Author of this article: Muzi Jiajia

On a quiet weekend afternoon in early spring, it is so relaxing to stay at home with my beloved, watch a movie and drink a cup of black tea.

The weather was still cold some time ago, and Her Majesty the Queen fell in love with drinking black tea. She not only liked the taste of black tea, but also liked the warmth of snuggling on the sofa with a cup of tea in her hands.

Let me share with you two of my favorite sets of tea sets, and also share with you my Queen’s method of brewing English black tea.

Gift for newlywed friends - ceramic blue Mino ware

I visited a good friend's house on the weekend and brewed a pot of oolong tea using the ceramic blue Minong tea set that I gave them when they moved into their new home before their wedding. This is also a set of tea that they love very much.

The contrast between the solid color of the packaging and the different colored flowers is very stylish, saving me the trouble of selecting the gift packaging a second time when giving it away.

The ceramic body of the pot is very symmetrical and can be clearly seen under the light.

Together with the Queen, I selected Japanese Mino ware for my newlywed friend. We both believed that the Japanese style design would better highlight the tranquility and elegance of the new home.

The techniques of ceramic firing are amazing, as patterns are drawn on the glaze of the fired porcelain by using colored materials, which are then put into the kiln a second time and solidified at low temperature to form overglaze colors.

The front of the pot is overglaze watercolor, while the back is pure white porcelain, exuding an elegant temperament.

The "和蓝" logo on the bottom of the cup is quite artistic, and you can tell from the bottom that it is made in Japan.

The overglaze colored prints on the pot and cup are fresh yet elegant, and the tea color appears more translucent against the backdrop of white porcelain.

It's so warm to see her holding the cup and drinking, so I came up with the idea of ​​adding a set of tea sets to my home so that I can see her lovely face at home.

Wedding anniversary gift - AITO Katsura Yumi relief Mino ware

As the saying goes, porcelain smells good, while sand adds flavor. When she was hesitating between porcelain and sand, I asked her which one she thought was better. She said that she always felt that sand was suitable for mature and elderly people, and that she felt that white porcelain looked more comfortable. So I basically chose white porcelain.

The tableware for eating must be carefully selected. After careful selection, I finally chose a set of Japanese Mino ware ("ware" means porcelain in Japan). There are six main types of famous Japanese porcelain, Mino ware, Arita ware, Imari ware, Kutani ware, Bizen ware, and Seto ware, corresponding to six techniques and production areas respectively.

Mino ware is one of Japan's traditional handicrafts. It is said that its output accounts for more than 60% of the Japanese ceramic market. It can be said to be the most famous porcelain in Japan.

Mizutani City in Gifu Prefecture, Japan has a history of more than 1,300 years of Mino ware ceramic production. The ceramic artists in Mizutani City use a variety of techniques and fine inorganic non-toxic glazes, and the firing kiln temperature reaches 1260℃ instead of the usual 700-800℃. The metals contained in the body are fully oxidized, and the metal content is far lower than the Japanese national standard (lead 2.5mg/L, cadmium 0.25mg/L) and the Chinese national standard GB 13121-91 (lead 7mg/L, cadmium 0.5mg/L). The ceramic products produced meet people's demand for green and environmentally friendly products.

The higher kiln temperature than other ceramics greatly reduces the metal content in tea sets, which meets people's demand for green and environmentally friendly products. Mino ware has also been recognized by the Japanese government as a "traditional Japanese handicraft", which makes people feel more at ease when using imported utensils.

Finally, I bought this set, a joint product of AITO Katsura and Mei, a 5-piece set of Mino-yaki grape relief.

Japanese AITO Katsura Yumi relief Mino ware ceramic teapot teacup grape carving 5 pieces white

Go to buy

The Bund Katsura Yumi Bridal Shop

Katsura Yumi is a well-known Japanese wedding dress designer. Her wedding dress design style is romantic and pure and is well-loved. Actresses such as Big S, Liu Tao and Tong Dawei's wife have all chosen Katsura Yumi's custom wedding dresses. Many actresses have also appeared on the cover of "Vogue Bride" magazine wearing Katsura Yumi's wedding dress series.

Xie Xingfang wore a custom-made "Elf Feather" which was called "the lightest wedding dress in the world" that year.

Elf Feather

As a co-branded product, it also combines the characteristics of both.

The dark blue packaging and the centrally centered golden logo have already won the favor of the Queen.

Inheriting the consistent style of Katsura Yumi's white wedding dress, it is pure white and beautiful. The grape embossed leaves and grape grains on the pot and cup body add to the artistry of the utensil, satisfying the queen's discerning aesthetic.

The porcelain of the pot and the cup is evenly transparent under the light, which can be called a work of art.

The uniformity of porcelain products can be checked by light . You can use this method to inspect the porcelain in your home.

The flash colors of the two phones are slightly different.

The snack plate is shaped like a grape leaf, and the fruits on the plate complement each other. The silver edging on the cup and the pot is the finishing touch of the whole tea set, adding a touch of bright color and making the overall style more versatile.

Seeing this pure white wedding dress in collaboration with Mino Ware also brought back happy memories of our wedding.

Suddenly I found that this set of tea set is also very suitable as a gift for newlyweds. It is exquisite and classy, ​​not out of the ordinary, and the pure white color is not picky about the decoration style.

My friend is getting married on May Day next month, so I bought another set as a wedding gift. I hope the pure white symbolism can add a touch of purity and happiness to their wedding.

Chinese coffee brewing

In the 17th century, black tea was introduced to Britain. In foreign countries, black tea is usually consumed with milk and sugar. Gradually, drinking black tea evolved into a noble and luxurious British black tea culture, which was promoted throughout the world.

The fishy taste of milk and hot water neutralizes the strong pine smoke aroma of black tea, and then sugar cubes are added. The color and taste of the brewed soup are just like a cup of coffee. This brewed beverage is known as Chinese coffee .

Ingredients preparation (black tea, milk, sugar cubes)

For black tea lovers, Zhengshan Xiaozhong is generally the first choice, but our brewing method is Songyan Xiaozhong (Waishan Xiaozhong). The overall quality of Songyan Xiaozhong tea is slightly inferior to Zhengshan Xiaozhong, but its color is darker and darker than Zhengshan Xiaozhong, with a distinct pine smoke flavor, which is more suitable for the strong taste of Western black tea. This is also the first choice recommended to me by friends who love Harold.

For milk , you can generally choose pure milk from a large factory. My queen loves to drink skim milk, so I just use it when making the drink. If you don’t care about the taste, you can use any milk you have at home, generally pure milk is fine.

New Zealand imported Anchor Qingxin pure milk ultra-high temperature sterilized skim milk

When it comes to sugar cubes , it’s always a good idea to choose high-quality sugar cubes from a well-known brand.

Taikoo Premium Sugar Cube

3-minute preparation steps

1. Put black tea in the pot, pour in 85~95℃ hot water, and pour into the cup after 1 minute.

People who like strong flavors especially prefer the 1-minute brewing time, while those who like lighter flavors can reduce the brewing time.

2. Pour in one-quarter to one-fifth of the milk.

Watch the milk tumble in the black tea and then blend into it.

3. Add 2-4 sugar cubes according to your preferred sweetness. It is recommended to add from a small amount to a large amount to control the sweetness.

Stir gently to accelerate the melting of the sugar cubes in the cup. The whole process takes less than 3 minutes except for boiling water, and then you can enjoy your afternoon quietly.

Paired with the Queen's favorite waffles and her homemade peanut candy, you can enjoy the aftertaste of the warm Chinese coffee even more.

Chinese Coffee Tips

1. When you are sick, do not take medicine with black tea or Chinese coffee, nor with soda;

2. Sugar and milk can be added to black tea, but it is not suitable to drink black tea and milk at the same time. Milk and hot water will have a fishy smell if they are drunk separately.

Porcelain is made from clay and shaped by craftsmen. When it is finished, it already contains the warmth of fire.

Take out your favorite utensils, make a cup of good time, and enjoy it quietly in the afternoon for one or two people.