teapots and tea sets

[miksha]

I have always wanted a teapot/tea set. Even if i don't drink much tea i will use it for coffee and hot chocolate  but how do you care and clean a teapot? water lang ba talaga and tea ang pwede ilagay? kase paano ko lilinisin ang spout kase masikip yun? also, may teapot ba na pwede deretso sa stove (hot plate) then deretso na sa table? ayoko ng mga malalaking takure na ginagamit nang lola ko para magpakulo nang tubig panligo  i want my teapot to look nice

[bluegintonic]

I have two sets of teapots and matching cup and saucers for me and my husband. If I'm drinking alone, I have a cup that has a loose leaf tea insert brewer.I wouldn't recommend boiling tea stove top-boil the water separately and pour over the tea- let it steep-is the better way to go.I'm also not a fan of tea bags.Loose leaf tastes so much better.Depending on your style, there are a lot of tea pots in Amazon, even a stove top one that looks like a coffee carafe  like these:
 
1-http://www.amazon.com/Medelco-12-Cup-Stovetop-Whistling-Kettle/dp/B000V5X826/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1367318850&sr=1-1&keywords=tea+kettle

2-http://www.amazon.com/Yama-Northwest-Glass-40-Ounce-Chinese/dp/B004EBUZ1K/ref=sr_1_43?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1367318927&sr=1-43&keywords=tea+kettle

3- http://www.amazon.com/GROSCHE-Infuser-included-infuser-capcity/dp/B004PV7IDW/ref=sr_1_40?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1367318927&sr=1-40&keywords=tea+kettle  not stove top but still cool looking!

Mine's this:


http://www.amazon.com/Tea-For-Porcelain-Teapot-Cups/dp/B004FIFUEO/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1367319258&sr=8-23&keywords=tea+for+two+set

and variations of it (meron akong nesting cup and pot set).Lately naliliitan na ako dito pareho so I'm also on the hunt for a tea set too!

[miksha]

nice sis! so mukhang ang need ko is tea kettle para pakulo and a teapot?

[quinone]

this may be a little bit off topic...since last month up to now, twing nagagawi ako ng mall tumitingin ako ng tea sets pero wala akong makitang type ko. gusto ko sana yung chinese or japanese style na cup, walang hawakan/handle. meron naman sa SM pero yung mga sets nila may handles. gusto ko rin sana plain ivory ang color, no design whatsoever.

[miksha]

i don't know if there is a daiso sa philippines, try finding a japanese home store.. usually doon ako nakakakita. Also, stores who sell loose leaf teas also carry tea sets and if they don't have it they can point you where to go.

[quinone]

^thanks

[bluegintonic]

^some teas kasi are ok to "boil" but majority are done by steeping-soaking in hot water (not boiling) to unfurl the tea leaves.this is true especially for herbal,tisanes and infused teas.not sure which teas are ok to boil-maybe black teas? For me I have an electric kettle where I boil water, let the rolling boil calm down first then pour into my teapot. Nasa sa iyo na choices what kind of tea pot you like design or style wise. The traditional English tea pots are usually plain colored, white, cream, mostly in porcelain. No matter what style you buy, I would advise you to get a good infuser,not the ball "dunk"in type.it's like a small net basket made of the same material as the coffee main filter(parang fine na net) and a black body.Simply coz that limits space as to how much tea you want to put.If you drink tea solo, that might be ok.I learned a lot through trial and error and I'm used kasi sa mug sized cups when I drink coffee so kahit pag sinabing 4 cup tea pot, maliit at kulang for me when I want a long and leisurely tea time.Majority of these days I just use my tall stainless mug with a built in infuser;week ends that's when my pots come out of the cupboard

[miksha]

if coffee ang ilalagay ko sa teapot or hot chocolate will it stain the teapot inside? also how will i clean the spout? kase kapag tea db kahit papano prang mildly colored lang ang water unlike kapag coffee or chocolate. i know it's each to his own or depende sa iyo what design or style ang gusto mo kuhanin but if kayo ang magsusuggest.. which is a better investment in the long run... the english style tea sets (or may floral floral or parang blue china).. the contemporary (kadalasan plain white sila lahat) or the japanese/chinese ( its often in beige/green with the bamboo holder)..or the middle eastern style, they often look like these http://173.192.107.190/~anjam/gabispics/turkishtea.html and http://www.moroccancaravan.com/item.asp?p=746
i'm leaning towards the english or contemporary but my friend said yung middle eastern na lang daw para remembrance na din kaso parang it's not my thing...

[quinone]

for me sis, mas prefer ko yung medyo bagay rin sa dinnerware na meron ako. if ever walang saucer sa set at mag serve ka ng cake or other sweets at least medyo terno pa rin sa tea set.

meron palang Tea Kettle Spouts Cleaning Brush

[bluegintonic]

Yung porcelain pots and cups ko may stains-from the tea! Hindi naman grabe pero meron talaga.Hindi maiiwasan yan as long as madalas gamitin.I ordered Bar Keeper's Friend multi-purpose to clean my stainless steel pots and pans and according to the reviews nakakalinis din daw ng porcelain.Hindi pa dumadating so hindi ko pa na-try. Mapa-tea,coffee or chocolate hindi yata talaga maiiwasan.Kahit glass pa-I know kasi yung Moroccan tea cups na pinost mo nakainom na ako sa ganun meron din stains-this was when I was still in Abu Dhabi .

Not sure maybe it'f the type of tea as well-I've seen green,black and brown tea that do stain.

Mukhang mahirap linisin yung Moroccan tea pot masyado makipot yung spout

I buy my teapots/saucers not to match any of my existing china-I guess depende sa style na love mo talaga. Don't buy something na hindi ka happy with.If the material matters to you, my preference would still be porcelain,followed by glass .I'm into contemporary as well-the English flowery ones tend to look dated, but not an issue if you dont have anything against heirloom/vintage look.My ultimate dream set is actually to have a cake stand that looks vintage along with a vintage , flowery teapots and saucers  Something about afternoon tea calls for those cute 3-tier cake stands, no?

[miksha]

what's the difference between porcelain and ceramic teapots? i do agree that some flowery ones tend to look dated.. i think nasa style because, some look chippipay hindi ba... hehe.. i am actually looking for something like this http://www.theotherduckling.co.uk/vintage-teapot-886-p.asp or this http://www.theotherduckling.co.uk/teaset-foxglove-1225-p.asp pero reasonably priced... kadalasan kase dito overpriced lahat e sakit sa bulsa

[bluegintonic]

^ same lang..nagkakaiba lang pag sinabing fine bone (yung super white and translucent na halos). Try Amazon sis..mas reasonably priced items dun.I bought mine kasi dito sa Aussie pero I'm really eyeing a teapot with a built in cozy.I saw some tea cosies here na mukhang ganchilyo, cute din pero it will look dated after a while.I'd rather have something I'm not so crazy about now pero will not look dated after about 10 years from now.The glass pots are good too-there are some I've seen na pwedeng pakulo sa stove.I haven't been brave enough to step into that kind of tea-making process though hehe

[mommygwen]

I grew up hearing about people having their huge collection of stamps and coins. Yes I do collect also but i opted to collect teapot. Anyone here who collects teapot or any collections you want to share?

[aquacharly]

^I have a small  collection of teapots with matching cups; I have a big collection of pricey cups & saucers started by my Lola - all with handles.

But for everyday tea:  como it's the maid who heats the water --  I have a teapot for 10cups that I bought at SM. I bought matching no-handle teacups - 24 in all kasi madalas  mabasag ng maid (we have 6 out always, others stored) -- the set is still in use 2 years na, mga 7 tea cups na nabasag.
This teapot is just rinsed in hot water before & after use (immediately) --  hindi naman mukhang dirty.
The maid heats water & transfers to the pot; I choose which tea to put in (to steep) & I am the 1 who measures & puts in the tea leaves in the teapot derecho - no filter device --  para na check ko na rin water is not too hot & the teapot is clean

For the times I have the luxury of a little time, I prefer English style  tea.  The wide-mouthed tea cups with handles are best for English style tea. 
The maid who has been  with me longest -  boils water & transfers water to a glass teapot with that thing in the middle where you put the tea leaves. ( I have a wide selection of fine teas in nice canisters )
This maid is the only 1 who handles my collection of tea cups, she  is the only 1 who washes it, dries & returns.
I add fresh milk &  white  sugar cubes to the tea in my cup.

IMO, the choice of pot, cups & accoutrements  is dependent on who will prep your tea/coffee/chocolate requiremnts. If it's you -- how much effort do you wanna expend on these. Like, a regular cup can just be washed & left to dry.. But the pricey borloloy ones require careful handling and drying.  You have time for that? I envy you!

[miksha]

meron kayang english tea sets/cups na mukhang pricey pero hindi naman? ahahaha... dreaming....

[Heatherette]

I have a Cath Kidston tea set. Nabili ko siya sa Bangkok. May teapot then 4 cups and saucers. Then bumili ako sa Rustan's ng milk jug and sugar bowl. May sugar thongs din ako kasi mahilig ako mag-tea party mag-isa. I also make my own sugar cubes.

I also have a Royal Albert cup and saucer pero ultimate lemming ko talaga ang teapot, milk jug and sugar bowl ng Royal Albert. Ang mahal kasi dito sa atin compare sa ibang bansa.

[aquacharly]

^how do you make sugar cubes???   TIA

[Heatherette]

^I use 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp water (you can add food coloring din if you like). I use candy molds, yung ice cube tray kasi masyadong malalim so di mag-settle yung sugar. Let it sit overnight.

[aquacharly]

^how big are your cubes? You trim to smaller cubes?
Baka puede use my daughter's small toy molds -- flower shapes usually.  .
Thanks! 

Mahilig din ako mag tea party mag-isa. Yung walang kausap, just reading.  . 

[Heatherette]

^Yes, you can use those. I have a heart and star candy mold I bought at Gourdo's. Sakto yung nipis niya para mag-set yung sugar. I tried the tiniest ice cube tray I have, nag-crumble yung sugar.