A Little Tea Book, by Sebastian Beckwith with Caroline Paul
From In Pursuit of Tea’s founder, Sebastian Beckwith, comes the book on tea you’ve been waiting for!
Tea 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 you 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, 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 and graphs by bestselling illustrator Wendy MacNaughton and Beckwith's sumptuous photographs, A Little Tea Book is a friendly, handsome, and illuminating primer.
Reviews and press
“An encyclopedia of fact and joy, radiating…deep knowledge, good-natured humor, and a largehearted love of tea.” — Brainpickings
“There’s nothing precious or pedantic about a delightful new book that celebrates…the tea plant.” — San Francisco Chronicle
“Beckwith is conversational and encouraging, introducing readers to some of his many providers from far-flung locations and discussing the drink’s momentous cultural import.” — The Last Magazine
“If your mom's a tea enthusiast, this book will be a massive hit. For bonus points, get one for yourself so you can compare notes." — Food52
“Beckwith describes the art of tea as a process of exploration and invites us all to share in the journey, a tea trek captured in part by his many travel photographs and keen eye for detail, but best of all by his stories of searching the remote regions of Asia for the rarest and most elusive forms of the leaf. In just over one hundred twenty pages or so, Beckwith proves to be a singularly outstanding guide.” — Stephen D. Owyoung