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Legend says that over 5000 years ago, the Chinese Emperor Shen-Nung was boiling water when some laves from a nearby tea bush blew unnoticed into the pot. The resulting brew so delighted the Emperor that soon it became the drink of choice of both royalty and the common man alike.
The art of tea (or cha in Chinese) traces its origin to Lu Yu of the Tang Dynasty (618-906AD). Abandoning worldly pursuits, Lu Yu set off on a quest to discover the secrets of brewing the perfect cup. His search brought him to various places, water sources and tealeaves.
The earliest tea caddies were made in Chinese porcelain in shapes similar to ginger-jars but with blue and white patterns. These were soon imitated by the English kilns in every ceramic factory and with devised forms and designs. Different materials came into the picture and the caddies were soon made out of wood, pewter, tortoise shells, brass, copper and silver.
Here are some points to consider when choosing a tea caddy. These qualities are the reasons why pewter is often the preferred material.
A tea caddy must be made from a material that does not react with the tea. Pewter is an inert alloy and hence does not mar the delicate quality of tea.
Tea must be kept away from sunlight as it breaks down the quality of tea. Hence tea caddies should always be opaque.
As dry tealeaves easily absorb moisture and odours, it is essential to use an airtight container for tea. Royal Selangor's tea caddies are designed with a perfectly-fitted cover and inner lid to ensure that they are airtight.
In the art of making tea, a good tea caddy design that is functional and tactile is essential. For storing tea, it is best to use tea caddies as opposed to other containers as they are designed specially for this purpose.
Aesthetics and functionality should go hand in hand and is part of the tea culture. Pewter is malleable and enables the most intricate details to be reproduced.
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Check out Royal Selangor's tea caddies and check out other tea accessories for that perfect brew!
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