The New Tea Companion [Hardcover]

Jane Pettigrew (Author), Bruce Richardson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2008

London's Jane Pettigrew has joined American tea writer Bruce Richardson in creating the updated guide to teas throughout the world. Beautifully illustrated, this 2008 edition gives detailed information and brewing instructions for over 120 teas from every major tea producing region. Chapters on the newest information about tea and health, tea production, tea blending and tea hospitality are included. This book is a valuable up-to-date addition to libraries of both tea novices and professionals. If you have ever wondered about the time and temperature to brew your teas - white, green, black, or oolong - this is the book for you.

Editorial Reviews

Review

There is perhaps no guide book for tea drinkers - or connoisseurs - as definitive as The New Tea Companion --TEA Magazine

Named Best New Tea Publication for 2009. --World Tea Expo

About the Author

Jane Pettigrew is a tea specialist, historian, writer and consultant living in London. Since 1983, she has been working in the UK and around the world to explain and share the fascinating world of tea. She has authored 13 books on the many and varied aspects of tea, its production, history and culture, and she writes for tea related magazines and journals. Jane also gives regular tea masterclasses and tea tastings, speaks on BBC radio and TV and acts as consultant to tea companies, London hotels, new tea businesses, table ware and tea ware companies. Bruce Richardson has been active in America's tea renaissance for nearly two decades. He is a tea blender, writer, photographer, and frequent guest speaker at tea conferences across the country. Bruce spends much of his time educating Americans in the art of tea. He can often be found appearing on television and radio talk shows, or as a guest lecturer at professional seminars such as World Tea Expo and American Tea Masters. He has served on the Advisory Committee for Specialty Tea Institute (STI) and the Editorial Board of Fresh Cup magazine. He is a frequent contributing writer and photographer for publications such as Tea Time and Fresh Cup magazines. He has authored a dozen books on the subject of tea.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Benjamin Press; 2nd edition (September 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979343178
• ISBN-13: 978-0979343179
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #443,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Introduction., December 19, 2008

By 

Cornerstone - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The New Tea Companion (Hardcover)

This is a good basic review of the different types of tea with high-quality color pictures of the tea, the tea leaves dry and the tea leaves wet. The book also briefly covers the production areas, the culture of different tea ceremonies, the business of tea production and processing techniques of the different types of tea. Highly recommended.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An useful handbook, January 12, 2009

By 

CCF (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Tea Companion (Hardcover)

'The New Tea Companion' turns out to be a useful and informative little handbook, not exhaustive, but certainly helpful. After a section decribing the various available teas, a brief history and a walk-through guide to modern production, the authors share with us their thoughts on specific teas from each tea-producing nation and region. These descriptions and recommendations can be ever so helpful in choosing the next sort of tea to explore. Each entry provides photos of dry leaf, wet leaf and cupped tea. It is sad, however, that the editors or printers did not catch the world map printed backwards on page 90.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars One (Flawed) Part of a Whole, December 22, 2011

By 

Jason O. Walker (Westfield, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The New Tea Companion (Hardcover)

Granted that this book has serious flaws in editing, it is still provides some of the most extensive, illustrated listings of teas from around the world.

The Companion does an extensive job of introducing teas by country. What you see are photos of the dry leaf, wet leaf, and liquor of top teas from tea countries like India, China, and Sri Lanka. In addition, you will broaden your knowledge by being introduced to the catalogue of teas from promising areas like Thailand, Vietnam, and Bolivia.

If you were to get this book (which I am not necessarily endorsing), I would read it beside a book like Harney & Son's Guide to Tea. The two books work together well to create a more complete book on tea tasting and appreciation.