The Tea Book: Experience the World’s Finest Teas, Qualities, Infusions, Rituals, Recipes

Book time! I have been voraciously reading, it is the time of year where I go deep into the books and tend not to come out again until spring. Today's book is The Tea Book by Linda Gaylard and by one of my favorite publishers, DK. See, DK has a tendency to publish really pretty books, their book on Gemstones is still a classic favorite, but this is about tea and not rocks. From the moment I cracked open the book I was impressed with the visuals, it is beautiful! But looks alone do not make a book (unless it was a photo book, of course) so how is the substance? First off I will say, I think I found THE perfect book for people new to tea and with a voracious appetite for knowledge. This covers so many of the basics, but instead of stopping there it delves deep into various cultures, history, and regions. I was pleased to see coverage on Korean tea and their tea culture, along with Vietnam and Kenya, and not just the typical China, Japan, India, and Sri Lanka. There is a large section on recipes, but it is not the more trendy cooking with teas but different drinks using tea. Frankly most of them look so delicious, I plan on breaking a few of them out for events when I have to serve tea to a bunch of people. So many delicious looking recipes, plus a method for making popping spheres meaning an upgrade to bubble teas. Along with lots of juicy information about tea and recipes, there is a section on herbal teas/tisanes. I had mixed feelings on this, on the one hand it was very valuable information (the wheel of healing was my favorite) and herbal teas are definitely a big part of the tea world, but on the other hand this is space that could have been filled with more info about tea! At times I wish this book would have delved deeper into various topics, mostly because I really enjoy Linda's writing style (I have been following her blog for a while, good reading there!) and would have loved to have seen more of it combined with DK's signature bombastic visuals. I find myself daydreaming about a book of this style devoted entirely to Yunnan's tea culture or Vietnamese tea. Again, I really cannot stress how I think everyone interested in tea should buy this book, even though a lot of the information presented was a refresher for me, I loved reading it because it is so well written and enjoyable.

I was so excited to receive my copy of The Tea Book the mail today! This is a wonderful reference book for tea lovers of all levels. It's full of beautiful photos, illustrations, and diagrams that make the sometimes complex subject of tea friendly and accessible. The section on world tea traditions is fascinating, and I also love the flavor wheel, which gives you some tips on tasting tea the way the professionals do. There are a host of tea recipes included, ones that call for very specific types of tea so that you can fully appreciate their distinct flavors. Lychee Strawberry Frappe, White Peony Punch, Salted Caramel Assam...can't wait to try these...love this book!!

Wow, I ordered this for my mom for Christmas Sunday night, and it arrived before noon on a Tuesday! I'm incredibly happy with the speedy shipping and how considerate Amazon is when they deliver the package. (The box is always in perfect condition, and the contents inside are never damaged inside -- beats UPS and FedEx, that's for sure!) As for the product itself, it looks like an incredible book! It has many colorful images and graphics -- great for people who are visual learners. I flipped through the pages, and it's very well-organized and has a nice balance between infographic/charts/maps, the production process of different teas, history of tea and tea culture/rituals, and tea recipes (which mentions health benefits of each recipe and the exact temperature for proper brewing). It really has something for every tea lover. Thank you!!

Interesting book, though I think I needed somthing more in depth. I read this in one night.

I absolutely love this book. It is formatted in a neat way where you can open any page and start reading. Perfect coffee table book. But as an avid tea lover, i learned a lot from this book as well. It tells the history of tea, brewing methods, traditional tea ceremony's around the world, and even offers some tea blend recipes.

This highly visual and complete guide to all things tea is excellent. The Tea Book is filled with fine photos and concise information. From the history of tea, the wide variety tea plants, the leaf gathering, processing, and brewing, to the different tea cultures around the world, the various health benefits of different herbs, pictures of many tea tools, pots, and kettles, and plenty of recipes to top it off. A pretty classy, informative, and enjoyable read. Although I found a majority of the recipes a bit too fancy or time consuming, I did appreciate that there is a page on the somewhat complicated process of making kombucha. My mother also enjoyed this book very much, so I would safely assume it makes a proper gift for tea lovers.

I originally found this book at the library and loved it. My interest in tea is definitley beyond beginner level so this resource is a great reference for where teas are sourced, flavor profiles and recipes/blending suggestioins. Great photos and info tidbits about tea drinking round the world. Well done book overall, I would reccomend this for a tea enthusiast as well as someone who is just starting out their passion for tea.

This is a beautiful book about tea. Wonderful looking graphics and pictures helps the reader understand various concepts about the processing of each tea type. There is an added bonus of recipes for tea drinks at the end of the book. This is a must have for any tea lover and tea book collector.

I was born in Ceylon, Sri Lanka, my home was on a tea estate. This book expanded my knowledge of the industry on a global basis. A very enjoyable read

good

I’m about halfway through reading this book and it’s been great. It explains the different types of plants used, the different processes used to make the different tea types, and the popular tea blends, before looking at the growing regions around the world and tea culture and traditions in those places. Some parts are a little breath maybe, but it is a very good introduction to the wider variety available and has made me curious far beyond the black tea blends I was curious about originally. Who knows, I might even end up trying some of the recipes at the back of the book.

I love this book, more than expected. A book to gift anybody loves tea, for either hardened experts and beginners.

A fun read with lots of information to start you on your tea journey. Written in an engaging way by a Canadian expert. A good part of the book is recipes, but there is also general information on making tea properly, where teas come from what what makes them all different, and even information on the health benefits of various tisanes.