Oolong tea ~ Leaf Cup Cuddler

This is the third installment in my series on exotic teas of the Far East.  If you recall, I discovered the rich and savory delight of dragon well green tea while in China.  I've since found that it's a slippery slope from green teas into the complex and intriguing world of oolongs, a tea residing somewhere between greens and black.

An oolong tea can be expensive and is sophisticated and deserving of the ritual and reverence associated with a Chinese tea ceremony.  And while it's best brewed in a small vessel it can be brewed multiple times yielding a surprisingly strong flavor in successive brewings, which makes it more economical than at first it may seem.

The Chinese tea ceremony brings me to the point of the pictures in this post.  If you have ever been in a tea shop or otherwise seen a traditional Chinese tea ceremony tray, you probably noticed that it is often adorned with miniature ornaments such as tiny dragons or buddhas. What you don't realize (and I assure you that not even all American tea importers realize this either) is that these tiny ornaments known as "tea pets" will change color when hot water is poured over them.  I was amazed when this was first demonstrated for me in a tea shop in China.  Of course once the tea shop saw my reaction they proceeded to pour hot water over all their tea pets which became progressively less amazing each time.  But was still fun to see nonetheless.  In these pictures hopefully you can see that my tiny dragon changes from a deep bronze color to a shiny gold.  Whereas the black tea pets will typically change to a brilliant emerald green.  As the ornament cools it returns to its original color.  Isn't that amazing!

If you would like to try an oolong tea, I suggest that you buy loose leaf and the online tea companies that I recommend are Harney & Sons and Mighty Leaf Tea.  For a simple overview on how to brew oolong tea I like this Youtube video.  Here are the links to my previous posts on Far East teas: Chinese Chrysanthemum Tea and Green Tea and China.

And if you are drinking green teas you really ought to knit yourself a cute cozy ~ with green leaves ~

Particulars:  Leaf Cup Cuddler; US 6 needles.  This is a fun and quick project using scrap yarn.  Be warned that this cup cozy is designed for cups without a handle.  To adjust for cups with a handle I simply sewed a button on and used an open eyelet from the leaf as a button hole.

The MisAdventures of Simcha and Classic Apple Pie

I was surprised, and oddly offended, that Simcha seemed more interested in smelling flowers than my freshly baked apple pie.

But don't pay any attention to Simcha as this was a delicious pie!  Apple pies are wonderful year round and, as always, I used my mother's trusty recipe (blogged here Easy as Apple Pie).

Until next time, be well and love well and this Summer indulge your senses by discovering the many varieties of oolong teas!

The Mr. Puffy Tea Cozy

This is The Mr. Puffy Tea Cozy, which is a simple and fun tea cozy that I designed to celebrate the memory of our little beagle, Mr. Puffy, who passed away several months ago. He loved tea time and I think he would approve.



It was several seemingly unrelated events colliding that culminated in my writing The Mr. Puffy Tea Cozy pattern. First, I asked my Mom if she would like me to knit her some bed socks. She replied "No, dear. What I really would like is for you to knit me a tea cozy for my morning pot of tea." Apparently she missed the rhetorical nature of my question.



Next, I received in the mail a lovely "care package" from Tracy of Pink Purl who was concerned about me after I lost Mr. Puffy. In her package she sent some lushes yarn (*pink* of course) that she thought I might use to make an accessory. But this yarn was too special for just an accessory that would lie about rarely used. Instead it needed to be enjoyed and somehow remind me of Mr. Puffy. Let me think. Mr. Puffy and I always enjoyed our tea time together. Maybe it should be a tea cozy? Yes, that's it. A tea cozy.



And so it was. Need met inspiration, and The Mr. Puffy Tea Cozy positively flew off my needles.

I added the contrasting flowers to give the cozy a sense of whimsy and fun. That's really what I remember the most about Mr Puffy. How happy he was and the pleasure he took in the little treats in life such as his daily walks, naps, and our tea times.



Particulars: The Mr. Puffy Tea Cozy -  free pdf pattern download - designed by yours truly; US 8 needles (main body) US 4 needles (flower embellishment); two contrasting colored aran to worsted weight yarn and scrap yarn for the flower embellishment; blocked finished dimensions 8"(across the base) x 6" (high) and should fit most round three (3) cup (24 ounce) teapots. The pattern is easy to adjust for width and height to fit a larger or smaller round teapot. Pattern link: if you are a Ravelry user click here for free pdf pattern.  If you are not a Ravelry user you can either send me an email and I'll send you the pattern as a pdf attachment; I've explained the "Bramble Stitch" on the Ravelry pattern notes.

Mr. Puffy Tea Cozy Giveaway ~

Would like a Mr. Puffy Tea Cozy? The dark green one goes to my Mom (to match her boudoir) . The light blue/pink one goes to Tracy of Pink Purl along with a big hug and thank you! I'm keeping the dark blue/pink one for myself. That leaves the teal cozy (pictured below) for one of you! It will fit most round three (3) cup (24 ounces) teapots and is knit with a Shetland wool (base) and Malabrigo wool (top) so should keep your teapot warm and happy. If you would like this little tea cozy simply leave a comment on this post telling me what is your favorite tea to drink before I update next (generally I update every two weeks) at which time I'll randomly draw and announce a winner. Please feel free to enter even if you are outside the United States.



Until next time, be well and love well and ~ add a little whimsy to your life ~ with a Mr. Puffy Tea Cozy!