Drinks: types and features of choice

Tea drinking for many people is a wonderful pastime. Everyone loves to go on a visit, for holidays or for a cup of tea. Tea drinking is the key to a good conversation. Tea flies a great time, and you can drink it at any time of the day. But the peculiarity of tea drinking consists not only in tasty treats or in an expensive sort of tea, but also in the container in which tea is served.

Piala is a small, pen-free container that has a hemispherical shape. Different in size and volume of bowls are used as containers for soups, tea and other dishes that are served at the table. Due to the unique round shape and size, portions often serve portioned meals on a common table. In eastern cuisine they like to pamper guests with a wide variety of different dishes. Since many people want to try everything at once, these saucers perfectly fulfill such a role. The homeland of the word "Piala" is Persia, where it sounds like "piyale". It is believed that such dishes is one of the oldest types of dishes in the world. Its first use began in the 1st century of our era. The material used to create the bowl was clay.

Over time, a person decides to surround himself with more convenient and practical things, so glass, as well as porcelain and ceramics, replaces breaking clay. Many have a question about why there are no handles on such dishes. This was due to the nomadic way of life of Eastern peoples. If there was a pen on the bowl, it would interfere with the transportation of dishes in bags. Due to the absence of this element, space is saved, and the bowl itself is less subject to mechanical stress, and the ability to break the bowl is reduced.

Now there is a mass production of pial from the following materials:

• faience;
• clay;
• glass;
• porcelain;
• plastic;
• metal;
• wood;
• coconut.

The size and volume of drinking bowls in the traditional form is very small: approximately from 25 to 120 ml, because everything depends on the manufacturer. The parameters of the walls, their thickness, the presence of an ornament or pattern, a lid or double walls also depend on the place of production of dishes.

Also, much depends on the purpose for which such dishes will be used: will it be used for tea drinking or will it serve gourmet soup.

• Green and white tea is drunk in fine porcelain bowls. They are open, so drinking from such bowls is typical of the summer period, as these kinds of tea are drunk chilled to quench their thirst. Warm tea in such porcelain will cool quickly.
• If there is a desire to drink hot tea in cold weather, then ceramic bowls with thickened or double walls are ideal for this, since the heat will stay much longer, which means that the tea will remain hot. At the same time, ceramics will not burn their hands much, but, on the contrary, will warm them.
• Glazed cups are used for such teas as Gauda Oolong. This variety of tea contains essential oils. Due to the glazing of bowls, essential oils do not disappear immediately, but gradually unfold.
• For authentic Japanese tea, tea matches, choose big bowls, which are called “chawan”. A large volume of the bowl is necessary so that the powder of the match can be whipped directly in the bowl with a whisk, and then pour boiling water over it.
• Medium sized bowls are usually used to serve soup. The most common material for the manufacture of such bowls is ceramics, since it is not as fragile as porcelain. Such pialas already have small handles that facilitate carrying when serving.
• Glass bowls are preferable to sauce or jam - they are organic and concise, fit to any table, and do not distract attention. Most often, small bowls are chosen for sauces. When setting the table, it is customary to use the principle: one piala - one person.
• Wooden bowls is today's eco-style. Of course, wooden bowls have been used for a long time, but they have become truly popular only now. These include coconut bowls. Such bowls are light and practical, with no particular pattern or patterns.

Each country has its own foundations and traditions, which were passed down from generation to generation, from parents to children. It is not surprising that many tourists, arriving in a particular country, are trying to find a unique restaurant with local cuisine, in order not only to taste the local food, but also to enjoy serving. In Kazakh, Tajik, and Uzbek cuisine, food is most often served in open bowls with wide edges, without a lid, so that the aroma is everywhere. The special ingredient is spices.

Japan - The Land of the Rising Sun - more favors ceramic products of various sizes. Most often, in addition to soup, rice is always served in bowls, which is then wrapped in sheets of nori or simply consumed without everything. China is famous for its porcelain. In museums exhibited the whole composition of the royal sets. The variety of such products is quite large, and each tea has its own type (with flat or flat walls, rounded). For soup used dishes with thickened walls.

All the dishes are united by a drawing - a motive of Chinese culture and religion, made with the help of various ornaments or inscriptions. Chinese bowls are discreet, but they can be made in any color. The most common colors are red, black, white and blue.

Clay and glass bowls do not belong to a particular country, which would be the first to actively use these materials. Often, people make their own cups of clay, for example, in courses on modeling. Glass bowls are provided by shops.

Chinese tea bowls are the most popular among the eastern culture. Their convenience has been noted by many connoisseurs not only of China itself, but also those who only get acquainted with this culture. The main point to which attention is paid when choosing mated pairs is their volume. In the kettle should be exactly as much water as needed to fill one pair of drinking bowls. This means that the kettle should hold approximately 50 ml of liquid. Much will also depend on the drinking bowls themselves - they may be larger in volume.

Now there are large gift sets that include a teapot, as well as two pairs of drinking bowls. There are other sets where the number of pairs is higher. In addition to the aesthetic moments, when buying, you should pay attention to the fact that the bowl is comfortable to take, does not slip out of hand, is not very rough, and the surface does not have chipping.

In the next video you will find a review of the cup for the tea ceremony.