Firing in June 2011

As we are potters it is not surprising: We fired again. After few weeks of working with clay followed two days of glazing, one long day of  loading and then around twenty hours of firing. Writing this the kiln is just about to be unloaded -we have put aside few bricks waiting till temperature will be safe for pieces inside the kiln. In mean time I would like to show you few pictures from the process.

Time for tea :  Wild buds 2011 -good choice for hot afternoon.  Sample from  Jiri  Melzer

Now I already fished out few pots...I hope to see more pieces like those soon. All pots you can see here are from the lower parts of the kiln where we use charcoal technique. Above there are more glazed and finer pots.

Unglazed jar -some Liu An basket tea is waitng for it...

I am going back to the kiln. After unloading the kiln there are two days of cleaning, sorting and completing in front of us. 

2003 7572

My Pots and Tea blog is still pretty new, like a fresh cake. But still, I realized one thing - even thought I drink mostly puer tea I have not posted any puer post yet. Maybe I am a little bit afraid of this. It is like a love you do not fully understand. With many cakes (touchas, bricks etc.)  I like, it is hard for me to describe what is so special about them for me. But on other hand- I like challenges! So here is the first story....

Ripe Menghai 7572 03  

I like this kind of wrapping -it looks old and traditional even when it is not

I got this cake more then year ago from my friend-customer, owner of teashop. It was part of our tea-teaware exchange. When I am thinking about it now I think it was given to me extra, as kind of added value of this exchange. Yes, I am happy man!  I remember that when I tasted it for a first time I was not fully impressed. The smell of dry leaves as well as fragrances going out from the teapot were great but I couldn't find it in the taste. I also miss body of the tea which I like to have when drinking a shu. So I putted it to my storage box...And year after, when I was digging there, looking for some Shu to enjoy I decided to try it again.

When I have a tea where the smell and look of it promised more then I find in my cup it usually (not always) means that there is something wrong on my side. I mean water, pots I used, timing, and amount of leaves and so on. After several sessions with this Menghai product I find in my cup what I was looking for. Thick syrup which fill up your mouth. There are no those muddy-musty smells and tastes of too wet storage ShuPu. Tastes of sweet walnuts and un-sweet cocoa -it goes from my mouth to my nose and back. I realized that it is better to use bigger amount of leaves -then I can play during infusions and enjoy stronger liquor with footprint of bitterness or lighter one with more nutty and slightly flowery character. 

When I find out that this cake is the Shu as I like it, I asked my friend if this tea is for a sale. But unfortunately the answer was no- he has only few of those cakes and he likes it to much to sell them. So I started to "google" and so far |I find it only at Yunnan Sourcing. But for 148usd? It is too much for me right now -especially for Shu. I find also 2003 7572 for 75usd (for example here ) but in different wrapping...what does it means? I will try to find it out. In the meantime I am going to enjoy this treasure and looking for Shu with similar qualities. 

Enjoy your day