Small and Simple

While I am not one of the tea drinkers that usually spends an excessive length of time with tea setups, adding coasters, flowers, and mats to create a serene effect, I usually do have some what noisy set ups.  By noisy I mean I could easily have 4 or more items on my tea table at a single time for use when brewing.  For example check the not so unusal set up below.




With some christmas gifts I found this year, I realized there is something to be said for an incredibly simple set up.  I received a mini tea tray, one possibly a third of the size above ( so that set up pictured above is completely out of the question).  Along with a new set of Celadon cups, but I quickly discovered that there is an amazing tea set up to be had with a simple 60 ml gaiwan, that small tray, and a single cup.   No need for Fair cups, with the right teas, no need for water coolers.  It's just simple.

The new set up is pictured below (ignore the other celadon pieces off the tea table). It is one of those things I am not sure I could have caused to be more perfect if I tried.  The level which you see the cup filled to in that picture is the amount that came out of the gaiwan stuffed with leaves, possibly slightly high, but certainly not over flowing, or so high that its impossible to pick up the cup.