Take time out for a
restful tea break! Mary Lou Heiss and Robert
J. Heiss's personal philosophy is of a decidedly Eastern persuasion: Life should be celebrated through the ceremony
of tea. This doyenne of interior decorating extols the benefits of making quiet
times a regular part of each day, where one enjoys solitary, contemplative
moments over a simple cup of tea. Mary
Lou suggests unhurried tea parties for good friends or honored guests as a sure
way of improving the quality of life through the sharing of a carefully
prepared light fare, fragrant teas, and treasured cups, teapots, linens, and
other special items to enhance these occasions. Recipes for assorted goodies
are included, and there will be line drawings to illustrate both Mary Lou and
Robert Heiss's upbeat text.
In The Enthusiast’s Handbook: A Guide to the
World’s Best Teas you will learn and explore many things regarding
teas. With one-half to one-third less
caffeine than coffee, it’s steeped with cancer-fighting antioxidants and is the
beverage of choice for much of the world. While selecting and appreciating tea can be a life’s work on its own,
there are a few general tips you will learn in this book about grabbing the
right leaf. You will find out your
regional preference. This is difficult
to do because you may enjoy Darjeeling tea from India and Pu-erh from China. But most countries have a few
teas that are specific to their region. Understanding the area where the leaf was grown is important. The biggest are India, China and Sri Lanka. The reader will also learn about tea
varieties. Green, black and white teas
are basic. But there are some hybrid
teas that exist as their own category. The authors encourage the reader to try something knew each time. Tea is a bit easier to distinguish in taste
and texture than coffee. For this
reason, it’s easier to branch out. Once
you know you have a preference for white tea, try different flavors and
leaves.
This would be the
perfect gift for the tea connoisseur. I
love the high quality paper, and glossy pages, the text is laid out in an easy
to read fashion, pick this book up for a
quick five minute read or sit back and enjoy for the evening. Highly recommended!
Buy this book at Amazon.com
