Among many tea sets, glass tea sets are unique due to their transparency and smoothness. Many tea lovers also have a soft spot for glass tea sets. Today I will tell you about the glass tea set.
Glass tea sets are usually made by mixing quartz-containing sand, limestone, soda ash, etc., melting and molding at high temperature, and then cooling. There are many kinds of glass tea, such as crystal glass, colorless glass, jade glass, Venus glass, opal glass tea set and so on. Glass can be used to make various other utensils such as wine glassware, bowls, saucers, cups, cylinders, etc. Most of them are colorless, colored glass or stained glass is also useful.
▲The glass bowl in the Famen Temple tea vessel
Glass, called lyuli or lyuli by the ancients, is actually a colored translucent mineral. A tea set made of this material can give people a feeling of bright color and radiance. Although China's glass making technology started earlier, it wasn't until the Tang Dynasty, with the increase in cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries and the continuous introduction of Western glassware, that China began to produce glazed tea sets. Discovered in the underground palace of Famen Temple in Fufeng, Shaanxi, a light yellow-glazed teacup and a light-yellow-glazed rectilinear saucer kept by Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty are authentic Chinese glazed tea sets. Glazed tea set in China appeared during the Tang Dynasty, and at that time it was a precious thing. Yuan Zhen of the Tang Dynasty once wrote a poem in praise of Liuli, saying that it is “colourful and icy, and nothing is separated from the dust. When the Tang Dynasty commemorated the Buddha bone relics in the pagoda of Famen Temple, a glazed tea set was also included in the offerings. and Ming, large colored glaze workshops appeared in Shandong, Xinjiang and other places.During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, a palace glass factory was also established in Beijing.However, from the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, although glazed devices were produced and expensive, most of them were works of art in colored glaze.
The transparency of glass is very characteristic, it is a special and valuable quality that cannot be compared with other materials. The pure and flawless transparent visual image not only conveys a pure, meticulous and crystal clear aesthetic sense, but also conveys a personality isomorphic to pure, open and selfless qualities. The characteristics of the transparent material are full of dreams, which can be used for any metaphor and imagination, and create a mood and feeling that other materials cannot imitate.
There are many advantages to brewing tea in a glass tea set, but of course there are also disadvantages.
▲It's not about the size, it's about the brilliance.
The benefits of a glass tea set
Let's talk about the benefits first. The advantages of glass tea sets are mainly in the following aspects:
1. The appearance is dazzling. Glass is transparent and very malleable, so glass tea sets have different shapes and dazzling brilliance.
2. Brew tea and enjoy the tea dance. The texture of the glass tea set is transparent, when brewing tea, you can intuitively observe the graceful posture of the tea leaves floating in the cup, and at the same time, the bright color of the tea soup is also clear at a glance. Among the materials of many tea sets, glass tea sets are unique. It is translucent and smooth, and you can better appreciate the beautiful shape of the tea leaves slowly stretching in the tea set. From the bright color of the tea soup, the tenderness and softness of the tea leaves, the up and down movement of the tea leaves during the entire brewing process, the gradual stretching of the leaves, etc., it can be said that it is a dynamic artistic perception. Glass tea sets are generally high temperature resistant glass products, crystal clear, not only can reflect the color of tea soup most accurately, but also can convey tea soup information that other material tea sets cannot reflect - color and transparency. tea soup. One of the criteria for evaluating good tea is the “brightness” of the tea leaves. Regardless of the yellow, orange or red tea leaves, the tea leaves of good tea should be shiny, like silk. At this time, glassware is indispensable.
3. Preserve the aroma of the tea as much as possible. The glass tea set has high density, small porosity, low water absorption, and does not absorb the taste of tea, so different teas do not mix. By using the glass tea set to brew delicate green tea, the aroma of the tea is not easily absorbed, and the original pure and refreshing taste can be preserved. Glass tea set allows you to reproduce the original taste as much as possible. This is because the glass tea set is a non-porous tableware that does not absorb any trace of tea aroma, allowing people to experience the 100% original taste of tea.
4. Easy to clean. The glass tea set is easy to clean after brewing tea and no taste remains.
5. Low cost. Since glass tea sets are mass-produced, the cost is low, in most cases the price is lower than other tea sets, and they are easy to buy.
Disadvantages of a glass tea set
Of course, glass tea sets also have inherent disadvantages that we cannot ignore.
1. The texture is fragile. The glass tea set is fragile and can be damaged if you are not careful while making the tea.
2, relatively hot. Glass tea sets are hotter than pottery, purple sand, metalcue and other tea sets. Freshly brewed tea cannot be held directly in the glass with your hands. This is a fly in the ointment.
3. Artistic value is low. Most glass tea sets are mass-produced (with the exception of a few), which are not strong in craftsmanship, have low artistic value, and do not have much collectible value.
How to choose a glass tea set? ---
So, the advantages and disadvantages of glass tea sets are obvious, whether to choose glass tea sets depends on personal preference. If you like glass tea sets, then how to choose and buy is another problem that you will have to face.
The color, aroma, taste and shape of tea brewed in a high quality glass tea set will not make the tea soup cloudy. At the same time, high-quality glass products are safer and will not break or crack, while low-quality glass tea sets are easily damaged. So what should you pay attention to?
1
High quality borosilicate glass is the best choice
There are heat-resistant and non-heat-resistant glass pots on the market. The use temperature of non-heat-resistant glass is generally -5 to 70 ° C, and the use temperature of heat-resistant glass can be 400 to 500 ° C higher, and can withstand "-" instantaneous temperature difference. 30 to 160°C". As a tool for brewing tea + tea, a heat-resistant and lightweight borosilicate glass pot is best.
The coefficient of expansion of high borosilicate glass is low, and it will not burst when the temperature difference changes suddenly; high temperature resistance and acid resistance also make it difficult for borosilicate glass to deposit harmful substances in daily drinking water. use.
The weight of a tea set made of high borosilicate glass is much lighter than that of "raw glass", which contains a lot of heavy metal ions. "raw glass".
High quality borosilicate glass is uniform in thickness, very transparent in sunlight, has good refractive effect, and has a clear knock.
2
The thicker the glass, the better
Thick glasses are better for cold drinks, while thinner glasses are better than thick glasses for hot drinks.
Because thick glass is machine-made, the "annealing" in the manufacturing process (lowering the temperature of the tea set slowly and naturally to eliminate stress completely) is not as good as blowing thin glass. The heat dissipation rate of thick glass is not as fast as that of thin glass. When boiling water is poured in, the inner side of the glass wall is heated first and expands rapidly, but the outer surface does not expand at the same time, so it breaks. . When a thin glass cup is poured into boiling water, the heat energy spreads quickly, and the cup body expands evenly and synchronously, so it is not easy to burst.
High borosilicate glass is usually not made very thick, because many tea sets can be heated over an open fire. If the glass is too thick and the thermal insulation is too good, then the effect of an open fire will not work. fire heating and heat preservation.
However, impact resistance is also a very important indicator. This is not to say that impact resistance is ignored as long as it can withstand high temperatures. The impact resistance of glass that is too thin is relatively weak. Therefore, the thickness of the heat-resistant glass tea set is determined after comprehensive and professional consideration, and it is not recommended to buy it if it is too thin or too thick.
In addition, internal stress, which is likely to occur in each connecting part, is not eliminated, which is also a common cause of breakage. When buying, you should also pay attention to ensure that the joints, such as handles and spouts, are smooth and natural.
3
The density of the lid must be appropriate
When buying a glass jar, check the tightness of the lid and neck. If the pot lid and neck are too loose, they can easily fall off during use. And if it is absolutely consistent, then it is also subject to jamming and damage.
Therefore, the lid and body of the glass pot must maintain a certain degree of sealing. A loose lid does not mean poor quality.
Furthermore, the glass tea set is not a sealed container that can withstand pressure. If the lid is too tight and too tight, then when the internal temperature changes (whether it be natural cooling or open flame heating), the air part will thermally expand. air pressure cannot be balanced due to cold compression, the whole glass vessel will become a pressure vessel, and it will explode when the pressure load is exceeded.
Although the inability to fully close the lid does not affect the normal use of the tea set, in order to satisfy everyone's concern, there are many glass tea set lids on the market, which are a combination of bamboo lid. + o-ring. Good choice.
▲Bamboo lid + o-ring
4
Notice the slight bumps on the rim or bottom of the cup
This pimple is called a "glass drop" in production terminology. This is the final part of a handmade glass product after it has been fully formed and excess glass solution has been cut off. This is a feature of the glass made in front of handmade kilns.
Leaving a lid on the neck of a cup or pot can prevent absolute adhesion between the glass parts and avoid the aforementioned situation where the high pressure in the pot cannot be released during the heating process and may cause an explosion. However, for the sake of beauty, there are also many handmade glass tea sets in which glass drops are deliberately left at the bottom of the cup.
The fact that glass tea sets use the kiln blowing process that has been used in industry for hundreds of years is unique. This is normal and exists for all hand-blown glass products. glass from machine-made glass containers to the naked eye an important feature.
5
Trace artifacts or small air bubbles are acceptable
High quality glass tea sets are made from pure materials. If the material is not clean, there will be imperfections such as lines, bubbles, and sand on the glass. Stripes refers to stripes on the glass surface, bubbles refers to small voids in the glass, sand refers to white quartz sand that does not melt into the glass. These imperfections will affect the expansion coefficient of the glass, causing the glass to crack easily and may even burst automatically due to excessive temperature.
Of course, the number and size of bubbles is one of the manifestations of high quality, but the probability of "the absence of man-made traces and small bubbles" obtained under high-temperature processing, and even expensive heat, is almost zero. In this situation, persistent tea sets will appear. But as long as it does not affect the appearance and use, we must accept the existence of some unavoidable hand marks and small air bubbles.
6
Stainless steel filter is better
It is not recommended to use plastic filters for teapots. Plastic products can decompose harmful substances to the human body at high temperatures. wash.
Those who like to brew cupcakes will need a filter with smaller, denser holes because it contains more debris than loose tea.
▲Stainless steel filter
7
An induction cooker and an open flame cannot have both
Borosilicate glass raw material can be simmered to temperatures below 150℃, but it can't be heated directly by induction cooker. Because the glass itself is non-metallic and non-magnetic, it does not react to the heat of an induction cooker.
There is an exception: a tea set made of theat-resistant glass with a magnetic film baked on the bottom can be heated electromagnetically, but such a tea set cannot be boiled over an open fire, otherwise the magnetic film will be easily damaged. .
Therefore, they cannot be used at the same time.
What if the glass tea set is hot?
It is true that glass tea sets are not as well insulated as purple sand pots. However, compared to conventional glass tea sets, the double-layered glass, binaural design, and extra layer of silicone sheath are effective upgrades.
▲Double glass protects against burns
Instructions for lifting glass teapots
· Handle with care and avoid collisions.
Do not place it in a microwave oven with metal utensils as microwaves cannot penetrate metals and cause microwave reflections, which will increase the temperature and even damage devices that emit microwaves.
· Protection against dry burning, protection against sudden cooling and sudden heating, cooling for some time after use, and then washing.
· When using a metal tea drawer, it turns black due to tea stains. If it cannot be washed off with a neutral detergent, it can be cleaned by soaking it in vinegar.
Tips for cleaning glass tea sets
Use orange juice for your face wash
Many people don't know that orange juice or orange zest has a cleansing effect, and orange juice or orange zest can be used to clean a glass tea set very easily. Cleaning glass takes only a few minutes. clean up the tea service.
Cleaning with pearl powder
Pearl powder has not only a powerful cosmetic effect, but also a strong cleansing effect. You only need to take some pearl powder and spread it evenly on the glass tea set, wait about 30 minutes, and then clean it with a rag.
Do not put it in the microwave to heat up with metal utensils as microwaves cannot penetrate metals and cause microwave reflections.
Clean with toothpaste
Gently apply some toothpaste to the glass tea set and wait about 30 minutes before gently rubbing it with a nylon cloth to make sure the glass tea set shines like new.
The above three cleaning methods for glass tea sets are not only convenient for obtaining materials, but also have a strong cleaning effect! Have you learned it?
Many people now prefer to brew tea for drinking purposes. However, it is very important to brew a good cup of tea because there are many factors that go into tea soup. There are some changes, which means that we often encounter the same tea and the same water, but the taste of each brewpeople are different. Today we will add 3 methods of making tea in a glass tea set, by the way. , so that when you use the glass tea set to make tea later, it can be used very well.
[1] Fixed point hard hitting method
First of all, the first brewing method is the fixed-point, high-flush method. When we use the glass tea set to make tea, we put the tea into the tea set first, and then we can avoid the fixed point tea injection when pouring water. You should know that the water flow must be high so that the tea leaves can roll up and down in water, which is more favorable for the flavor of the tea leaves, but remember not to directly affect the tea leaves with water, because making tea in this way will change the taste of the tea soup.
【2】Fixed point low point fill method
The second brewing method is the low-pot, fixed-point method. When using a glass tea set to make tea, if you choose loose tea, when pouring water, you must pour water to the place where there is no tea. , so that some substances in the tea can be absorbed. It will be released, and the brewed tea soup will be more tender. If you choose to brew blocked tea, you must point it to the tea when pouring water, so that the tea can be better stretched and released.
[3] Fixed-point rotary forging method
The last method is the fixed point suspension method. This method is difficult to use for brewing tea because we need to introduce water at a fixed point at a 45 degree angle so that the water can rotate like a whirlwind so that we can The power of water makes the tea leaves better release some of the nutrients in the tea leaves and this method more suitable for brewing oolong tea and black tea in glass tea sets.
Many people don't know how to use glass tea sets to make tea. Actually, this method is very simple. We only need to learn the above three methods to make delicious tea soup.
The beauty of the shape of the glass material is the main factor that makes the glass material a unique material. It is different from the simple, heavy and natural nature of wood, the strong sense of time from metal and the calm and solemnity of stone, but it is crystal clear, bright and magnificent, mysterious and pure. Writing in a cold and hard invisible and fluid language, full of life in light and shadow, these characteristics make glass products radiate their own unique charm.
There are many varieties of glass tea sets produced over time, and most of them will be made into cups, plates and bottles, such as ordinary glasses, glass teapots and glass cups. At present, due to the needs of the market, manufacturers ofThere have been glass flavored cups, heat-resistant glass cups, glass tureens, small glass teapots, glass concentric cups and other varieties, and the types of glass tea sets are becoming more and more numerous. Ordinary glass undergoes "heat treatment" to change the arrangement of the glass molecules and become the flexible, impact and heat resistant tempered glass we use today, greatly improving the performance of tea sets and more suitable for people's everyday use.