allowing the curing infusion to
remain in the pot for no more than one-half hour before discarding the
infusion. This process removes the clay taste from the new pot. Oils from
the tea leaves fill in the pores of the fired clay. If the pot has been
selected for a particularly high quality grade of tea, it is important to
avoid curing it with a lower grade. The surface of a new pot quickly
absorbs flavor characteristics, and a low quality tea may permanently affect
the pot's performance.
To ensure a progressive
increase in the flavor and fragrance of future infusions of your favorite
tea, never scour the inside of the pot. The clay surface absorbs the taste
and aroma of tea over time and amplifies it with subsequent use. Over time a
layer of tea sediment forms, and with subsequent use one is brewing tea
within tea. Following each use, the pot should be emptied of leaves, flushed
with cold water and placed in an inverted position to drain until dry. Soaps,
cleansers, or other substances should never come into contact with the pot,
nor should the pot's interior or exterior surfaces be toweled.
To pre-heat the pot for tea
drinking, first fill with hot water and drain. Place one teaspoon of loose
tea (enough for two or three refills) into the pre-heated pot, then fill
with boiling water. Let it steep for about one minute and enjoy. The
quality of your tea infusions and the beauty of your teapot will only
increase with use.
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