In the modern world with its high speeds, there is practically no free time left to hold a full-fledged tea ceremony. Therefore, an amazing tea-making device was developed: a gongfu teapot.
Design
At the heart of the design of all the models laid the idea of the Chinese tea ceremony, which involves a method of brewing tea by the method of passage. This method of brewing helps to better open the tea leaf and give, and, therefore, saturate the drink with a noble taste and rich aroma. The first gongfu kettles had a simple structure in the form of 2 tanks: an inner flask and an outer vessel.
The internal flask is usually made of transparent plastic with a hole with a strainer at the bottom. In more expensive models, heat-resistant glass is used. The outer vessel is made of glass and supplied with a plastic handle for easy handling.
The inner vessel is installed in the outer so that there is a gap between them for brewed tea.
In 1989, Kamjove invented and patented the valve of the internal flask drainage mechanism. This greatly improved the gongfu teapots and simplified their operation. Tea is brewed in the inner flask, and after the process is over, it is enough to press a button or turn the lever (depending on the model) on the product lid, and the finished tea is poured into the external container through an open valve. There are 2 types of drain valves:
- with spring;
- with a taut load.
In the first embodiment, the valve opens under the action of the lever mechanism when the button is pressed and closes back under the pressure of the compressed spring with the button released. In the second case, the valve also opens with a lever mechanism, and closes with a load that is tensioned on a rope and connected to a movable valve mechanism. The model range of types is limited to volumes from 350 ml to 1500 ml.
Less than 350 ml cannot be made for structural considerations, since there must be space between the flasks to drain the brewed tea.
Models
The most widely represented 3 gongfu teapot manufacturers are most widely represented on the Russian market.: Runying, Kamjove, SAMA DOYO. These companies make a wide range of their products.
Runying T-series 500 ml
The body of the kettle is made in a trapezoidal shape of heat-resistant glass. To drain the brewed tea in the upper part of the vessel has a triangular spout. The inner flask is made of high-quality transparent plastic, which makes it possible to see the readiness during the tea brewing process.
On top of the kettle is equipped with a plastic lid, which is tightly fixed latch. To drain the prepared beverage from the inner flask to the external container, a button is provided on the lid.
When the button is pressed, the spring valve is activated, and the beverage is drained.
Kamjove TR-140 (300 ml)
The smallest teapot gunfu teapot. Represents ergonomic device that includes a teapot, a sieve, chahai. The outer vessel is made of heat-resistant cylindrical glass.
The brewing flask with a lid is made of high-quality transparent plastic. A button to drain the brewed tea is located in the lid of the inner flask. It is installed in the outer vessel in such a way that the cap rests on the edges of the outer vessel. After removing the inner flask, the outer tank can be used as a cup with a handle for drinking tea.
Sama A-14 (900 ml)
The most popular model of type in Russia. Its versatility is due to the presence in the design of the teapot, sieve, chahaya. Large volume allows you to use it for tea ceremonies in the company of several people.
This is a kettle of heat resistant glass with a glass inner flask. In the upper part of the outer container there is a triangular spout to drain the tea. On the opposite side is a plastic handle. Plastic cover tightly fixed. It has a button to drain tea from the teapot.
In this kettle you can brew any kind of tea. It is a pleasure to use it.
How to use?
To fully enjoy the aroma of tea, it must be properly prepared. Type allows you to brew tea so that it opens fully and gives all its useful substances and flavor. First you need to choose a variety of tea. For cooking in gongfu, the most suitable Chinese Pu-erh or Taiwanese Oolong. The way that tea is prepared in the type, called pouring.
- It is necessary to pour a little dry product into the inner flask.
- Insert it into the outer vessel of the kettle.
- Pour tea with a small amount of boiling water and instantly drain it. The first brew, the so-called technical, allows you to wash the tea leaf and wake it up for the tea ceremony.
- The second time, pour boiling water into the inner flask and cover with a lid. Let the drink stand for a few minutes and then press the button and pour the tea into the chahai.
- This procedure is repeated several times. This will allow you to fully reveal the taste and aroma of tea and achieve the necessary strength. Due to the pouring method of tea leaves, tea leaves are not in hot water for a long time and do not form harmful substances.
- From tea leaves poured into pialas.
How the gongfu teapot works is described in the next video.
