What makes the best cup of tea?  Tea drinkers know the rules:  start with a favorite, good quality, loose leaf tea; heat fresh spring water to the right temperature and set the timer – all to bring out the best flavor of our tea.  Yet there is one more, very important step that can make all the difference to the complete enjoyment of our tea — the cup itself. 

We all have our favorite mugs, china cups & saucers, or gaiwans that make us feel very content just to hold them in our hands.  Drawn to shape, color, design, delicacy of the cup, we know, for a fact, our tea tastes better in the right cup.  When I have friends for tea, I like putting out a mixed collection of cups and saucers.   Even before asking what type of tea is being served, I will see my guests quickly choose their perfect cup.  Once I witnessed a guest, disappointed in not securing her first choice, wait until the cup she wanted was used and set down.   She then snatched it; washed it and happily brought the cup to me to pour the tea in.

What type of cup makes your tea taste best?  Does it draw you into the tea you have chosen or make you feel pampered by its charm?  Or comfy-cozy when you wrap your hands around a large mug of hot tea?  Your preference is an important part of your tea life and can change with rhythms of the day and your mood.