Winner of the Gourmand Award for Best Tea Book, Presented at the Paris Cookbook Fair.
This is the first comprehensive and accurate book in English on the fine art of Chinese tea. Given its light taste and wholesome properties, Chinese tea is the ideal natural beverage. This book clearly explains how to buy, prepare, and appreciate the world's healthiest drink. There are hundreds of kinds of tea, distinguished by confusing Chinese names. In fact, Chinese teas can be divided into just six types: white, green, yellow, oolong, red, and black. When you understand the simple system that Chinese themselves use, you can start to explore the world of tea with confidence. Although most people think they can brew a proper pot of tea, in fact they are probably doing it wrong. Through centuries of trial and error, Chinese connoisseurs have come up with clever strategies for getting the most flavor out of the leaves. This book describes the different Chinese methods for brewing tea and explains when it is appropriate to use each. Chinese tea connoisseurship is even more sophisticated than wine appreciation. Experienced drinkers use refined concepts to discuss every nuance. This book explains how subtle variations in flavor, aroma, color, density, and water impact the drinking experience. Once you learn how to control these factors, you can brew the world's best cup of tea.