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    A Little Tea Book: All the Essentials from Leaf to Cup
    A Little Tea Book: All the Essentials from Leaf to Cup
    A Little Tea Book: All the Essentials from Leaf to Cup
    Ebook128 pages58 minutes

    A Little Tea Book: All the Essentials from Leaf to Cup

    By Sebastian Beckwith, Caroline Paul and Wendy MacNaughton

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    From tea guru Sebastian Beckwith and New York Times bestsellers Caroline Paul and Wendy MacNaughton comes the essential guide to exploring and enjoying the vast world of tea.

    Tea, the most popular beverage in the world after water, has brought nations to war, defined cultures, bankrupted coffers, and toppled kings. And yet in many ways this fragrantly comforting and storied brew remains elusive, even to its devotees. As down-to-earth yet stylishly refined as the drink itself, A Little Tea Book submerges readers into tea, exploring its varieties, subtleties, and pleasures right down to the process of selecting and brewing the perfect cup.

    From orange pekoe to pu-erh, tea expert Sebastian Beckwith provides surprising tips, fun facts, and flavorful recipes to launch dabblers and connoisseurs alike on a journey of taste and appreciation. Along with writer and fellow tea-enthusiast Caroline Paul, Beckwith walks us through the cultural and political history of the elixir that has touched every corner of the world. Featuring featuring charming, colorful charts, graphs, and illustrations by bestselling illustrator Wendy MacNaughton and Beckwith's sumptuous photographs, A Little Tea Book is a friendly, handsome, and illuminating primer with a dash of sass and sophistication. Cheers!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateOct 16, 2018
    ISBN9781632869043
    A Little Tea Book: All the Essentials from Leaf to Cup

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    Reviews for A Little Tea Book

    3.5/5

    32 ratings13 reviews

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    • 2/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      The next time your twelve year old or husband asks, "Why do you find tea so interesting?" hand them A Little Tea Book. It’s an introduction to the complexities of the world of tea - its sometimes violent history (think opium wars), its intricate biochemistry (enzymes, polyphenols, flavonoids), its cultivation and processing, and finally its brewing and taste. Each of these topics would require a large volume or even a series to give them their due. But to the casually curious person who is ready to get a glimpse at some of the complexities underlying that sometimes astringent but tantalizing taste, this book is her "cup of tea."The appellation "little" in the book’s title is certainly accurate. There are only about 52 pages of text (excluding the glossary, index and table of contents). Several diagrams and charts and 46 pictures, found on every page or two, comprise the remainder of the book. Unfortunately, the captions for all of the pictures are all compiled together at the front of the book, making understanding what a picture represents an awkward ordeal of flipping to the front of the book, finding the photographs’ page, then flipping back and finding one’s place again. Somewhat providentially, almost all of the pictures are of either leaves or tea cups, so if the reader isn’t curious, the text can be read without constant interruption.However, "little" also applies to the depth of information provided. This book basically explains the range of topics that may be explored in further reading without going into detail on any of them. The book is a primer, not a place to go for details. Since it barely touches on any particular topic, the list of further readings at the back of the book takes on additional importance. Unfortunately again, it is not annotated, so one can’t tell which book might cover a specific topic. This bibliography is also exceedingly short and limited, considering how extensive tea literature is.If the intent of the book is to just make the reader aware that there are (at least) a dozen or so areas that one can explore about tea, then the book succeeds; it whets the reader’s appetite. However, if the reader wants to understand any of those areas, then the book fails; it doesn’t provide enough information, nor does it make it clear where to go to achieve that understanding. With the clumsy positioning of every picture’s caption, the lack of details throughout and the unhelpful bibliography, I consider the book a disappointment, although it might make a good stocking-stuffer for a tea tyro.I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      This is a cute book offering a short, broad overview of all things tea, with photos, illustrations, and a few tea-related cocktail recipes. It briefly touches on the history of tea, the growing and processing of tea, the different varieties and growing regions, and the assorted ways to prepare it. It doesn't go in depth on any of these subjects, but it isn't meant to ... it's a primer, not a reference book. If you don't know anything about tea, this is a friendly place start learning. If you know plenty about tea already, this is a pleasant diversion that shares your joy and maybe inspires you to seek out teas you haven't yet tasted. Reading it made me crave my favorite oolong.
    • 4/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      At just over 100 pages, A Little Tea Book is a quick read and a nice little primer for tea enthusiasts who are just beginning to explore loose leaf teas. Beckwith breaks loose leaf teas down into 6 types and briefly reviews shape, size and how (if) the tea in that category is altered. He also provides a short history on tea, a few tea cocktail recipes, and how to choose a tea you might like and a few steeping tips.There are lots of photos and a handful of lovely illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton. These were interesting in my black & white ARC copy, and I can only guess that they must be quite pretty in color. Although the $20 (USD) price tag feels a bit steep for the size, I suppose it's to be expected for the number of photos and illustrations. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about tea, but if you have already researched and read a lot about loose leaf, you may not find much new here.
    • 3/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      I'm not a big tea drinker just my cup of black and green each day. Though I am also a coffee drinker, I feel tea is just healthier. This small but information packed book on tea was indeed informative and I learned quite a lot about something I did not realize I knew so little about.Many topics are covered here from history to types and brewing methods. Aside from plain water tea has probably been the most prolific drink through the ages. The pictures and graphics are great and lead into the topics in an understandable and enlightening way. A number of recipes are thrown in to spice up the topic also, if you will.This would make a great gift for tea lovers and those who enjoy the occasional cup. Well thought out and presented, a delightful little book that would set well even on the coffee table.
    • 5/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      When they call it "A Little Tea Book," that is exactly what this is....a little volume all about tea. I thought it would be bigger, but it actually did contain a great deal of knowledge about every aspect of tea, the different kinds, blends, colors, tastes, origins, etc. It's like a first primer of wine one might read. As such, it turned out to be just my cup of tea (sorry), as I am really a dedicated coffee guy, but always wanted to know a bit more about tea, in order to enjoy it more as a (sometime) alternative to coffee, like on a cold winter night. I recommend this to anyone who likes tea, even a little bit. It would make a great gift, too, as it's quite useful, not like those little gift books that look cute but no one ever really reads them.
    • 5/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      This is a delightful book, and it's exactly as described: a little book about tea. I was somewhat surprised when I got it, as it's even smaller than I'd imagined. It still manages to cover lots of basics along with anecdotes that are interesting, pictures/illustrations that are lovely, and drink recipes that sound delicious. I read this in one sitting, and I think I'll be looking for people for which to buy this as a gift.
    • 2/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      I like my nonfiction books to be either a) comprehensive or b) deep dives into a subject. Unfortunately -- and I should've been warned by the title -- "A Little Tea Book" is neither of these, zipping from one chapter of snippets to another. I could've dealt with that if the book had more charml sadly, Beckwith's "personal" musings seem limited to the times he went to some far-off enclave to track down rare, uber-expensive teas. (Self-promotional much?) As a freebie this is fine, but I don't recommend shelling out $20 for this guide when there are surely better ones out there.
    • 4/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      The tiny book is meant to be a short introduction into teas for 'beginners'. It succeeds in giving a brief, fairly complete overview. It is an easy read for an evening or two, and encourages repeatedly to just try to have tea in its varying forms. I don't like so much that the author a few times connects - with the tiniest references - to teas he sells. For my liking that's the wrong place to do so. Otherwise - a nice little booklet introduction into the vast world of tea.I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Librarything early reviewers program.
    • 4/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      This is basically exactly what the title indicates: a little book about tea and the growing, preparation, and drinking thereof. Not an in-depth, comprehensive look at any of those things, but just a little bit about all of them to get you started, perhaps, on a journey from tea-drinker to something like a tea connoisseur. The author himself is definitely a connoisseur. He mentions early on that he travels to exotic locations looking for obscure teas for high-end restaurants, which honestly sounds entirely too fancy-schmancy to me, but the book itself turns out to be very accessible, and while Beckwith might be something of a tea snob, he's a tea snob who puts a lot of emphasis on the idea that, ultimately, a good tea is a tea that tastes good to you, which is nice.Because this is such a little book, there's not a whole lot here, and it's definitely not the place to go if you want, say, a detailed history of tea-growing. And, while the writing is perfectly fine, it's not the kind of compelling non-fiction that's interesting even if you're not deeply interested in the subject. But it does a reasonably good job of being the kind of introduction it's trying to be, and I definitely learned a few things. Now I finally know what orange pekoe is! Not to mention how to pronounce it.There are also a lot of pictures, of tea, tea accessories, and landscapes where tea is grown. In the advance copy I have, most of these are black-and-white, but there's a note saying they'll all be in color in the finished version, which I think should make it a very colorful and rather pretty little book. It might make a nice gift for a lover of books and tea.
    • 3/5

      Jan 14, 2019

      A Little Tea Book, by Sebastian Beckwith with Caroline Paul, is a slim volume of facts and trivia about tea, which would make a good gift for tea lovers this holiday season. My curiosity about the differences between oolongs (my favorite), green teas, and mysterious pu-erh cakes was sated, and I enjoyed trivia like learning that orange pekoe refers to the shape of a tea leaf and what's really in English Breakfast. The book is filled with lovely illustrations by Wendy McNaughton, that delineate tea shades and shapes. For those who wish to heat their tea to the proper temperatures, the book helpfully illustrates how to tell hot your water is based on the size and pattern of the water bubbles in your pot.That said, I sometimes wish that the book evoked more of a sense of coziness that I associate with drinking tea and visiting tea houses. My favorite tea stories are travelogues. This has a bit of that in this book, such as a description of hundreds-year old plants growing out of rocks that are carefully guarded by security cameras in the Wuyi Mountains; another story details the discovery of tea of a Royal provenance at a crumbling monastery. But on the whole the book is more technical then romantic. Beckwith is the co-founder of In Pursuit of Tea, a tea shop that provides teas to Beard-Award winning restaurants like Blue Hill in New York. A bit of self-promotion creeps in, in the form of descriptions of blends that are specific to his establishment and suggestions of tea to try. It's not terribly troubling, and the benefit of his knowledge about tea outweighs the occasional intrusion. Disclosure: I received a free Advance Reading Copy of this book to review.
    • 4/5

      May 3, 2023

      Nice and to the point. Very basic but full of inspiration for tasting a wonderful cup of tea.
    • 2/5

      May 17, 2020

      This book was underwhelming for me. These little pocket/coffee table type books should really be attractive so you want to read and browse through them. I thought the pictures and illustrations of this book were ok but nothing fantastic. It is a cute little book, but I didn't really learn anything new from it.
    • 2/5

      Oct 2, 2018

      I like my nonfiction books to be either a) comprehensive or b) deep dives into a subject. Unfortunately -- and I should've been warned by the title -- "A Little Tea Book" is neither of these, zipping from one chapter of snippets to another. I could've dealt with that if the book had more charml sadly, Beckwith's "personal" musings seem limited to the times he went to some far-off enclave to track down rare, uber-expensive teas. (Self-promotional much?) As a freebie this is fine, but I don't recommend shelling out $20 for this guide when there are surely better ones out there.

    Book preview

    A Little Tea Book - Sebastian Beckwith

    To Lois and Jacques Beckwith, who encouraged me to follow my passion

    "We had a kettle; we let it leak:

    Our not repairing made it worse.

    We haven’t had any tea for a week...

    The bottom is out of the Universe."

    —Rudyard Kipling, Natural Theology

    CONTENTS

    Introduction

    A little on the tea plant

    A little on the six types of tea

    A little on shape and size

    A little on the taxonomy

    A little on names

    A little history

    A little on choosing tea

    A little on altered tea

    A little on dark tea, also called fermented tea or heicha

    A little on labels

    A little on health

    A little confusion

    A little to add

    A little on preparation

    Glossary

    List of Photographs

    Recommended Reading

    Index

    INTRODUCTION

    You’re holding this book because you love tea. Perhaps you can’t begin a morning without a cup of English Breakfast. You may have a favorite mug. You might carry that mug to work, along with an assortment of tea bags. Yet you don’t know much about your beloved brew, and exploring it further seems to require fancy porcelain, a NASA thermometer, and a sheepdog’s discerning nose. As the venues expand—your local café may now sell loose teas—and choices proliferate, it’s even more intimidating. Quick searches on your phone (tea, Sencha Fukamushi, what???) leave you baffled.

    A Little Tea Book is for you.

    There are many lengthy texts, authored by great minds, which delve into every aspect of tea. A Little Tea Book is different: It’s an accessible primer delivering basic, but thorough, information. You will find here a wide range of material, but it’s not a workbook or encyclopedia. Instead, I’m offering you a little about a lot. A Little Tea Book will start you on your way, offering a solid foundation (and a boatload of confidence) from which you can then continue the exploration—by yourself, and with family, friends, and colleagues.

    Over the past two decades I’ve forded high rivers in Bhutan, hiked through remote Lao villages, and climbed miles of terraced land in China, all to find the best-quality tea for the finest restaurants in the country. I started my company, In Pursuit of Tea, to source these single-lot, traditionally made, loose-leaf teas direct from origin.

    During my adventures I’ve talked to scores of tea fanatics, discussed flavor and pairings with every manner of foodie, and exchanged ideas with tea purveyors and farmers around the world. But my true joy is talking tea with people who are new to it. I’ve trained sommeliers and servers at restaurants that include Eleven Madison Park, Daniel, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. I’ve sat for hours with curious friends sampling fresh picks from my travels. Over the years, many people have begun their tea journey with me, and have been inspired to continue it.

    Welcome, I’m happy you’re here. My life’s work has been teaching people about tea, and now I am honored to teach you.

    A little on the tea plant

    All tea comes from just one plant, Camellia sinensis. One plant! This is the first of many facts that surprise even the most enthusiastic tea drinker. There are six basic types of tea—white, green, yellow, oolong, black, and dark—and all of them originate only from the leaves of Camellia sinensis.

    This means that many of the beverages you’ve assumed are teas are not technically teas at all. Chamomile? Ginger Spice? Licorice Heaven? Jasmine Soothing Nighty Night?

    They can be tasty. But they’re not tea.

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