Social History of Tea

Fannie Farmer advises on Tea

The Boston Cooking School Cookbook I was hunting for a corn bread recipe recently and found myself leafing through a decrepit copy of Fannie Farmer’s Boston Cooking School Cookbook. I don’t use it often, but keep it in my collection because of its venerable age and the dear departed friend who owned it before me. The pages of this 1906, 2nd edition, “cutting edge” cookbook are yellowed and brittle as you might expect of a 109 year old book. As […]

Tea and Travel, Tea Cuisine, Tea Knowledge, World Tea Expo

World Tea Expo: The Matcha Effect

Matcha seems to fit the mood of the moment. It’s electric greenness reflecting the colour that we associate with health and nature. It was seen everywhere at World Tea Expo, 2015 or was it just that I was experiencing The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon! Matcha’s Origins Matcha’s use has strayed somewhat from its original ceremonial origins. Ceremonial matcha grades of Usucha (thin) and Koicha (thick) have been available in select tea shops for many years. Matcha was originally a throw back to […]

Tea and Travel, Tea Culture, Tea Knowledge, World Tea Expo

World Tea Expo 2015: Random reports, Pt. 1

Like a dream it arrived and then was over and now I’m home. I wish I could reconstruct the experience of World Tea Expo in order to give you a picture of what actually happened and when. At moments it was elating, challenging, fascinating, funny and puzzling. Every time I try to reassemble the days chronologically, however, my brain resists. This year, my reports will be based on random observations, capricious interludes and impressions. Quite unlike me really not to […]

Tea Knowledge, The Tea Book

Announcing: The Tea Book

The Tea Book, DK Publishers This year has been devoted to research and inspiration for The Tea Book, a collaboration with DK publishing (a division of Penguin Random House). Famous for their Eye Witness Travel books and many and varied guides to culinary pursuits, DK chose to publish a book on tea at a time when the world’s favourite hot beverage is poised to gain even more ground in markets around the world. This comprehensive primer for tea lovers will […]

Tea and Travel, World Tea Expo

Gathering of the Tea Clans 2015

World Tea Expo is in its thirteenth year – this will be my sixth. When I first attended in 2010, I promised my calendar that the dates would be secured for attendance every year thereafter. Although it doesn’t compare to a trip to a tea country of origin, it is a chance to taste spring teas from tea regions and meet those closely connected to the source. I mostly go to learn more and build on what I’ve been pursuing […]

Social History of Tea

Upcoming Event!

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been invited by The Tea Guild of Canada to give a talk – “Form, Function and Style: A History of Teaware”. This event will be held in Toronto at George Brown College. Those of you in the vicinity and interested in attending, just rsvp to me. There will be tea! Hope to see you there.

Social History of Tea, Tea Cuisine, Tea Culture

Revising Afternoon Tea

Tiered cake stands, white linen, dainty sweets and bone china teapots are well-worn symbols of Afternoon Tea, – the popular, more formal approach to serving a cuppa. To that end, hotels and other venues have dreamed up all kinds of themed afternoon teas – the edible garden, Asian-inspired and ultra chic! Afternoon Tea is often erroneously called “High Tea”, a name which originally defined the meal that was served at a high (dining) table close to the supper hour. In […]

Tea Cuisine, Tea Culture

Cheers! Tea with Spirit

In Celebration of a Good Year The events of my 2014 were exciting and life-changing. Work in the tea world was plentiful, which explains dear reader, why posts have been spotty at best. One of the projects I’ve been working on has allowed me to explore tea mixology (the craft of cocktail blending using tea as a flavour ingredient). I’m not actually a fan of spirits, but I have loved learning about the interplay of flavours to create the right […]

Tea and Travel

Tea in the Great Canadian Wilderness

We just spent a vacation week in a relatively remote area of Northern Ontario’s lake country. It’s an annual escape to see the sun set on the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Known as the first day of summer here in Canada, it is referred to in England as mid-summer solstice. The birds sing into the night with the whippoorwill and loon having the last say. I enjoy tea in the canoe, on the granite rocks […]

Tea and Travel, World Tea Expo

Aromas, Blends & Lattes! Touring QTrade Teas and Herbs, Cerritos, California

One of the perceived advantages of holding World Tea Expo in Long Beach, California was its close proximity to importers and their businesses. The town of Cerritos is a half hour ride from Long Beach and home to QTrade Teas and Herbs, a major player in the tea industry. Taking advantage of the convenience of their location, QTrade had arranged an early morning tour of their facilities for several of their customers and a few tea media. Located on a […]