The Healthy Diet

China is the homeland of tea, taking a leading position in the planting, producing and drinking of tea. The book describes many aspects of Chinese tea such as:

• its types,
• producing procedure,
• utensils,
• taste,
• ceremony,
• drinking customs and
• philosophy.

Color photos throughout the book.

This book called Iced Tea reveals the secret to a great glass of Iced Tea. It is a small and likeable volume filled with not only recipes, but everythin g you ever wanted to know about this summertime drink. The author covers everything from the rules and techniques for brewing a great glass of tea, from which a great glass of iced tea may be made, to what other countries like to serve in their iced tea glasses.

I learned quite a bit from this slim volume. For instance, why Southerners like their "sweet tea" so sweet (read the book to find out!) and how tea can be used in a fantastically good smoothie (again, read the book!). This would make a lovely hostess gift for some summer weekend at the beach!

In Iced Tea, author Fred Thompson serves up 50 vibrant variations on "the house wine of the South," using black, green, and oolong teas ("considered by some to be the Lafite Rothschild of teas") as well as tisanes, which are teas made not from tea leaves but from flowers, herbs, and spices.

Recipes range from Southern-Style Iced Tea--a basic formula of tea, water, and sugar--to Teatotaler's Sangria, which combines chilled green tea with peaches, oranges, and other fresh fruits. Other notable concoctions include the tropically tinged Bimini Island Iced Tea; Cha Yen, or Thai Iced Tea, which uses condensed and evaporated milk; and the classic Sweet Tea, whose main ingredient is sugar--and lots of it. ("A visitor to the South once said that it made his teeth hurt," writes the author.) There's also a section of mixed alcoholic drinks.

"Tea is the world's second most popular beverage, after water," says Thompson, and it has noted health benefits; its consumption has been linked to lower instances of cancer and strokes. Iced Tea should help readers pursue good health--and have a delicious time doing it. --Andy Boynton

Description

Nothing beats a frosty glass of home-brewed iced tea. And now there's no excuse not to enjoy it year-round, with everything from classics to infusions to spritzers to offbeat and cocktail teas.

What first catches your eye about this The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide is the crisp clean design of the book and its cover. A sturdy book that has a sensual soothing feel. If the eyes are the gateway to the stomach, then this book was one that would make me want to drink tea. And I have never been a tea or coffee drinker, so this is an important point.

The photos are stunning and informative, which is rare in most books. I was intrigued about all the various cultures where tea is not only drunk, but used as an ingredient in medicine, cooking and baking. The Life of a Tea Bush one reads of the different types of tea bushes, their needs be it water, deeply rich soil, mountains or valleys. On page 51 one learns of the 8 elements of tea productions.

On page 257 one begins to read the encyclopedia of teas, from White, Yellow, Green, Oolong, Black, Pu-erh, Scented, Artisan, Presentation, or Display Tea. And then Brewing The Perfect Cup. No tea bags here thankfully. Then Storing tea, the best water, temperatures etc. Tea Customs and Culture covers China, Japan, Europe, and other countries like north Africa and Arabia, teapots and cups, as well as Wagashi or what is called sweets that one can serve with various teas.

About The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide

Purveyors of fine tea, the Heisses' documentary dexterously weaves through the wars, economic upheavals and embargoes surrounding what was once considered the elixir of immortality.

Though tea usage may predate written history, evidence suggests that Camellia sinensis's invigorating leaves were first cultivated centuries ago in the tea gardens of indigenous minorities in Northwestern China and along the Indian, Myanmar and Tibetan borders.

Chinese monks recognized the energizing effects and medicinal value of this evergreen plant and, by touting its benefits, ignited a thirst for tea that quickly spread west via oceangoing tea clippers and along the Silk Road. The famed East India Company flourished, teatime became social tradition, and cream and sugar were found to balance tea's astringency. In this guide, the Heisses outline at length the production process from tea bush to tea cup, along with the nuances of regional varietals like China's sweet green tea and India's Darjeeling. An engaging historical and cultural study, this guide is geared toward both novice and consummate consumers intrigued by the world's 2,000-year-old tea habit. (Oct.)

Review

"I knew it was extraordinary...No other book, to my knowledge, has contained as much fascinating and detailed information." -- spicesoflife.com, September 18, 2007

This book called Lose Weight with Green Tea: A Safe Weight-Loss Method That Works will tell you how to use green tea to lose weight safely. There are many ways to lose weight but some of them might hurt your health in the process. Fortunately, drinking green tea is not like taking a weight loss pill and it is much safer to lose weight with drinking green tea. But, you still need to know how to do it right as there are always limits even with healthy drinks.

Documented research reveals what Asian cultures have known for centuries: Green Tea, rich in antioxidants, increases metabolism and helps burn fat.

Lose Weight With Green Tea provides all the information you need to incorporate Green Tea safely and sensibly into a successful weight control program.

Tea is hot and getting hotter. In The New Tea Book: A Guide to Black, Green, Herbal, and Chai Tea, no leaf is left unturned. Discover the wide variety of teas that are available and their myriad health benefits, as well as over 50 recipes for cooking with tea:

• beverages,
• savories, and
• delectable sweets.

This strikingly photographed volume takes readers on a visual journey exploring the riches of black, green, oolong, and herbal teas, from the fragrant, full-bodied Assam to the spirited and spicy Yunnan. An exciting addition is the completely new Personal Spa section, introducing a host of aromatherapy touches for the home with recipes for tea bath sachets, eye pillows, beauty soaps, and potpourris. Finally, a list of resources gives information on where to find interesting tea blends and equipment, not to mention author Sara Perry's favorite international teahouses. Here's just the right cup o' tea.

About the Author

Sara Perry is the author of numerous Chronicle craft and cooking books, including The New Complete Coffee Book. She lives in Oregon and writes for the Portland Oregonian.

Alison Miksch's photographs have appeared in Better Homes & Gardens, Country Home, and Redbook magazines and can also be seen in Luscious Lemon Desserts and Couscous.