Tea Novices Will Find this Book is a Gem
The first “dummies” book, DOS For Dummies, was published in November 1991. Since then, there have been many books for dummies, from Piano For Dummies to Cognitive Therapy For Dummies. They are noted for their clear, simple instructions, readable text, and user-friendly layouts. They are sold around the world and have been translated into many languages. Currently, Wiley, the publisher, lists 3,435 dummies books.
Cheat SheetWiley PublishingIn 2023 we have Tea For Dummies, written by Lisa McDonald and Jill Rheinheimer. Lisa McDonald is a tea sommelier who runs TeaHaus, a tea store in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She has 20 years of experience in the tea business. Jill Rheinheimer is an editor, graphic designer, and tea blogger who writes educational and marketing material for TeaHaus. Their combined knowledge of tea and the tea business and their passion for their subject shine through in this book.
The book is organized in standard dummies style. There are parts, each with several chapters. There are icons indicating tips, things to remember, and warnings. An index and a glossary are essential in a book intended for learning. So this book is easy to read, easy to use, and easy to navigate.
Unfortunately, all the photographs, of which there are not many, are in black and white. Somehow, pictures of tea gardens and tea cups lose their charm without color.
But colorlessness notwithstanding, this is an excellent book for the tea novice. We are given an overview of a remarkable list of topics, from types of tea to brewing techniques to the business of tea. The authors call it covering tea from “garden to cup.” There are chapters on the science of tea, the history of tea growing, and ethics in the tea trade. In other words, there is everything from “Accessories” to “Zhu Quan” (credited with the innovation of flower-scented teas).
We learn many things. Tea is second only to water as the most popular beverage on the planet. Turks drink the most tea per person, about nine pounds per year. The top four tea producers in the world are China, India, Kenya, and Sri Lanka. Cream is good with tea because of “oleogustus,” a taste for fat, called the sixth taste.
Dispelling Tea Myths
Bravely, they tackle many controversial issues. What are the health benefits of tea? How much caffeine is there in tea? How do you know if the tea has been grown and processed ethically? Does water boiled for tea re-oxygenate so it can be re-boiled?
In discussing tea and its health benefits, the authors point out some of the challenges of tea research. The quality of tea varies according to where the tea was grown and how it was processed, stored, and brewed. Such variables can be controlled under laboratory conditions, but such controls are impossible outside the laboratory. Results from a lab might not be replicated when you drink tea in your home. In addition, many studies are observational or based on self-reporting. People are not always honest when they are under investigation.
The last part of all dummies books is called “The Part of Tens.” This book has two chapters, “Ten Plus Things to Do with Tea You Don’t Like” and “More than Ten Myths about Tea.”
The suggestions for what to do with tea you don’t like are pleasingly practical. You can try brewing it a different way. You can combine it with something else, such as alcohol (drink recipes worthy of mixologists are provided in an earlier chapter). You can use it as a spice (in another earlier chapter, there are recipes for such delicacies as sencha quick pickles, smoky souchong ribs, and Earl Grey rice). You can repackage it and re-gift it. At the very least, you can compost it.
The myths debunked include that green tea is the healthiest, that experts always know what they are tasting, and that the pinky should be raised while drinking tea.
But perhaps the most important message for the novice tea drinker is one that the authors repeat repeatedly. Don’t worry too much about what your friends and other experts say. Find a tea you like and enjoy it.
WHERE TO BUY
Tea For Dummies
Wiley Publishing
Pages February 2023
Amazon
A LOOK INSIDE THE BOOK
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