(Rbloom23) writes:

> Hello All:
>
> A friend of mine just returned from China with an item I can't seem
> to find here in the States. He refers to it as a Tea Flask, but is
> not sure that is what it is actually called. I will do my best to
> desribe it. If anyone knows its proper name or where I can
> find/order one, I'd be grateful. So, here goes my attempt at
> description:
>
> It is a one person, one serving tea maker/carrier/cup. It is tall
> (maybe 6 inches) and thin, the same general shape/appearence as the
> popular silver coffee carriers widely used here, but the tea one is
> made of a thick clear plastic. The top unscrews and you can drink
> from it. The drink top also unscrews and under this is the mesh
> filter. How you use the thing is by putting loose tea in the
> bottom, putting the filter on, pouring hot water over it and then
> screwing the drink spout/top back on and voila. Personal tea
> carrier/cup/maker.
>
> Anyone have any clue what I am talking about? Any help would be
> appreciated.

I haven't seen that exact item, but in New York's Chinatown these days
you can get something with a mesh filter under a screw top. The
actual vessel, though, is of double-walled glass which isn't too hot
to the touch even when you use boiling water. In Mandarin it's called
a shuang ceng bolibei. You can see more or less what it looks like at

http://www.chinachaomin.com/

(I'm not connected with that company, and I'm certainly not
responsible for the silly animation.)

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html