Gongfu teapot: Tea is an important attribute because many people drink tea throughout the day. What can we say about the festive treat with this drink, which is usually served with a sweet dessert? The usual time for brewing a drink is 2-4 minutes. Although according to the Chinese tea ceremony, certain varieties of tea leaves reveal their qualities after half a minute.
What Is Gongfu Tea Pot?
So, wide Chinese varieties are brewed by the strait method. The leaf is doused with boiling water for 10-30 seconds. After the finished this teapot infusion is decanted into the pot, leaving the leaves in a container. Therefore, you can brew tea again. Then the drink is poured into cups. Such a sequence of actions allows you to treat guests with tea of the same strength, hence the name “chalice of justice.”
The Chinese are not only the legislators of the tea tradition but also the great masters who sought to simplify the process of preparing the drink while maintaining the value of its taste. In 1989, Kamjove launched a series of gongfu tea sets based on the pouring method of brewing. They immediately patented this mechanism, and the appearance of kung fu gradually changed, following modern style trends.
Let’s take a closer look at kung fu teapots – what kind of devices are they, and how to be guided when choosing an elegant vessel with a “secret”?
How does Kung Fu Teapot Work?
Gongfu is also called Kung Fu Teapot. It combines all the stages of preparing a drink by the strait method. It consists of the following parts:
- The main container, this teapot is made of glass, and has a triangular watering can on one side for ease of use;
- A transparent gongfu flask, inside of which there is a mechanism for pouring tea infusion and a metal mesh;
- Plastic cover with latches for fixing and a button that activates the flow mechanism;
- The plastic handle is held on the case by a metal belt.
The main thing in the type is considered to be the strait mechanism. When the lid button is pressed, a special lever is lowered. It opens the valve at the bottom of the flask. And the tea infusion is drained through a fine strainer into the main vessel. All the “tea leaves” remain inside the flask.
How Good Is Gongfu Teapot?
Even though the teapot was created based on the tea ceremony of the same name, it has long won the general public for some inherent advantages. First of all, people fell in love with this device because it is convenient to brew in it and at the same time receive a ready-made drink in one dish. You can also control the strength of tea by reducing the residence time of the infusion in the flask with tea leaves.
No less important is that the steamed leaves in gongfu can be used to prepare new portions of the drink in several passes, which directly depends on the type of tea, and each new portion will have a unique taste and color. And how interesting it is to watch through a transparent flask the unfolding of leaves floating in hot water!
Due to its practical and aesthetic qualities, this teapot is suitable for daily use and during festive feasts. It is also convenient to use at work. For this, a special model was invented, where the main vessel is made in the form of a mug. In addition, kung fu helps significantly save time in the morning and during the lunch break.
In addition to the above advantages, the tipot-teapot stands out for some physical benefits:
- It is pretty easy to disassemble and easy to clean;
- Very light in weight;
- Kungfu takes up little space in the kitchen.
For its attractive appearance, supported by an interesting history of the tea ceremony, this teapot can be a worthy gift or present for any occasion.
How to Choose the Right Gongfu Teapot?
The range of model types differs in various shapes and volumes. You can choose between cylindrical and barrel-shaped. Some types look like a traditional teapot with a spout, an oblong jug or a regular mug with a rounded handle. In terms of volume, gongfu is from a small size of 200 ml to a capacious container of 1.5 liters.
The design of the kettle involves the use of different materials. The main body is made of heat-resistant glass. The inner flask is mainly made of plastic; less often, it is glass. The lid and gongfu handle is plastic, but models with a glass handle are provided for the product’s overall design.
- Several points will help determine the choice of a suitable model:
- The material must be heat-resistant, uniform in thickness and transparency;
- Smooth flask, without scratches and cracks;
- Perfect match of the lid to the upper opening of the kettle;
- The lever inside the gongfu brew flask is solid in appearance;
- Plastic parts are odorless;
- The drain mechanism is visible through the transparent walls of the flask. You can open its valve with a spring or weight. Both mechanisms are pretty functional and durable.
Typically, the flow tip is additionally equipped with a plastic measuring spoon. It is needed to determine the one-time amount of tea leaves.
How to Brew Gongfu Tea?
You can use the pouring kettle for the traditional preparation of most Chinese varieties – Tie Guan Yin, Milk Oolong, Hao Yin Zhen, Da Hong Pao, Puerbai and others. But also the preparation of other favorite varieties.
The brewing process involves several simple steps:
- Pour hot water over a large container to warm its walls;
- Pour 1-2 measuring spoons of tea leaves into a transparent gongfu flask and pour over with boiling water;
- Wait a few seconds and drain the water. It is how the tea leaves are washed from dirt;
- Re-fill the already cleaned tea leaves with water of the desired temperature and wait the required time for infusion;
- Press the button. The infusion is decanted into the main container;
- Can be poured into circles.
Final Verdict
The gongfu flowing teapot is undoubtedly a useful item that allows you to plunge into the Chinese tea traditions and turn the preparation process into an intricate process worthy of becoming a family ritual.
Hello! I’m Paula Deen, a mother who loves to create memories in the kitchen. As a kitchen enthusiast, I love to do experiment with different kitchenware for daily recipes. This is my blog, where I’ll share my experience, knowledge, and reviews on various kitchenware and appliances.