All about caddies: varieties and tips for choosing

Tea has been attracting people's attention for centuries. But it is not only the correct choice of the variety that is of great importance. The caddy where the drink is stored is also very important. Let's try to figure out what exactly it is.

Traditionally, in our country, metal boxes or glass jars were used to store tea. But initially, the word "caddy" meant a completely different product. In the 18th century, the drink was brought to European countries from China in porcelain tanks. However, along with them, the use of other materials was practiced:

• Ivory;
• silver;
• turtle shells.

The situation changed by the last quarter of the 18th century. In the 1780s, the size of teapots increased as the availability of tea increased. In England, it began to be transported and stored in wooden caskets, equipped with locks. These caskets had 2 compartments. One was for tea, and the other could hold sugar.

The basic requirements for caddies are determined, of course, by the properties of the tea itself. This drink:

• extremely hygroscopic (easily saturated with water);
• loses its qualities under the influence of direct sunlight;
• suffers from fever.

Therefore, any container for coffee and tea must be airtight and impervious to sunlight. For electric, however, too. As for the size of a can or other reservoir, there are no universal recommendations. They advise only to focus on their own needs.

Usually small jars are folded inside the container.It is recommended to store large packages separately in a hermetically sealed container. It is best to keep them as far away from the kitchen as possible. The tea jars in the kitchen cupboard are refilled periodically. The geometry of the cans themselves is of little practical importance.

Trade organizations can offer kits for storing tea, coffee, sugar and cocoa, which contain cans, made in a common style and uniformly signed at the time of production. Contrary to popular belief, such products remain quite relevant. But when selecting iron boxes for the kitchen it is important to check that all containers are completely sealed, that there are no slightest gaps and gaps.

However, any container of sufficient volume will not work equally well. In retail chains and markets, tea packaged in cans is most often sold. Not all tin is used, but only with the addition of nickel. The advantage is that it is convenient to carry out in such a container:

• packing;
• transportation;
• storage of tea leaves.

The problem is that it will only be possible to consider the internal coating at home. Normally, nickel should lie in an even, dense layer. Under this condition, you can confidently store tea bags.

The next option is cardboard boxes. They are widely used for primary packaging. In this case, a foil interlayer is mounted inside the cardboard can. It is sufficiently tight only after release and packaging at the factory. It will not be possible to pack tea with the same quality on your own.

Important: wooden containers are generally useless. It doesn't matter if they look like a casket or a box, you need to store 2 kg of tea or a more modest amount. Wood is easily saturated with atmospheric moisture. Then this moisture is transferred to dry leaves. The only acceptable use of wooden caddies is when they are covered with a protective layer on the outside, or a container that is impervious to water is placed inside.

Chemical inertness and resistance to water are characteristic of glass. It is considered suitable for storing all kinds of food. But tea leaves cannot be stored in glass containers. Direct sunlight will discolor and stop smelling. You can cope with the problem if:

• the container is coated with a dye impervious to visible rays;
• tea is kept in a completely dark place;
• burlap, decoupage and other solutions are used.

A plastic container, no matter how beautiful it is, is not suitable for tea in principle. And opacity doesn't help here. The fact is that plastic does not provide adequate ventilation. The product in it is saturated with extraneous odors.

Of the metals, stainless steel is usually the best choice. However, it reliably fulfills its task only in one case: when in a certain place the temperature and humidity are unchanged. If temperature fluctuations occur, moisture may condense. In this case, no one will vouch for the safety of tea and its good qualities. Silver containers are more convenient, but too expensive.

Ceramic teapots are also popular. They can have a very beautiful and graceful shape:

• figurines of elephants;
• houses;
• painted versions.

Ceramics are completely opaque, which allows you to store tea in it without any problems. At the same time, the clay environmentally friendly and breathable. It is not difficult to wash ceramic containers. Another advantage is the smells of the old varieties are not preserved.

The best ceramic utensils, according to experts, are those covered with glaze.This substance will block moisture from the ambient air. The porcelain has an attractive white color. The material is fragile and thin, it is considered practically the standard of grace. However, the thinnest products, which are about as transparent as glass, should not be taken: they are too fragile.

Faience differs from porcelain in that it has a yellowish tint. It has large pores. Therefore, in its pure form, earthenware containers are not suitable for storing tea leaves. Over time, the can will acquire the smell of an unpredictable blend. If people are not afraid of this, they will soon find that the smell will become extremely unpleasant.

However, there is still a way out of the situation: the faience should be covered with a dense smooth glaze. Then the dishes will be suitable for storing tea. The so-called pottery pottery can be considered an alternative. It is used to cook relatively coarse, thick-walled dishes. Banks of this kind will perfectly complement ethnic-style kitchen interiors.

The natural color of the pottery ceramic container is brick red. This material is completely opaque. But there should be glaze inside too. Any paint and varnish coatings are categorically unacceptable.

Another nuance is the hermetic closure of the can with the product. For this purpose, containers made of clay, ceramics and metal are covered with ground-in lids. Important: the presence of an additional seal will definitely be a plus. Sometimes caps with rubber or silicone seals are used. Such closures are needed for cans made of metal or glass. They have a soft fit, press tightly to the surface, while there are no extraneous odors from the seal.

If the tea is stored in a glass or stainless jar, screw caps can be used. The screw element maintains the tightness of the caddy. However, be sure not to use cheap, low quality plastic. Some lids use a clamping mechanism. This device must be nickel-plated, otherwise oxidation can quickly deteriorate the container and worsen its appearance.

One of the best manufacturers of tea caddy is Blomning. The size of the tea and coffee can is 0.1X0.1X0.1 m. The product is made of tin-plated steel.

Consumers give good marks to the box Oriental Way. This tea container is characterized as:

• beautiful;
• easy to use;
• functional;
• well made;
• which, unfortunately, does not have a handle for opening.

The necessary point is control over the smooth movement of the lid. It should not be skewed. The lid of the box is of high quality and does not have any cracks. All kinds of tea bags can be put inside. Also noteworthy are:

• a set of cans for tea "Kanto";
• caddy "Dragon" with a volume of 50, 100 or 250 g;
• tea can "Scandik" with a capacity of 250 g.

For information on how to properly store tea, see below.