glass teapot

A Hand blown glass tea kettle is a unique and cost effective gift idea for birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's Day, wedding presents, or christmas. Every tea pot is meticulously hand finished by experienced glass artisans.

Hand blown Euro teapot. Teapots have a real artistic, historical and ethnic value all over the world. Teapots have become great gift items. The 1st tea pot was developed in China in the sixteenth Century. The Japanese drank different teas, including green tea. By the 18th Century the teapots made at Yixing, China, were being produced in shapes which had symbolic significances, for example, peach shape for longer life and good fortune, pomegranate for many, sound kids.

Early teapots, when brought to Europe, inspired potters to develop new variations of teapot culture. Great Britain, being more keen on tea drinking than the remainder of Europe, made the tea kettle their own specialization.

Now, tea drinking is making a comeback in the USA. Some say Americans are changing from "happy hour" to "tea time." Excessive social drinking is increasingly frowned upon and, with executives facing shrinking expense accounts, the "power lunch" is being replaced by the "power tea." Herbal teas popularized during the 60s are also earning adoption as additional people try to stay away from caffeine.

Today we relish an potpourri of gourmet teas. Many specialized "healthy" teas are now available. Many of these are decaffeinated and organic variations of the various tea types. A selection of tea varieties is ideal for afternoon tea or a simple tea party.

Research with green tea in animals has shown it can subdue arthritis. Green tea, already lauded for its cancer fighting ability, may also protect against certain autoimmune diseases, new research indicates. Green teas suppress the expression of antigens made by the body, substances that can trigger an immune response. EGCG, a substance found in green tea is known to suppress inflammation.
See more healthy eating, gourmet food items.

Browse our unique glass-within-glass oil and vinegar cruet decanters.

• See our selection of elegant kitchen gourmet cruets.
• Great for a birthday gift, mothers day gift, wedding present, crystal gifts,
• Christmas, housewarming and/or romantic gifts.

Chi Ka Yan

Last week I visited Chi Ka Yan, which has just opened in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire. My Time Out review is now online.

Dim sum: dish up a dinner with a difference

'Small and intricate, dim sum may be fiddly to make, but with a little practice you'll soon be dazzling guests, says Bill Knott.' I'm not so sure. The recipes in this feature, from London's Shanghai Blues restaurant, are seriously cheffy, requiring ingredients such as roast duck and jellied chicken stock. One of the recipes also fails to advise readers to wear gloves when slicing taro, a problem when the majority of the population will get itchy hands without.

Fuchsia Dunlop on how to eat like Chairman Mao

More from Observer Food Monthly: Fuchsia Dunlop on how to eat like Chairman Mao. There's a recipe for Chairmain Mao's red-braised pork in this excerpt from her new book on Hunan cooking, The Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook. I guess this means I can talk about the book now - Fuchsia asked me to hold off until the Observer published.

Catalog Naturally foods Chinese Green Tea - decaf, Alvita, 24 32oz. $4.39, TE004. Chinese lemon, Tea - - Alvita - Teapot - glass bags, Bodum, w/ infuser, $23.95, TE230 Green