Tea

The first 'designer' tearoom was opened in Glasgow in 1897 in order that intellectual conversation, art and a popular drink could be enjoyed in one place. Since then, tea has become the world's favourite beverage. From Indian chai to Burmese pickled lephet tea, and from brick tea to Taiwanese 'bubble tea', tea is a unique and adaptable potation, consumed in myriad incarnations in almost all nations across the globe. In Tea: A Global History, Helen Saberi explores the rich and fascinating history of tea. She looks at the economic and social uses of tea, which was used as currency during the Tang Dynasty, and combined with Tango dancing in 1913 to create a tea dance called The Dansant. Tea also explores how customs and traditions surrounding the beverage have evolved throughout time, as well as where and how tea is grown around the world. Featuring vivid images of tea cups, plants, rooms and houses, and recipes for both drinking tea and using it as a flavouring, Tea will engage the senses while providing a history of tea and its uses. Because Saberi connects the reader to tea's flavour and presentation as she explores its legendary origins and present day popularity, Tea will appeal to readers interested not only in tea's history, customs and traditions, but also in the drink itself.