In the beginning, there was a teapot. It arrived with the familiar sticker on the side and the lid taped to the pot. I had received a few messages asking what to do before you ever enjoy tea in a Brown Betty. Our site explains the clay, from whence the pot hails, and how to care for it between uses. But nowhere does it state what you should do with it right out of the box.

Remove your tea pot gently and inspect it carefully for any damage during shipping. If you’ve ordered from us, your pot will be thoroughly wrapped in bubble wrap, tape, and other insulated packaging. You will, most likely, need scissors to free your new purchase from its bindings. Peel all labels, stickers, and tape from the pot. To remove the residue and any remaining paper backing, try a bit of rubbing alcohol or olive oil. Dab it onto the sticker, let it rest for a few minutes, then rub with a cloth or scrape gently with a fingernail.

Before using the pot for the first time, I simply rinsed the pot in warm tap water. Then I was eager to try it out. Rumor has it the Brown Betty is the best for brewing due to the specific clay and shape, facilitating heat retention, as well as the roomy area for the leaves to swirl to release flavor without bitterness. The dark color of the Brown Betty hides the tea stains and the shape is also easiest to clean. When done cleaning, I leave the lid off the pot overnight to allow for faster drying, then put it on to protect the pot from dust.

To brew tea:

1. Run warm water in the pot and empty it, to pre-heat.
2. Add slightly less than one teaspoon of tea per cup, or to taste.
3. Draw fresh, cold water in the kettle and heat it just to the boil.
4. Pour the water carefully from the kettle into the teapot.
5. Steep for three minutes, or to taste.
6. Pour the tea through a strainer into warmed cups. If you have one of the older Brown Betties there is a built-in strainer where the spout was attached to the pot during crafting.
7. Enjoy!

~Your editor