whistling teapot

A Hand blown glass teapot is a unique and affordable present choice for birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's Day, wedding presents, or christmas. Every tea kettle is carefully hand finished by experienced glass artisans.

Hand blown European teapot. Tea kettles have a real artistic, historic and cultural value throughout the world. Teapots have become great gift items. The first teapot was developed in China in the 16th Century. The Japanese drank assorted teas, including green tea. By the 18th Century the teapots manufactured at Yixing, China, were being made in forms which had symbolic significances, for example, peach shape for long life and good luck, pomegranate for many, sound children.

Early teapots, when imported to Europe, inspired potters to respond with new variations of tea pot culture. Great Britain, being more keen on tea drinking than the rest of Europe, made the teapot their own forte.

Currently, tea drinking is making a comeback in the U.S.A.. Some say Americans are changing over 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 substituted by the "power tea." Herbal teas popularized during the sixties are also realising acceptance as additional folks try to keep away from caffeine.

Today we enjoy an assortment of herbal healthy teas. Many specialized "healthy" teas are now available. Many of these are decaffeinated and organic versions of the various tea types. A selection of tea varieties is perfect for tea time 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 disorders, new research suggests. Green teas suppress the expression of antigens made by the body, substances that can actuate 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.