Fine Bone China

by Christie Smith

Is using the proper tea vessel really important? This is a good question to ask in the world of tea drinking and one I can personally answer with a resounding “yes”! Yes, it is!

The vessel makes all the difference. Tea in a Styrofoam cup? Sacrilege! A coffee mug? Permissible, even passable in a society perpetually in a hurry. But tea in fine bone china…heaven. There is just something about tea in a china cup, that certain chink of a spoon stirring sugar and perhaps a bit of milk, the lovely amber color filling the bowl, the delicate handle, and perfect temperature control. Oh yes, if at all possible, tea should always be enjoyed from a china cup.

In fact, in the early days of tea drinking, when the west was just beginning to savor its delights, tea was sipped from delicate white porcelain cups that brought out the lovely color of the infusion. See? Even the ancients were well aware of the importance of the vessel! If it’s true that we eat with our eyes first, it must also hold true for drinking. The vessel, the very feel of it in your hands, either detracts from or enriches the drinking experience.

I remember well in my days working at “the Finest Tearoom in the Colonies” (which sadly is no more) that patrons, after finishing their petite tea sandwiches and scones, would sometimes ask if they could take their remaining tea home in a Styrofoam cup. This notion was so far removed from my excellent employer’s mind that there was not a Styrofoam or paper cup to be found in the entire place. She was a firm believer that if tea time is rushed it isn’t tea time at all. I must say I agree with her whole-heartedly. She taught me well. The only time I will ever drink tea from a Styrofoam cup is on an airplane when there is simply no other option. You see, I must have my cup of tea to steady my nerves (never have been the best flier!)

Now, I have to admit that I am not above ordering a cup of tea “to go” from a coffee shop or even pouring it into a travel mug when I am on the move. But, though it does its job, it just isn’t quite the same.

When at home I always choose the most delicate china cup or mug from my cupboard, brew my tea, and savor. Savor warmth, savor fragrance, savor serenity. Styrofoam…? Paper…? Pshaw!