This book covers everything you could ever want to know about tea from the rich history of tea to how to brew it properly. There are chapters about the different types of teas, the pros and cons of teabags vs. loose leaf tea, how to determine the flavors and aftertaste of a tea blend, and how to brew the perfect cuppa.

There are excellent instructions on how to store tea, how to determine the caffeine content, and how to calculate the correct temperature and steeping time.

One of the details that make this book special is the inclusion of Asian tea ceremonies and traditions, along with fun things like a tea pet, which is a small unglazed clay figurine that can be saturated with the tea and takes on a beautiful patina and aroma of the tea. There are also tea ceremonies from Russia, Tibet, Britain, Turkey, New Zealand, India, Morroco, and a dozen other cultures. There is a section about the newly popular “bubble tea” from Taiwan, and it has inspired me to try it! But I was especially delighted to see a section for Southern Sweet Tea native to my own Southern United States.
I learned about types of tea I had never heard of before, like the rare yellow tea which undergoes only slight fermentation and has a more mellow taste than green tea. There is also a small separate section about tisanes, or herbal tea, which are not true tea since they don’t include actual tea leaves.

There is an entire chapter with instructions for hosting your own tea party. It includes things like how to choose a theme, design a menu, and try your own tea blends. You can make your own tea bags, put together DIY sugar cubes, and there is a recipe for traditional scones. There is also a small section on throwing a children’s tea party.

My only complaint is that I wish there were more photos or illustrations demonstrating the different types of tea, the types of Eastern tea pots, and styles of brewing and serving tea.

This wonderful book has given some great ideas to try for my next cup of tea!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.