I could have posted this in other sections, but seeing as I am interested in purchasing a larger teacup for sencha, I wanted to get some opinions on the safety of teaware (does not have to be particular to Japanese teaware).
I'm interested in this cup from O-cha.com: https://www.o-cha.com/arita-yaki-teacup ... ory_id=170. It's a large cup that holds about 300ml. For years I have drank green tea in the evenings from a Starbucks 12oz mug, so this would be a nice cup for me to enjoy when I'm in the mood for a large cup of sencha (or any tea for that matter). One reviewer wrote: "There were some cracks in the glaze, which means it almost looks like it is crumbling off the edges of the lip of the cup. I worry some of the paint could eventually start to peel, but as of yet this has not been a problem. I am careful to not use abrasive cleaning!" That got me thinking about the safety of the teaware we purchase. We drink and eat out of ceramic cups and bowls painted and glazed. Then we pour piping hot liquid in these cups. Is it safe? A better question is why I'm asking this now after a lifetime of never questioning such matters.
Would you feel okay purchasing this teacup? I really like this one. The size is perfect for the larger cups of tea that I crave in the evenings.
Teaware safety
It looks like a cup with white glaze on a black or dark grey clay. Some of the clay is peeking through the glaze but that’s different from chipping or coming loose. That reviewer might be confused about the difference between glaze and clay but any properly fired cup should be fine even when the clay is exposed. O-cha is a reputable vendor and I can’t imagine that they would stock something not properly fired.
Thank you for the feedback, @Janice. I heard some good things about O-cha.com. I purchased my first couple of items last week: a bag of organic sencha, and a washi tea canister. I think for my next tea order I'll add in this cup. I like it.
I happily drink tea out of this
and this
and this
and this
and have loved watching this
gracefully age into this with use
Crackles, crawls, bubbles, gaps deliberate and accidental, I really don't worry about it as long as the rim itself isn't uncomfortable to my lips. I am cautious about non-tea beverages in these cups, because I don't want anything that bacteria might live on (anything with sugars or proteins) to get into the cracks.
and this
and this
and this
and have loved watching this
gracefully age into this with use
Crackles, crawls, bubbles, gaps deliberate and accidental, I really don't worry about it as long as the rim itself isn't uncomfortable to my lips. I am cautious about non-tea beverages in these cups, because I don't want anything that bacteria might live on (anything with sugars or proteins) to get into the cracks.
Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Not that I was planning on enjoying Coke or orange juice in it, but it's still good information to know. Your cups have character, which is something I find myself starting to appreciate. I used to prefer perfectly smooth and polished porcelain cups (and I still like them), but after seeing some of the teaware the long-time tea drinkers on the forum are drinking from, I'm starting to gain a respect for the artistic side of teaware and how the character is enhanced with age, much like people in their advanced years.
I agree. I like the patina that develops in my chawan that I only use for matcha. I like how the cracks darken, memorializing tea sessions.
A few words on care:
Cracked-glaze tea cups like you mentioned should not be cleaned in a dishwasher.
I use a Magic Eraser and warm water on smooth porcelain pieces when I need to remove stains. It will not scratch the porcelain at all.
“..when melamine resin cures into foam, its microstructure becomes very hard -- almost as hard as glass -- causing it to perform on stains a lot like super-fine sandpaper.”
https://home.howstuffworks.com/magic-eraser1.htm
Emphasis added.Tor wrote: ↑Wed Dec 25, 2019 12:27 am“..when melamine resin cures into foam, its microstructure becomes very hard -- almost as hard as glass -- causing it to perform on stains a lot like super-fine sandpaper.”
https://home.howstuffworks.com/magic-eraser1.htm
It’s similar to using walnut shell powder to remove lime scale from stoneware: the walnut shell particles are harder than the scale but not as hard as stoneware, so the stoneware is not scratched.
In this case the microstructure of the foam is harder than stains and scale (if any) yet softer than glass and porcelain.
I’ve used walnut shell powder for two decades and Magic Erasers for one decade and never encountered a problem. I suppose there are some glazes that are softer than either, but I am not suggesting using either on pieces with novel glazes.