Teapots

The capacity follows from the number of drinkers. The 30 cl Shanghai is a pot for one person and fills about two cups, exactly enough for a tea while you work without the last mouthful going cold. The 60 cl Theemaker does four cups and is the size for two people at the table. The 90 cl Tokio pours six cups and is meant for guests.

Pay attention to the filter as well. The Shanghai and the Tokio have a removable filter, which means you lift the leaves out of the pot once the tea has drawn instead of pouring through them. Without that option the tea keeps steeping and the last cup is always stronger than the first. Bar Professional makes all three models in heat-resistant glass with a flat base.

Rinse the pot with hot water first, so the glass is up to temperature and your tea does not lose twenty degrees straight away. Reckon on about two grams of loose tea per cup. Black tea wants water at around a hundred degrees and three to five minutes, green tea about eighty degrees and two minutes, herbal tea may steep longer.

Take the filter out as soon as the tea tastes right and leave the pot to stand. Pour with a steady movement, so the sediment stays on the bottom. If you are after something warm with alcohol, the same pot will serve a hot toddy or a round of irish coffee for a group just as well.

Rinse the pot straight after use, because tea residue clings to glass and turns brown after a few days. Warm water and a soft brush are usually enough. If a haze does build up, leave the pot to stand for half an hour with hot water and a spoonful of soda crystals.

Glass can take heat but not sudden differences in temperature. Never set a hot pot on a cold stone surface and do not pour boiling water into a pot that has just come out of the fridge. Rinse the filter separately, otherwise leaves stay caught in the mesh.

A pot calls for glasses in which you can see the colour again. Those sit under tea glasses, including double-walled models that keep your hand cool. If you want to serve cold drinks in the same style, have a look at the carafes or at the drink dispensers for larger gatherings. If it is alcohol-free recipes you are after, those sit under mocktails. The rest of the serving kit you will find under bar tools.