Tea

Book excerpt: Prepare for a richly exotic voyage across continents and centuries in this in-depth exploration of the world of tea. Like wine, tea has its own prestigious growing regions and plantations where are produced refined, noble, and modern varieties as distinctive as the terroir on which they are grown. This impressive volume follows the trade routes of the familiar yet mysterious tea leaf, from the origins of cultivation in China to Japan's legendary tea ceremony to the ritual of afternoon tea in the U.K. Practical advice describes the benefits of tea in the diet, the optimum brewing temperature, and precise measurements for steeping the perfect cup. Profiles of the Grand Crus of tea (32 worldwide varieties) plus recipes that pair well with tea or have tea as an ingredient are also featured. Rich and sumptuous photographs lead us through this ancient but still contemporary pursuit that reaches from remote Asian villages to exotic islands to today's modern cities. Tea is a book to be savored with all the senses.