So what is the difference between 'troy ounce' and an 'ounce'?
The troy ounce is the only ounce used in the valuation of precious metals, gold, silver and platinum.
The troy ounce (ozt) is equivilent to 31.10g and is heavier than the avoirdupois ounce (oz) at 28.35g.
However, one must note that ther are 12 troy ounces to one troy pound, 373.2g, in comparison to 16 ounces (avoirdupois) in the conventional pound (lb), 453.6g.
Consequently, a troy ounce is heavier than an avoirdupois ounce, yet a troy pound is lighter than an avoirdupois pound.
Take note, the size of an ounce really does matter!!
http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=60
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Why is a tea caddy called a 'caddy'?
Why is a tea caddy called a ‘caddy’ and not a ‘box’ or ‘jar’?
A tea caddy is a receptacle for holding loose tea. It can be made as a box, jar or canister.
The name ‘caddy’ may be derived from the Chinese word catty or the Malay word kati, a unit of mass used in East Asia, roughly equivalent to 1.3 pounds avoirdupois or 0.6 kilo.
There are records dating back to the 10th century of tea drinking in China, although the origin of loose tea as we know it dates from the mid 13th century.
It was during the reign of King Charles II in the 1650’s when tea was imported into Britain. Initially China tea came via Amsterdam and was held in blue and white porcelain or earthenware jars. Due to the delicate nature of such receptacles, caddies made from wood, pewter, brass, copper and silver were manufactured not only for their durability, but for aesthetic reasons too.
In the early years of importation, tea was an expensive and prized commodity, so caddies were made with locks to prevent theft. Caddy spoons were specifically designed, often in silver, for carefully/sparingly measuring the quantity of tea leaves necessary for that perfect brew.
A tea caddy is a receptacle for holding loose tea. It can be made as a box, jar or canister.
The name ‘caddy’ may be derived from the Chinese word catty or the Malay word kati, a unit of mass used in East Asia, roughly equivalent to 1.3 pounds avoirdupois or 0.6 kilo.
There are records dating back to the 10th century of tea drinking in China, although the origin of loose tea as we know it dates from the mid 13th century.
It was during the reign of King Charles II in the 1650’s when tea was imported into Britain. Initially China tea came via Amsterdam and was held in blue and white porcelain or earthenware jars. Due to the delicate nature of such receptacles, caddies made from wood, pewter, brass, copper and silver were manufactured not only for their durability, but for aesthetic reasons too.
In the early years of importation, tea was an expensive and prized commodity, so caddies were made with locks to prevent theft. Caddy spoons were specifically designed, often in silver, for carefully/sparingly measuring the quantity of tea leaves necessary for that perfect brew.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
A Nice Cup of Tea
The perfect pot of tea is far more than just pouring boiling water over some leaves. There is, in fact, an art to brewing perfection.
The first step is to fill your kettle with cold water. Always use fresh water. Turn the kettle on to boil. While the kettle is heating, fill your clean silver teapot with hot water. You are pre-heating the teapot, a process which helps keep the tea warm and allows the leaves to open fully.
Select the tea leaves you are going to use. In general, use 1 teaspoon of loose tea for each cup, placing the leaves into your infuser. If you’re making tea for more than six people, add one extra teaspoon of leaves for the pot.
Bring the teapot to the kettle so that heat is not lost, and then pour the boiling water over the tea leaves in the pot. Use the teapot’s lid to hold in the steam and properly steep the tea. For black teas, the proper steeping is three to five minutes.
Allowing the tea leaves to steep for more than five minutes, or pressing or squeezing the wet tea leaves can result in a bitter taste because too many of the polyphenols are released. Stick to the time-honored formula of a teaspoon per cup. You can’t make a perfect pot of tea by using poor quality leaves and increasing the amount of time it steeps, or by using more tea and steeping it less time.
http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/showsearchresults.asp?pageStyle=H&resultCnt=10&keyword=tea+pot&submit=.
The first step is to fill your kettle with cold water. Always use fresh water. Turn the kettle on to boil. While the kettle is heating, fill your clean silver teapot with hot water. You are pre-heating the teapot, a process which helps keep the tea warm and allows the leaves to open fully.
Select the tea leaves you are going to use. In general, use 1 teaspoon of loose tea for each cup, placing the leaves into your infuser. If you’re making tea for more than six people, add one extra teaspoon of leaves for the pot.
Bring the teapot to the kettle so that heat is not lost, and then pour the boiling water over the tea leaves in the pot. Use the teapot’s lid to hold in the steam and properly steep the tea. For black teas, the proper steeping is three to five minutes.
Allowing the tea leaves to steep for more than five minutes, or pressing or squeezing the wet tea leaves can result in a bitter taste because too many of the polyphenols are released. Stick to the time-honored formula of a teaspoon per cup. You can’t make a perfect pot of tea by using poor quality leaves and increasing the amount of time it steeps, or by using more tea and steeping it less time.
http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/showsearchresults.asp?pageStyle=H&resultCnt=10&keyword=tea+pot&submit=.
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