I got into tea as a hobby over 20 years ago and like other things, it fell to the wayside a few times when newer hobbies peaked my interest. Now, it's back again and I'm enjoying it pretty well. This is what I've collected over the years. The largest one and the one with the bamboo handle has been dedicated to whatever black teas I had around- usually Keemun or Yunnan style. The one with the "tree" design has been dedicated to Lapsang Souchong all of these years and will still smell of smoke even after not using it for months on end. The little one has been dedicated to Shu Pu-erh but doesn't get much use. I tried to get into gong-fu brewing with Pu but it's too much of a hassle for me. It's my favorite type of tea (both sheng and shu) but I just prefer Western brewing with it. I also have a couple of ceramic pots for greens, but again, it's just easier to brew in my cup than add another step to the process when I drink them.
Hobbies like these in the Cafe are fun because you can put whatever you want into them. You can go with a high end espresso machine or a $9 Moka pot and still enjoy the "hobby" aspect. Same with tea. Years ago, I was happy as a lark when I found Lipton loose tea at the supermarket and it started this progression into other teas. I don't even know if they still sell the Lipton loose tea now.
Hobbies like these in the Cafe are fun because you can put whatever you want into them. You can go with a high end espresso machine or a $9 Moka pot and still enjoy the "hobby" aspect. Same with tea. Years ago, I was happy as a lark when I found Lipton loose tea at the supermarket and it started this progression into other teas. I don't even know if they still sell the Lipton loose tea now.
