Take a photo of a barcode or cover
lastblossom 's review for:
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
Thanks to NetGalley and Rockridge Press for a review copy.
tl;dr
True to the title, a friendly entry-level book on growing, harvesting, and blending teas and tisanes. Plenty of easily searchable information, and illustrations are also very attractive.
Thoughts
What a useful guide! Hardcore tea aficionados know that true tea comes from the plant camellia sinensis and that all other plant brews are technically tisanes (insert joke about the champagne region here). But "grow your own tea" kits often feature plants that are not camellia sinensis, so I was expecting something similar here. Instead, I was excited to find that this book DOES cover growing camellia sinensis, along with a myriad of other plants that make excellent tisanes or blends. The book bills itself as being for beginners, and it absolutely is. Anyone who is new to growing will find a lot of useful starter information on caring for plants, when to water, and how to design growing spaces either outdoors or indoors. There's also a quick rundown of the differences in preparation and flavors of types of tea (white, green, black, oolong), and a very brief history of tea that unfortunately doesn't cover a lot of the juicier bits (but that's probably an entire book unto itself).
The bulk of the book, however, is a practical guide to various plants that one can grow to make tea and tisanes. Each plant is given a thorough rundown with tips on things like care, best regions to grow, flavor notes, and even health benefits. The charming illustrations also make the book fun just to page through. Recipes in the back also offer a great starting point for anyone unsure about making their own blends.
tl;dr
True to the title, a friendly entry-level book on growing, harvesting, and blending teas and tisanes. Plenty of easily searchable information, and illustrations are also very attractive.
Thoughts
What a useful guide! Hardcore tea aficionados know that true tea comes from the plant camellia sinensis and that all other plant brews are technically tisanes (insert joke about the champagne region here). But "grow your own tea" kits often feature plants that are not camellia sinensis, so I was expecting something similar here. Instead, I was excited to find that this book DOES cover growing camellia sinensis, along with a myriad of other plants that make excellent tisanes or blends. The book bills itself as being for beginners, and it absolutely is. Anyone who is new to growing will find a lot of useful starter information on caring for plants, when to water, and how to design growing spaces either outdoors or indoors. There's also a quick rundown of the differences in preparation and flavors of types of tea (white, green, black, oolong), and a very brief history of tea that unfortunately doesn't cover a lot of the juicier bits (but that's probably an entire book unto itself).
The bulk of the book, however, is a practical guide to various plants that one can grow to make tea and tisanes. Each plant is given a thorough rundown with tips on things like care, best regions to grow, flavor notes, and even health benefits. The charming illustrations also make the book fun just to page through. Recipes in the back also offer a great starting point for anyone unsure about making their own blends.