RAINDROPS

It’s raining here all the time. The best way to give me a good feeling at this moment is to make a cup of Longjing, served in my favourite tea bowl.

Longjing or Dragon Well tea is a first class green tea from Hanzhou, China. The infusion of the tight, flat shaped, light green leaves gives me an intensive taste reminiscent of roasted chestnut.

The shape of one of my first tea bowls I’ve made, is inspired by the Chinese tea bowls of the early 11^th and 12^th century, typically for Jian ware, made in Fujian province. These tea bowls however were covered with a thick, very dark glaze (coloured with iron oxide) and especially used by Chan (Zen) Buddhist monks in the Fujian region.

Raindrops balance my wisteria in its sleep. Tea quiets the dragons in my head.
Photo's and tea bowl: Iris Weichler