> Has anyone else experienced this? The pot was purchased at a B&M store
> called"Teavana".

Not that I have ever bought any Yixing from Teavana (there is one
located in a nearby shopping mall), but the quality of the pots they
bill as "Yixing" are sad and costs too much. Can you still return it?


DPM wrote:
> Dominic,
>
> It seems that the outside of my pot was treated in some way, because when I
> boiled it a scum of some sort formed on the surface of the water, and it has
> an odd perfumey scent. The outer surface has a slippery, waxy feel.
>
> I'm inclined to give up on actually using it for brewing, because I don't
> trust that whatever it was treated with not to be toxic, and the smell is
> off-putting in any case, and bound to interfere with the tea.
>
> Has anyone else experienced this? The pot was purchased at a B&M store
> called"Teavana".
>
> Regards,
> Dean
>
> "Dominic T." > wrote in message
> ps.com...
> >
> > Danica wrote:
> >> I don't know that you need to boil, unless the maker has used chemical
> >> dyes in the clay which must be boiled out to make the clay safe. It is
> >> a custom, though, which many practice. However there is a risk in
> >> boiling that loose miniscule particles of clay could get lodged in the
> >> pores of the teapot, or so I hear. It makes sense to me; the pots that
> >> I have which I haven't boiled seem to 'breathe' better. Stephane of
> >> Teamasters, and my personal experience suggest that with a pure yixing
> >> clay teapot you don't need to do more than scrub (no soap) out any clay
> >> particles then rinse with hot, then cold, water up to four times to get
> >> the clay smell out. If the clay smell persists then you probably have
> >> a lower quality yixing pot, in which case I sometimes will steep a
> >> gonfu infusion of a tea type for 30 minutes in the pot. This usually
> >> cures it. Some pots need additional curing: use as a pitcher for tea
> >> that you brew in a gaiwan. I just did this with a pot I got and was
> >> amazed at how the quality of the infusions changed--from being too
> >> tannic and bright to floral and mellow as the clay cured. It took
> >> about 5 infusions of tea after an initial 30 minute curing. This pot
> >> in particular I think was boiled for 30 minutes by the vendor before
> >> they shipped it to me.
> >>
> >> Good luck!
> >
> > No offense, and not trying to start drama... but isn't doesn't that
> > basically contradict itself. "You don't need to boil the pot, but you
> > do need to scrub and rinse 4 times with hot/cold... and then brew some
> > tea... if it tastes like clay, *then* boil it with tea"
> >
> > It doesn't affect the pores, as the pot would be used like this
> > thousands of times over its life. I just cut out the "what-if" scenario
> > and brush out the pot, boil it with some of the same type of tea, and
> > then rinse it, wipe it out well and dry it. All I've done is cut out a
> > few steps and ensure I'm not wasting any brews after the first.
> >
> > Dunno, its all up to each individual...
> >