A source for Gong Fu accessories?

Hello,

Just found this group from Mike's site @

been on the Yahoo ones but this is the first time here. Hi to all!

Just a little note on the tea tray (Cha Pan). Much like tea itself there is a whole word of tea trays and tables available. On the whole bamboo trays tend to be ok. In my & my girlfriends experience then quality varies, along with price considerably. It is important to observe how the pieces of bamboo are joined, the ones that are either glued or fixed using metal joiners tend to split much quicker than those which use 'dove tailed' joins. In our home in the UK I use both a (good quality) bamboo tray which I have had for about 3 years without problem as well as a single peice natural wood one, both of which my girlfriend sourced in Shanghai. In her shop she traditionally used for a number of years a metal tray which is typical of many from Fujian, however she changed early this year to a more ornate bamboo tray which split within 6 weeks! This was certaintly a case of beauty more than functionality! From the shops perspective Wan Ling still sells more bamboo trays than anything else, though this is often to do with the price and range of sizes available. In the mid - high range then hard wood trays are probably the best option though many people like the ornate patterns that are available with ceramics. On the whole all of these trays have no problem handling hot water. In terms of basis TLC then normally it is just a case of drying off once a day with a tea towel and an occasional going over with the tooth brush. One side note is to check what type of method is used for the water. The 2 most common types are either a built in tray or external pipe that can be placed in a bucket/bin.

On the matter of the Gong Fu accessories then I am suprised that you are unable to find a supplier in the US that sells sets. On the whole all the suppliers we deal with in China supply complete sets in a range of woods and finishes. If you are really serious about accessories then they are some beautiful hand made ones to be found, though their beauty is reflected in the price!

Any way all the best to you tea lovers. Look forward to reading lots of interesting tea related info.

Regards

James

Elmo Topp wrote:

Hi Karel,

I'm sorry I let so much time go by. The regular Feng Huang Dan Cong from Silk Road Teas sells for around $24.00 the pound, which is a very good price and value. I'm fond of this one.

That will get you to their catalog, which includes an address and telephone number. They sell far more pricey, and admittedly more subtle Dan Congs, but this one is special.

Other companies sell nice ones, but the ones I use have no internet presence. I notice you are broadcasting from Switzerland -- I think -- and therefore my information might not be that helpful for you. The company I mentioned above is in California.

Michael

As it happens, I'm drinking this very tea right now. It's delicious and fragrant, and I've brewed it at room temperature to suit the heat wave that's [pick your own violent past participle] New York for a few days now. By now I've tried a number of teas this way, and I'd say on the whole greens tend to do fine. One standout is In Pursuit of Tea's Anhui Yellow.

/Lew

I have that stuff and it's never done anything for me, which makes me think I'm doing something wrong. Can I get some tips here? How much tea to water, for starters?

Lewis Per> > [...]

I'm not sure which tea you mean, so I'll answer for both:

SRT Fenghuang Dancong: This works well both in gongfu proportions (fill pot completely with dry leaf - it's very fluffy) and what's been called wrongfu (1g per fluid ounce.) Make sure you steep it for very short times, especially gongfu, where after the first steep you should pour off the liquor more or less immediately.

IPOT Anhui Yellow: I find this tea extremely forgiving. I brew it wrongfu or at half that concentration, and it's good from room temperature to at least 170F.

/Lew

Lew, thanks for the detailed instructions. I was doing 'wrongfu' before and not getting much out of it. Gongfu (pot packed full of leaves) worked much better.

What's your room temp brew> "Alex" writes:

Just mix leaves and room-temp water and wait. For best results, separate the leaves and water before drinking the latter.

Seriously, I don't have it down to a formula, but my experience confirms the thermodynamic intuition that room-temp brewing should be slower than methods involving a kettle.

/Lew

Well, just came across this thread tonight and felt I was missing out. Just a few reasons why it has made me happy -

Dominic

This is actually the reason I stopped being very focused on the formal tea ceremony as it does not match with my personal beliefs.

*

Alex

I think leaving the teapot sitting in a puddle of cold water is nasty.

*

Michael

I've never quite gotten around to drilling the holes, but I will someday.

*

Dominic

*

Lewis

what's been called wrongfu (1g per fluid ounce.)

*

Jim

It was 110 on I90 in South Dakota on Sunday coming back from the Minnesota wedding. I turned south at Murdock on HW83 through SD and NE

which terminates after 200 miles at North Platte and I90. The temperature there was 95 at midnight.

***

All taken in and noted. Thank you.

Im Teas