Having watched the travel channel too much and seeing a tea ceremony, I decided to look for a cast iron tea pot. I did not know that these beautiful Japanese cast iron tea pot are sometimes called Tetsubin cast iron tea pots. The thing I liked about them was the beautiful designs sometimes cast into the pots or the ones with the symbols depicting the four seasons for good luck.
Many of the ones we see in stores are the stainless steel tea pots, which don’t offer the advantage of adding iron to your diet that a cast iron tea pot does. They do offer a stainless steel infuser with most however which are good for brewing loose tea. The Japanese have a small teapot called Kyusu, which typically have an enameled inside that has a steel tea infuser built into it. This is a benefit when making a small cup or two of tea.
Cast Iron Tea Pot Find
I stumbled on an antique cast iron tea pot in a second hand store and have added it to my collection. I also found a cast iron tea pot set in another thrift store. This is one of my favorite sets to bring out when we have company. I set the cast iron tea pot on the table near the wood burning stove in our home and then bring a tray out with the cups and tea to make the tea for them on the table in front of the fire. It is a relaxing and fun way to start an evening. I use a kettle on the wood stove to heat the water and then brew it in the cast iron tea pot.
I used to use an enamel tea kettle on the wood stove, but over time the enamel came loose and it looked awful. That is something I won’t have to worry about with my cast iron tea pot, as long as I care for it.
That brings up cast iron teapot care, and how to do it. Before using it for the first time it is recommended that you first thoroughly rinse it out with hot water and while still warm dry it off inside and out. Some things to remember, are do not quickly cool it down once it has been heated up, or it could crack. Also do not leave tea in it for long periods of time, if you are done with it, remember to clean it out. Never put it in a dishwasher or microwave. Salt and oil are also the enemy of your cast iron tea pot.
One thing I really like about the cast iron tea cups that came with the set is that the tea stays warmer much longer in it. The set just gets more beautiful with each use over time. I am making believers out of my friends who always ask if we are going to have tea when they come over, it is a highlight. So find your teapot set and start your own tea ceremony tradition.
Cast Iron Tea Pot Uses
A small cast iron tea pot is a treasure for a lifetime. We get asked “ can i put cast iron teapot on wood stove “ The short answer is yes you can. Many folks like to have one for use as a wood stove teapot. It keeps your house humidified while heating with wood, which can sometimes dry out the air.
Some like to have the matching cast iron tea cups for the pot. Many antique cast iron Japanese teapots come as a set with the teapot and cups. We get many requests for learning how to brew tea in a . It really is not much different from brewing tea in an enamel on steel small teapot. Most use an infuser insert to put loose leaf tea in the pot. The care for a cast iron tea pot is simple, is just needs to be rinsed and then dried. Many are asking “ how long to leave tea in cast iron tea pot “ It really is a question of taste, how strong do you like your tea?