Tea and Tea Drinking

Description

If ever the idea of Britishness could be distilled into liquid form it would be into the quintessential cup of tea; whether a builder's morning brew or an afternoon Earl Grey sipped by the queen. Claire Masset guides us through the evolution of tea from its beginnings as an exclusive imported luxury found only in up-market coffee houses to its firm current establishment in every household of Britain. So put the kettle on and warm the pot while you enjoy this often-surprising journey with the nation's favourite 'cuppa.'

Claire Masset is a freelance editor and writer, specialising in art, architecture and gardens. She has an MA in Art History from St Andrews University, an M.Phil in Decorative Arts from Glasgow University and a Postgraduate Certificate in Architectural History from Oxford University. She writes for the National Trust Magazine and many other magazines and is assistant editor of the Historic Gardens Review. She has also written and edited books for the children's publisher, Usborne.

"As a devoted tea drinker, Anglophile, and history buff, I've been meaning to read up of tea's long relationship with British society. I noticed several lengthy books on the subject, but haven't picked one up until discovering the charming Tea and Tea Drinking by Claire Masset. The author condenses a remarkable history in this concise 56 page book... I'm a big fan of this publisher." --Andrew Brozyna, thespunkycoconut.com