seasoning your Yixing Teapot

We generally use the "Ballou" method of seasoning. It seems to work just fine for us. The "Mystic method" comes from several sources including one of our teapot suppliers in china. We have experimented with both and just want to share with you that if you choose the second method pick your vessel carefully. When we used a non-stick pot with some scratches in it it left a white residue on the teapots that could not be easily removed. We're not sure what that means for any food cooked in it (we tossed the cooking pot) but we definitely would not season any Yixing pots in anything like that. Additonally, our friend and customer Brent Gerenda (a serious tea drinker) has provided us with his seasoning method. Remember that it's always a good idea to warm your teapot with hot water before brewing tea.

Ballou has napping to do, so he recommends the following "quick method" of seasoning.

Fill the teapot with boiling water and allow it to sit for ten minutes. Drain the water. Again, fill the pot with boiling water and add one teaspoon of your favorite loose tea leaves. Remember, this should be the type of tea you will use this pot for. Allow to sit for ten minutes. Drain the tea. Now your pot is ready for use.

Take the lid off the teapot and place the pieces in a vessel large enough to cover the pieces with water. Place some tea leaves in the water and bring to a slow boil (rapid boiling could damage your pot). Slow boil for an hour. Remove from the heat and let the pot remain in the water for twenty four hours. Remove the pot from the water and rinse well. Put the teapot back into the larger vessel and bring it to a slow boil again for an hour. Remove from heat and let it cool down again in the same tea water. The next day remove the teapot and rinse it in hot water. It is now ready to use.

This method is supplied by a long term friend and customer of Necessiteas.

Materials- 1 large water pot (the kind one uses to boil water for spaghetti), tongs, paper towels, 3-5 liters of a pure mineral water or filtered water, your recently purchased Yixing teapot from Necessiteas.com, plastic wrap, the tea destined for you pot.

1. With cold water, gently rinse any manufacturing dust/residue from the inside of your Yixing ware. Then, with dry paper towels wipe out the inside of your Yixing ware to make sure you get all the dust/residue. If not, this is a very unpleasant taste. Trust me I know.

2. Bring 3-5 liters of water to a rolling boil. The amount of water depends on the size of the teapot. You want to make sure that the amount of water is enough to completely submerse your teapot, tea set, or other Yixing ware.

3. After the water is at a rolling boil cut the heat immediately. Add 3-5 teaspoons of tea to the water, and let steep for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, with the tongs, ever so gently submerse your Yixing ware into the brew.

4. Let stand for at least 30 minutes, or until large the heat from the water pot is no longer a danger. Then wrap the top of the pot with plastic wrap to "seal" the pot.

5. The curing process last exactly one week from the day of submersion. Check on the Yixing ware periodically throughout the week.

6. On the seventh day, gently remove your Yixing ware from the pot and rinse with cold water. * Never use soaps of any kind on your Yixing ware. Let completely dry. Now your Yixing ware is completely cured and ready for use!!!