Greetings!
I am Akira Hojo from the HOJO TEA SHOP. You are receiving this email because you have registered to be on my list when you visited my shop at The Gardens Mall, in Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur.
Our shop at The Gardens Malls just received new items from Japan. One of the items is called Satetsu Tetsubin. Since it is a very rare item, I would like to share some information with you.
Have you ever heard of the word “Satetsu”?
Satetsu in Japanese is 砂鉄, translated as “Iron Sand”.
Satetsu tetsubin is a cast iron kettle made of natural iron sand.
It is said that Suzuki Morihisa makes the best Satetsu tetsubin in Japan. They have a fine collection of natural sand iron. Perhaps these raw materials have been kept by their ancestors centuries ago. In fact, there are a few kinds of Satetsu. Some is red and some is black in color. The best quality is the one in black color which is formed by naturally weathered granite. Usually raw material of sand iron is collected either from the mountains, rivers or beaches.
Satetsu contains extremely less impurity. In particular, it contains very little Silicate. The structure of Satetsu is very solid and high in density. In professional term, it is called the White Cast Iron as it appears to be white in color. This is because of it contains much less crystallized carbon compared to the regular cast iron. This material is similar to the ones used to make the Samurai Swords. From the outlook, most of people think it is silver.
1. Suzuki Morihisa Tetsubin
2. Sado Mumyoi Red Clay Teapot by Watanabe Tozo
3. Tokoname Teapot
4. Banko Teapot by Masaki Tachi
5. Many other models
Suzuki Mohirisa: Natsume Gata Tsubaki Mon 棗形椿紋鉄瓶
Satetsu cast iron has a high density, complex composition and solid structure. Therefore, it requires longer hours to cool down once it is heated. Moreover, due to its high density, rust is unable to penetrate into the inner structure of Satetsu iron. This is why Satetsu Tetsubin can hardly get rusty. Even if it gets rusty, the rust can be easily removed. In addition, thanks to its complexity and high density structure, Satetsu is able to get in contact with water and mineral.
Unfortunately, Satetsu tetsubin is very expensive. It is almost 2-3 times more expensive than a normal cast iron tetsubin made of ordinary iron. Let me explain why it is more costly.
First of all, Satetsu tetsubin is specifically cast from a single mold. For each and every design, only one mold is made for the purpose of casting one particular piece of tetsubin, and the same mold will never be reused.
Secondly, Satetsu is very brittle. Casting a Satetsu is an extremely high-risk job. One small mistake during the process of making is enough to cause a fracture or crack in Satetsu tetsubin. This is why even the best manufacturer such as Suzuki Morihisa is unable to confirm the delivery date for a Satetsu Tetsubin. According to them, it takes at least a month, sometimes 6 months even up to a year to produce one fine piece. It all depends on LUCK. Throughout the year, Suzuki Morihisa can only manage to produce very few limited pieces of Satetsu tetsubin. A perfect piece of Satetsu tetsubin is not only treasured by those who own it, but also precious to manufacturers themselves.
I placed an order for a Satetsu Tetsubin in August 2008. After so many months of waiting, my order finally came through. Please come to visit us at The Gardens outlet and take a look at this ultimate work of perfection: - Satetsu tetsubin, made by the top brand in Japan.
Have you ever heard of Rose Bud Tea?
It is literally a type of tea that uses dried rose buds as ingredient.
Rose tea is a very popular tea among the ladies. It is caffeine-free, calming & known to have nourishing effect to improve skin complexion.
But for me, ordinary rose flower tea may look very pretty, yet it lacks of scent that reminds me of flower. Contrary, the smell of ordinary rose bud tea reminds me of spices. This was why I did not sell rose tea in the beginning, even though there was a huge demand in the market.
Recently I changed my mind after listening to a customer’s opinion. He convinced me to look for Rose Damascena, a special type of rose that grows in the desert.
Rose Damascena is very well-known in perfumery industry. Its price could be up to RM1000 for a few grams of essential oil extracted from the roses. Rose Damascena is commonly used in making premium perfume that gives a sweet and honey-like scent.
Rose Damascena grows in extremely dry and cold area. It can only be found in few places such as Bulgaria (Eastern Europe), Middle East and China. In Europe and Middle East, Rose Damascena is mainly grown for making essential oil. After spending some effort searching Rose Damascena grown for tea, finally I found it in China. According to literature, Rose Damascena was brought into China 800 years ago through the Silk Road. It can only be found in desert area in Xinjiang province.
Ordinary rose cannot survive the extreme weather condition in Xinjiang due to frost attack in early spring. Rose Damascena however can tolerate harsh desert weather. Thanks to the strong sunshine in daytime and cold weather at night, this desert rose gives a very rich and sweet note to the tea. Contrary to ordinary rose tea that gives an unpleasant sour after-taste, Rose Damascena is sweet.
The best way to enjoy this tea is to mix a few pieces of rose with green tea, green oolong tea or black tea. I personally love to mix this tea with Yun Feng (green tea). Rose Damascena gives a strong pleasant aroma, adding green tea or green oolong enhances its depth in flavor.
Experience the overwhelming sweet aroma of Rose Damascena. It willl make you think you are a honeybee!
