Gong Fu Cha - Chinese tea ceremony

While in Paris last week we went to the Maison de Chine for a nice, chinese tea ceremony 'initiation'.

It was great experience, we spent one hour and a half drinking tea in little 'puppet' cups, learning the ritual and the moves, eating exquisite pastry.

It is very interesting, the ceremony starts by pouring the hot water over the teapot and the various cups to clean them as well as warm them up.

Then the tea leaves are put inside the teapot, filling it half way, and then the pot is filled with hot water as to overflow.The brewing is allowed until you can no longer see the water in the 'nose' of the teapot.

Afterwards, the teapot is emptied into the faircup to stop the brewing, and you serve it first in the taller cup - used to capture the smell - and then on the smaller cup - used to drink the tea.

If you want to learn more about this and even try in Paris, go to the Maison de Chine website here