I was delighted to have the opportunity to review Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss’ book, The Story of Tea : A Cultural History and Drinking Guide. The term I would use to describe it is encyclopedic. The 417 pages are visually beautiful with stunning pictures and readable text. The … Continue reading
In 1833 England’s tea business changed forever when the Charter of the East India Company came up for renewal in Parliament. The hated monopoly had enjoyed the exclusive right to trade with China for almost two and a half centuries and now the nation’s tea drinkers, the thousands of Company-licensed … Continue reading
Ozzy Osbourne, best known as vocalist for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, made news last week when he revealed that he “loves tea.” Having just celebrated his 59th birthday, Osbourne is better known for his spooky lyrics, drug and alcohol abuse, and sometimes disorderly behavior than he is for … Continue reading
On a cold winter nightA friend dropped by.We did not drink wineBut instead drank tea.The kettle bubbled,The coals glowed,The bright moon shoneOutside my window.The moon itselfWas nothing special -But, oh, the plum-tree blossoms!Tu Hsiao Shan(Song Dynasty)[ photo credits: post main image by Nosbud at www.flickr.com ; plum blossoms by WooWooWoo … Continue reading
How many of us made yet another list of New Year’s resolutions? For those who did, I suspect that adding exercise to your routine was prominently placed on that list. No one will dispute that exercise is good for your health. But what can you do each and every day … Continue reading
My childhood experience with tea in Long Island, NY in the 1960’s and 70’s seems a long way off. At first it was medicine, when a Red Rose or Tetley tea bag was steeped with honey as Mom’s remedy for a sore throat. It was never an afternoon refresher taken … Continue reading