Another Thrift Store Treasure

This lovely little yixing-style teapot came home with the DH (dear hubby) from the thrift store. What a great surprise!  I soaked it in boiling-hot water a number of times and tested the pouring and the lid fit.  All checked out; it's a keeper!  And for <$5, I'm even more tickled with it. 

The pot has a stamp on the bottom and Chinese characters on the front, neither of which I can decipher.  It's perfect size for gong-fu brewing.  Since the unglazed clay is absorbent, I will dedicate this teapot to light, flowery oolongs.   The one I'm drinking here is a very light Ti Quan Yin.  The pretty little teacup is a souvenir from Xian, China, the teahouse on the grounds of the Terracotta Warriors.

Thank you DH for always being on the lookout for tea treasures!

The Ti Quan Yin hails from Harney & Sons.  I am ashamed to say this tea was two years old, yet both the aroma and flavor held up.  It has those typical high floral notes and bright flavor.  The little green balls expand leisurely and lend themselves to several round of steeping.  I tend to choose darker, more oxidized oolongs, but on a hot summer day (it's actually in the upper 90's today!), this was perfect.