Tea draining tray
Encyclopedia
The "Tea draining tray", "Tea Tray", "Gongfu Tea Tray", or "Tea Sea" is an integral piece of equipment for the Gongfu Tea Ceremony
.
It is essentially a grate, which allows excess and waste liquids to be drained away, and either collected in a pan under the grate, or drained away through a hose that carries the waste water and tea
to a bucket or other drain.
The Gongfu tea method is used to brew primarily oolong
and pu-erh teas. A drain system is especially important with pu-erh teas since the first two pots of tea are usually used to soak the tea, and prime the vessels.
The tray is also important because the Gongfu style of brewing is messy and wet. All the cups, pots and other serving items are repeatedly rinsed in hot water and tea to ensure that proper temperatures are kept and that the vessels are sanitary, with out watering down the tea. When making tea this way, a pot of tea will be brewed 4-10 rounds. Because it is a wet process, the tea draining tray is necessary to keep the process tidy and elegant.
Gongfu tea ceremony
The gongfu tea ceremony or kungfu tea ceremony , is a commercialized show basing on the tea preparation approach originated probably in Fujian or Guangdong. The original term "Gongfu Cha " literally means "making tea with efforts". Sometimes '功' instead of '工' is used thus 功夫茶...
.
It is essentially a grate, which allows excess and waste liquids to be drained away, and either collected in a pan under the grate, or drained away through a hose that carries the waste water and tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
to a bucket or other drain.
The Gongfu tea method is used to brew primarily oolong
Oolong
Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea produced through a unique process including withering under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties...
and pu-erh teas. A drain system is especially important with pu-erh teas since the first two pots of tea are usually used to soak the tea, and prime the vessels.
The tray is also important because the Gongfu style of brewing is messy and wet. All the cups, pots and other serving items are repeatedly rinsed in hot water and tea to ensure that proper temperatures are kept and that the vessels are sanitary, with out watering down the tea. When making tea this way, a pot of tea will be brewed 4-10 rounds. Because it is a wet process, the tea draining tray is necessary to keep the process tidy and elegant.