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Space 3/4/04

> The kyusu is a tiny Japanese teapot with fluted tubular handle at
> imaginary right angles to the spout so a rotation of the wrist pours
> the tea. Apparently popular with the Geishas. I just recently bought
> a kyusu sake set which is my eclectic version for gongfu service.
> Frankly I not even sure how you pour the liquid from say a 32 oz
> Chinese herbal cooker since the spout and handle are essentially
> parallel. Maybe from the edge of a table where the handle acts like a
> crank or a martial arts wrist to tilt the pot back. You gotta have
> both. The two keywords for Chinatown cooking is china and clay. The
> fluted tubular handle can't be unique so it remains who copied who.
>
> Jim

Guess I misunderstood your post describing the clay herb cooker with the
"parallel horn handle" thing. I've seen the "giant kyusus" in Chinatown
stores. Wonder what they'd be good for? As for the Geishas, I have it on
good authority that the side handle (perpendicular to the spout) of the
kyusu was designed so that the geisha could pour tea unobtrusively from
behind the client. How true this is I neither know nor care.

Michael

My everyday teacups are actually Shino style saki cups.