Ritual is important in our lives. It is not just a habit unless we switch off in our heads. If we are present and concentrating on each step of the process it can become a welcome start to the day and allows the head time to wake up and focus.
Each component of the picture above has meaning for me. We met the Tea Mug yesterday. Today meet the other players in the game.
Blue Tea Pot- made by a company called For Life, it does everything I would like a teapot to do for me. Stainless Steel insert for loose tea that washes well, as needed, in the dishwasher. Makes two big mugs of tea. Large handle- important when it is full of scalding tea.
Black tea caddy- originally full of Betty’s of Harrogate Special Blend tea. This was bought on a trip to Harrogate with my darling sister. We had tea in Betty’s Tea Shop and took some tea home to as a souvenir to remember the day we spent together. While that tea is very good, I am, in some ways, a total skinflint so, I am not inclined to refill the caddy with over-priced tea shipped from Betty’s Tea Shop at tourist prices! I make my own blend- 2/3 Assam and 1/3 Earl Grey. It feels special while being much more cost effective. She said smugly.
Silver tea scoop- came to me from my original violin teacher by way of her daughter. It is Georgian silver and quite a lovely thing. Two scoops is the perfect amount for this pot and it just fits in the top of the caddy so I don’t need to go looking for it in the drawer each day or lose it down in the loose tea inside.
Mr. Cat the tea cosy- I have had this tea cosy since the 1980s and in the days that I actually had cats living with me, the tea cosy would get shouted at from time to time for sitting on the table- a case of mistaken identity. He seems to be none the worse for it and is still very much fit for purpose.
The gooseneck water kettle- like most people I know, we have had a series of electric kettles for boiling water over the years and every single one of them has been objectionable in one way or another. It is a litany of complaints: plastic, lasts one day beyond guarantee before dying in mid-boil, terrible pourer, insufferably loud noise at the end to alert you that it has finished boiling, trailing flex on worktop, huge footprint on worktop…..the list goes on. When the last one died I thought I would look for another way. We had recently started using a small induction hob in our kitchen and we wondered if a non-electric kettle might be the way forward. This Coffee Gator pour over gooseneck kettle has been great. The slim, long spout is very precise. The lid, with a little thermometer in the knob, does a little rattle dance as it boils to alert you that it has reached the boiling point. Perfect for us. When it eventually dies, as all things do over time, it is recyclable. I will buy another just the same when that time comes.
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Quotidian 
Contemplative reflections on dearly loved domestic items. I love it. It’s made me stop, look and reflect on my own personal choice of tea making equipment and tastes.
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