The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
by Mary Lou Heiss, Robert J. Heiss
List Price:
Our Price: $19.90
You Save: $12.60 (39%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $12.00 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Mary Lou Heiss, Robert J. HeissEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10-01
ISBN: 1580087450
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Book Reviews of The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
Book Review: A very good look at Tea, especially in Asia
Summary: 4 Stars
Given how much I enjoy drinking tea, it's rather a given that over the years I've amassed a collection of books dealing with and about tea. Whenever I see a new book about tea, I know that eventually, it's going to be read by me. And this creates a quandary when I do -- given that there's a rather finite amount of information on the topic, eventually it all starts to sound the same, and it now takes a lot to really engage my interest.
Such was the problem when I picked up The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss. Tracing the origin of tea in ancient China when a leaf from the plant fell into a cup of hot water that the Emperor was drinking from (or so myth would have it), this lavish book takes the reader on a journey from how the tea is cultivated, processed, drunk and ritualized around the world, and focusing mostly on customs in China, Japan, and mostly Asian countries.
The first two chapters, A Brief History of Tea and The Life of a Tea Bush were only mildly interesting to be as they covered topics that nearly every book on tea has included. But the sidebars were interesting, and the photographs wonderfully evocative and at times sensual. It's in the third chapter, Manufacture where the story starts to get interesting. One topic I found very interesting was the history of how tea was classified in Ming China, separating the tea into six categories, depending on the age of the leaves and buds when picked, how the tea was fermented or not, and even how it was distributed. That still has remained the system today, with a few modifications. While black and green teas are known to most tea drinkers in the West, only now are the subtleties of white, yellow, oolongs and pu-erhs beginning to be known. The authors take the reader step by step on how teas are picked, graded, sorted, prepared and shipped, all of which determine how it is going to taste by the time it reaches your cup.
After the first one hundred pages, the story began to catch my full attention. Titled Journeying Along the Tea Trail, takes the reader along on an excursion around the world to all of the various places ? China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Africa and even South Carolina ? where tea is grown. It?s this vital aspect that determines how good ? or bad ? a tea will eventually be. Just like wine, each locale imparts a specific characteristic to the tea?s colour, taste, and aroma, and the terminology can also get just as confusing as when a group of wine fanatics get together to discuss a particular vintage. As the tea drinking public becomes better informed and acquainted with tea, I predict that the terminology and jargon will get just as complicated.
An Encyclopedia of Tea is a brief section, unfortunately. I can understand why this section is kept small ? to have a visual guide to all of the varieties available would be far too large to ever publish. Instead, there are about thirty or so different teas that are given a description, along with a picture of the leaves and a brewed cup of tea. Much more interesting is a brief look at what are known as ?presentation? teas, where teas and blooms are tied and dried together so that when they are brewed ? preferably in a clear teapot or cup ? they transform into fantastical shapes.
Brewing the Perfect Cup is just that. How to select your tea, the pot, how to find a good tea merchant, and all sorts of data on how to get that optimum brew. It?s a very short chapter, and frankly, all information that I had read somewhere else before. Much more intriguing is the next chapter, Tea Culture Around the World. Again, most of the information is focused on China and Japan, but what really works here is on the gong fu tasting ceremony, and the cha-no-yu ceremony in Japan. What sort of equipment is used, where such a ceremony will take place, foods that are eaten, and so on. I found it very interesting to read about, and two Asian cultures that tend to be overlooked got a little bit of space for themselves ? Tibet and Korea. Sadly, Western tea customs were pretty much overlooked here, which is a pity.
Health Benefits of Tea, and the following chapter Ethics in the Tea Trade are bound to upset some readers. While there are certainly benefits to drinking tea ? I do it for sheer enjoyment ? you do have to be careful in sifting out the hyperbole from the reality. So too with the ethics. Tea workers have been exploited for centuries, and sadly, it still goes on. Awareness helps, and more merchants are opting to work with planters and vendors who can guarantee that their workers are being paid a working wage and given decent conditions. What is considered ethical is also a subject for debate as well, and honestly, one I intend to stay out of.
The final chapter, Cooking with Tea is pretty interesting. While I haven?t tried any of the recipes yet, I know it will only be a matter of time before I do. There isn?t very many to choose from here, but they range the gamut from appetizers to desserts and sweets.
The book winds up with a list of buyers resources, a glossary of expressions, a bibliography and index.
Overall, I did like this book. The photographs are beautiful and compelling, at times the text is interesting to read, and I really did like the look at more obscure tea traditions in Korea, Tibet and Morocco. But some of the chapters left me cold. Despite the problems that I had with some sections, this still gets a four star rating from me. Recommended.
Summary of The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
Whether it's a delicate green tea or a bracing Assam black, a cup of tea is a complex brew of art and industry, tradition and revolution, East and West. In this sweeping tour through the world of tea, veteran tea traders Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss chronicle tea's influence across the globe and provide a complete reference for choosing, drinking, and enjoying this beverage.THE STORY OF TEA begins with a journey along the tea trail, from the lush forests of China, where tea cultivation first flourished, to the Buddhist temples of Japan, to the vast tea gardens of India, and beyond.Offering an insider's view of all aspects of tea trade, the Heisses examine Camellia sinensis, the tea bush, and show how subtle differences in territory and production contribute to the diversity of color, flavor, and quality in brewed tea. They profile more than thirty essential tea varietals, provide an in depth guide to tasting and brewing, and survey the customs and crafts associated with tea. Sharing the latest research, they discuss tea's health benefits and developments in organic production and fair trade practices. Finally, they present ten sweet and savory recipes, including Savory Chinese Marbled Eggs and Green Tea Pot de Creme, and resources for purchasing fine tea.
Vividly illustrated throughout, THE STORY OF TEA is an engrossing tribute to the illustrious, invigorating, and elusive leaf that has sustained and inspired people for more than two thousand years.
Coffee & Tea Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Coffee & Tea Books
The New Complete Coffee Book: A Gourmet Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Cooking Revised and Updatedby Sara Perry
Chronicle Books; Published: 2001-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.02
Price in other shops:
The Agony of the Leaves : The Ecstasy of My Life with Teaby Helen Gustafson, Mark Gagnon
Henry Holt & Co; Published: 1996-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.08
Price in other shops:
Way of Tea: The Sublime Art of Oriental Tea Drinkingby Lam Kam Chuen, Lam Kai Sin, Lam Tin Yu
Diane Pub Co; Published: 2002-07-30; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Coffee: The Connoisseur's Companionby Daniele Rava
Diane Pub Co; Published: 1999-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $20.00
2012 Coffee Wall Calendarby Perfect Timing - Lang
Perfect Timing - Lang; Published: 2011-10-30; Calendar; Book
Best price: $24.99
Now You're Cookin' - with Teaby Marv Rubinstein
iUniverse, Inc.; Published: 2007-08-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.06
Price in other shops:
A Decent Cup Of Teaby Malachi McCormick
Clarkson Potter; Published: 1991-11-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $20.51
Tea for You: Blending Custom Teas to Savor and Shareby Tracy Stern
Clarkson Potter; Published: 2009-04-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.81
Price in other shops:
The Book of Tea (Penguin Classics)by Kakuzo Okakura
Penguin Classics; Published: 2010-12-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.50
Price in other shops:
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our Worldby Mark Pendergrast
Basic Books; Published: 2010-09-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.99
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
The Way of Tea: Reflections on a Life with Teaby Aaron Fisher
Tuttle Publishing; Published: 2010-01-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.34
Price in other shops:
Liquid Jade: The Story of Tea from East to Westby Beatrice Hohenegger
St. Martin's Press; Published: 2007-01-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.00
Price in other shops:
Teaby Lydia Gautier
Chronicle Books; Published: 2006-10-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $34.25
Price in other shops:
Culinary Tea: More Than 150 Recipes Steeped in Tradition from Around the Worldby Cynthia Gold, Lise Stern
Running Press; Published: 2010-09-07; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.18
Price in other shops:
The Book of Teaby Kakuzo Okakura
Dover Publications; Published: 1964-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.34
Price in other shops:
The Harney & Sons Guide to Teaby Michael Harney
Penguin Press HC, The; Published: 2008-10-02; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.10
Price in other shops:
20,000 Secrets of Tea: The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature's Healing Herbsby Victoria Zak
Dell; Published: 1999-11-09; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.66
Price in other shops:
The Ancient Art of Tea: Wisdom From the Ancient Chinese Tea Mastersby Warren Peltier
Tuttle Publishing; Published: 2011-03-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.05
Price in other shops:
The New Tea Companionby Jane Pettigrew, Bruce Richardson
Benjamin Press; Published: 2008-09-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.94
Price in other shops:
The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook: A Guide to the World's Best Teasby Mary Lou Heiss, Robert J. Heiss
Ten Speed Press; Published: 2010-03-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.12
Price in other shops: