The Tea Companion: A Connoisseur's Guide

I've always been an aficionada of tea, however, I knew very little about it's history and most importantly I knew little about its many varieties. I bought this book with the hope of learning more about tea and it fulfilled my expectations. This book includes a concise and informative overview on the history of tea, several colorful photographs, brewing suggestions, and an extensive index of the world's tea growing regions. One thing about this book is that it is written from a British perspective of tea drinking. This is not problematic, just an observation. We, Americans, have a different orientation and imagination towards tea. Coffee has long been the drink of choice in the States and for many different social and political reasons. Pettigrew touches on some of the sociocultural themes in her text. I nod to that. The goal of the book is not to persuade people to drink tea anyway. I believe the goal is to reinforce and provide new knowledge about tea. With that said, this book is for people who have some experience and openness to tea drinking. I believe the audience for this is book is akin to people who enjoy wine or vegetarian cooking and want to learn more. Personally, I found this book to be intellectually stimulating and illuminating. I did find some of the drinking suggestions to be limiting. For example, Pettigrew believes sugar spoils the taste of many teas, but she recommends milk. I agree to an extent but there are many teas I enjoy with a teaspoon of sugar. Again, I think these are differences in British and American tastes. I also wanted to know more about the use of lemon or other citrus fruits in tea. In some teas, lemon is complimentary in others it destroys the chemical balance of the tea drinking experience. Recipes for tea blending (with flowers, nuts, fruit, etc.) would have been helpful as well. Enjoy.

This interesting book serves as a guide and history book to the world's favorite drink, made from the plant Thea Sinensis. The book reveals the huge variety of teas available and encourages the reader to try some of the world's most exquisite teas. It deals with the discovery of tea (according to legend, by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung), advice on where to buy it, storage hints and how to make the perfect cup. It also includes a discussion of the origin and spread of the word "tea" plus a Grading Terminology and the Tea Taster's vocabulary. Part One, The Story Of Tea, contains the chapters The History Of Tea, Production of Tea, Tea Equipage and Tea Appreciation. Part Two is titled Global Tea Directory and includes a Guide to the Teas of the World, followed by chapters on Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, the Far East and Other Tea-producing Countries. The book concludes with the section Addresses of Mail-order Tea Companies and a thorough index. The text is beautifully illustrated with photographs, reproductions of art, portraits and maps. Tastefully designed, well written and informative, The Tea Companion must be the ultimate book on this popular beverage. I strongly recommend it.

If you do not collect books on tea; if you wish to know about tea but not spend your life in that pursuit; if you want a reference guide to tea; if you ONLY want to own one book about tea - this is that ONE book that gives you the most information in the least amount of pages.

As mentioned, there are a lot of books on tea. The trick is finding one that's practical and useful. What makes this special is 1) extra detail about brewing time, temperature, amount 2) clear color photos of the dry and brewed tea and tea leaves 3) clear organization that helps you understand teas by country and variety. I've browsed through lots of books and of the ones I've seen, this is the best. Think of it as a first rate primer (beginner and intermediate level), not a text book, but five stars for what it tries to do.

A good overview on the various types of tea, and in general, everything a beginner would want to know about tea. This is a book where you will find accurate, up-to-date information on tea, its properties and health benefits. Unlike many other books that were written more for pleasure reading (poetry, myths and stories about tea from the east), this is a book that gives a good foundation for someone who's serious about the appreciation and benefits of tea. I highly recommend it!