The Book of Coffee and Tea: A Guide to the Appreciation of Fine Coffees, Teas, and Herbal Beverages

Coffee is the drink of friendship, the drink of adventurers that bolsters in the face of danger and hardship. It is loved by Christians, Moslems, and Jews. By kings and commoners. By reactionaries and revolutionaries. It crosses the ties of creed, and nationality and binds men together. Tea is the drink of quiet. It is loved, by Chinese, Japanese, English, Russians, and many others, each in their own way. These two great drinks are a gift to mankind. And the author explores this gift with love. He tells of anecdotes and folklore, of local customs and of the adventurous history of both drinks, as they traveled the long road from plantation to consumer. The author also gives various bits of the lore of both drinks; methods of cultivation, the customs of merchants, and the means of preparing. There is also a list of recipes that go with both drinks. This book shows if it need be shown further that everyday items have their own romance to them. And when you put a cup of coffee or tea to your lip you are drinking the same drink that men have fought and intrigued over, and have traveled many a mile for. You are drinking in the palaces of Czars, and Emperors; in the tents of bedouin chieftains, in Turkish bazaars or in the galleys of ships and the camps of armies. When you drink coffee or tea you are drinking history, you are drinking romance. And you are drinking friendship and good cheer. And in this fascinating book, the author tells about the lore of these two great drinks.