A Decent Cup of Tea

I received this book as a gift from someone who knows I like both tea and little books. I found it to be a fun read, something that I could pick up and put down for weeks at a time and then pick up again and read on. That is not something you can say about many books. I agree with a lot of Malachi's advice, for example about what to look for in selecting a teapot, and little details like warming the pot; and found his description and advice regarding reading tea-leaves to be interesting and helpful. Mr. McCormick is Irish, and thus speaks with more authority, and assurance, about the subject than might most Americans. The book reminds me a bit of Michael Caine: proper, wise & knowledgeable, but not without a certain humour. I only found it a bit dated because as it happens I do drink loose tea also, and there are a lot more good sources now than there were when the book was published. So most of my favorites aren't in there, at least one of the ones he recommends I find to be mostly too weak, and the others I am definitely going to try out. There are recipes, which I will probably not make, but I can wish I would, like scones and tea brack. There is some history of tea in the front of the book. All in all, there is an amazingly large amount of information packed in this slim (80-page) volume, yet the pages are fair and have a generous amount of white space. It is a pleasant book, highly recommended for the gift basket or personal treat.

I found this to be a nice little book written in a familiar manner. Very good for a beginner desiring a bit of tea information or someone who enjoys a spot of tea. Attractive and compact.