The cooperation
Nowadays, more and more people are interested in buying more consciously and learning more about the products. As tea merchants, we choose each ingredient and each tea with care. We value where our specialities come from and who has processed them. Therefore, we have decided to offer fine vessels for tea enjoyment that come from our region. Maria Laach Monastery is only 30 minutes away from our headquarters and is a place of retreat and inspiration where we have been reflecting and fine-tuning our business philosophy for years. Among other things, the monastery runs a ceramics factory where Theodor Bogler (1897-1968) once created timeless forms in the Bauhaus style. The beautiful vessels are handmade here. Made by monks for tea lovers!
The ceramic manufactory
After his death, Bogler's designs became the property of the abbey. Brother Stephan Oppermann OSB, artist brother and head of the ceramics workshop, has taken it upon himself to breathe new life into these designs. For everyday use, however, they are not commonplace.
Laacher basalt chawan
For this matcha bowl (chawan), a classic was used as a model, which was already used in China over 1000 years ago. The shape is distinctive, timeless and so practical for Matcha preparation that it is not surprising that it is still closely interwoven with the tea ceremony in Japan today and is known as the Tenmoku bowl. This bowl is also made of the special regional clay with a high sediment content. Each matcha bowl is turned on the potter's wheel and thus becomes unique. The main ingredient of the glaze is dark basalt, which also occurs naturally in the volcanic region not far from the manufactory and gives the bowl its dark colour, so that the light green Matcha really lights up in the bowl due to the contrast. The bowls have been prized for centuries in China and Japan for this effect and make Matcha hearts beat faster when you look at them.
The tea experts
Tea tasters Jonathan Gschwendner, Daniel Mack and Lukas Parobij also appreciate the pleasure value: According to their expertise, the cup with its concise shape combines best manageability with a perfect taste experience. The tangible and valuable weight of the cup holds an invaluable advantage for the enjoyment of the drink. This means that the warmth or coldness of the beverage is stored. Thus, the tea keeps its temperature at a pleasant level for longer. In autumn and winter, the mug also warms the hands of the tea connoisseur.
Impressions from Maria Laach
