Tea with Jane Austen

This is a lovely short little book which will not only teach you how to make a good cup of tea but at the same time takes a lovely cultural walk through the historical significance of tea both in society and literature. The Georgian era really saw the rise in tea as a social institution, which is of course the time of Austen. Kim Wilson manages to extract references to tea in novels and letters using them as examples of its importance at the time, and its use as a literary device. this has a series of lovely recipes in it which are true to Austen's time, well as true as they can be. Ingredients and measurements not withstanding. But how wonderful to do tea just as Austen did. This book is highly specialised around Tea and really Austen and perhaps the Jane Austen in the title was supposed to draw in more readers on the Jane Austen bandwagon. However I do think it has merit. Firstly it tended to stick with things of Austen's time and I felt it gave a fairly good discussion of what her life would have been. It really suffered from lack of illustration, not only throughout the book, but also for the cooking items at the end. I recommend reading this with another illustrated book of Austen's life if you want to see more of the places and things mentioned in here. There is one excellent book I have read recently called Regency Design which (while not on Jane Austen) will illustrate so much of what they used, ate from, drank from and lived in. It is fully illustrated, I think the author is Morley - anyway - a book like that is an excellent accompaniment to lovely short books such as this.

Before sitting down with this book, turn to the very last chapter, which explains how to make the perfect cup of tea -- and prepare a whole pot for yourself. Because once you begin reading Kim Wilson's engaging discussion, you'll want nothing so much as a good cup of tea (except, perhaps, a rout cake or Bath bun to go with it) but will not want to put the book down long enough to boil water. "Tea with Jane Austen" is like the best blends of the beverage, its individual components smoothly combining to create a delightful experience richer than the sum of its parts. Primarily a social history of tea in Georgian England, the book also explains how Austen and other authors use tea as a literary device, and includes period recipes with modern conversions. Though extensively researched, this is not dry history -- Wilson's warm, conversational style and gentle humor make the book as entertaining as it is informative. Indeed, the reader feels as if Wilson is our hostess rather than a lecturer as she educates us by turns on tea itself (how it was transported, sold, and prepared) and the social contexts in which it was enjoyed. She also enhances our appreciation for Austen's writings by revealing subtle cues Austen incorporates into tea-drinking scenes that likely escape most modern readers -- but that her contemporaries would have recognized as character-defining elements. Among the many fascinating insights Wilson offers, we learn why the Austens, hardly well-to-do, bought their tea only from one of London's most reputable merchants, that naval officers often brought along their own tea so as to improve conditions aboard ship by indulging in a small comfort of home, and the real reason Mr. Darcy drinks a cup of coffee rather than tea toward the end of "Pride and Prejudice." By the end of the book, you'll be trying to decide which of the intriguing recipes to attempt first, and which Jane Austen novel to read or reread whilst sipping tea (with sugar, but no cream) from a Wedgwood cup.

For anyone interested in how Jane Austin and the people in her books lived, this is a must read! In this entertaining and well researched book you can find out how to make a whole host of unusual delicacies and serve it with the proper etiquette of the day. My hat is off to Ms Wilson for giving us a delightful book that is sure to please all Janites! And now, I will sit down to read "Emma" with my cup of tea...

This book is entertaining and relaxing as well as educational. We received "Tea" as a gift last Christmas, and I have since recommendeded it to my sister-in-law. My curiosity about such a fascinating character led me to purchase Jane Austen's own book, EMMA. I thought the interesting old and new recipes made "Tea" even more authentic as well, and loved comparing them as I am an ardent baker. A pound cake was really a "pound" cake in Austen's day. If you want to spend quality time enjoying a delightful book, I highly recommend Tea With Jane Austen. It certainly deserves a five star rating.

Nothing seems quite as British as a good cup of tea. This book takes the reader back to the time period when tea was overtaking ale as the morning beverage of choice. Wilson, a member of JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America)provides great examples of the use of tea and other food in Austen's novels as well as references drawn from Austen's letters. A general discussion of the tea industry provides an interesting historical backdrop. Modern versions of recipes to go with tea from the period are provided. Fun to read with lovely illustrations.