Tea: A Global History

Edible

by Helen Saberi

From chai to oolong to sencha, tea is one of the world’s most popular beverages. Perhaps that is because it is a unique and adaptable drink, consumed in many different varieties by cultures across the globe and in many different settings, from the intricate traditions of Japanese teahouses to the elegant tearooms of Britain to the verandas of the deep South.     

In Tea food historianHelen Saberi explores this rich and fascinating history. Saberi looks at the economic and social uses of tea, such as its use as a currency during the Tang Dynasty and 1913 creation of a tea dance called “Thé Dansant” that combined tea and tango. Saberi also explores where and how tea is grown around the world and how customs and traditions surrounding the beverage have evolved from its legendary origins to its present-day popularity.

Featuring vivid images of teacups, plants, tearooms, and teahouses as well as recipes for both drinking tea and using it as a flavoring, Tea will engage the senses while providing a history of tea and its uses.

Genres: Tea, Nonfiction, History, Food, Cooking, Food and Drink, India

183 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2010

Reviews

[Gregsamsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would it ever occur to you to pick some leaves, dry them out, steep them in hot water, then drink the darkened liquid?

Tea is like bread and beer that way. And (yikes) cheese: the initial discovery is hard to imagine, so it's easy to assume it must have been a happy accident.

In any case, it is a global drink with infinite variations: "The Chinese sip it from tiny cups, the Japanese whisk it. In America they serve it iced. The Tibetans add butter."

One Tibetan tea, please. What isn't better with butter? Tea is the #2 most widely consumed beverage. I think it should be number one because water shouldn't count. Having water top that list is like saying that the most popular substance used as an inhalant is air.

As if they never get tired of being the first to do stuff, once again the Chinese get credit for tea's beginnings. They remain its biggest producers, with India a close second.

Legend has it that Emperor Shen Nong believed (some 4500 years before germ theory) that boiling drinking water preserved one's health, so decreed all his subjects do the same. One day, while he was believably boiling his own water outside, some windblown leaves added themselves and he went what the hell and left them in there and then the Emperor even drank it and not only loved the taste "but also felt invigorated."

The Japanese, according to this book, attribute it to the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma (Dharma for short) whose dedication to sleepless meditation on the Buddha necessitated cutting off his own eyelids. You don't really save those, so he threw them on the ground, from which spots two tea plants grew, providing the source for a potable stimulant for him and other sleepy devotees.

I just imagine this story as an early version of an ad campaign boasting of tea's eye-opening effects. Like I can imagine 3,000 years from now an anthropologist explaining "the Ancient Americans believed that drinking these cola-infused beverages would cause the appearance of attractive and interested potential mating partners."

While there are precisely 1.37 bazillion preparation methods, all tea comes from one of three varieties of Camellia sinesnsis: China, Assam, and Cambodia (which is a hybrid of the first two). Like vintners, people have gone nuts hybridizing and growing in different soils and environments.

Beyond that, there are six major processing methods, handily color-coded: white, yellow, green (the three unfermented), black (fermented), and oolong (semi-fermented).

Black tea, particularly that produced in Darjeeling, is universally and unanimously considered the most subtely fragrant and deliciously complex by ok this reviewer (but what do I know--I'm a coffee guy).

All this is mere foundation for the production variety expanded by aging, blending, scenting, flavoring, and flowering (when you put an actual flower in the pot), none of which involves "herbal" teas which are not technically tea so don't even...

In "the West" we think it's somewhat novel and progressive to think of food and drink becoming more overlapped with therapeutic or medicinal concerns, without realizing that this is less a conjunction than a reunion.

A fetid Aristotelian aroma lingers over the way we imagine that our fastidious categorizing is an act of discovery rather than description, so it can be surprising when we are reminded that our divisions, such as that between cuisine and medicine, are recent and culture-specific. When we think of the ancient wisdom of medicinal teas, we are forcing a new division back through time and imposing upon a humble beverage the weight of our own amnesia, something we should keep in mind when thinking about tea's early "medicinal" uses, which were not so cleanly divorced from its general beverageness. This author deftly avoids portraying curative teas as special cases, while remaining unalienating to mainstream readers who'd knit their brows over the text above (which was all me, not the book. Sorry.)

Back to history: Huei Tsung, a rare human being being both leader and intellectual, wrote words upon words on tea and refined its consumption into elaborate ritual even while regular folks slugged it down on the street or in temples or as acceptance of a hospitable gesture in private homes. Quelle surprise that the raging Mongol scene might disrupt tea peace (Hide the breakables! Who has time to boil?). Afterward, the Ming Dynasty saw a revival, which was when the manufacture of its precious accoutrement took off, and, as the ritualization spread, so did tea, to the West. Yes we just skipped forward more than 2,500 years but <sarcasm> since Western involvement is most important we obviously have to go yadda yadda yadda over the part that doesn't involve us.</sarcasm>

In the early 20th century, Chinese tea-houses were sites for theater, music, secret society meetings with coded cup placement, storytelling, chess, and gay cruising. OK I made that last one up, but I bet there was another kind of coded cup placement.

Then Mao had the Mongol-style influence on tea.

But by then China had no monopoly and this book profiles Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean takes on tea in a very magazine-article way. We learn to blame Taiwan for bubble tea.

The most interesting section is in what's like a flashback to a tea version of the silk road. After that, it's largely a whitewash of opium imperialism as it involved tea, quite disappointing, but lots of cool pictures. And we learn that Edwardian England's interest in an Argentinian dance, the tango, and tea came together in Thé Dansant. Why an Anglo/Spanish fest would get a French name is unexplained, but it means TEA DANCE; I hope a reader of this might SKETCH in the details.

When I computer-requested this book from my library, I inattentively assumed it must be a fat fact-rich book weaving agriculture, economics, war, imperialism, capitalism, global trade, cultural studies and history together in the kind of hefty tome that makes my friends wonder if I deliberately seek out long boring books.

Actually this book is a svelte 164 pages (counting the glossary!) with an index only 8 pages long (I say to those of you for whom such a stat profiles a book--you know who you are). There are photos aplenty and a format that shows off the whiteness of its high-gloss quality paper by exposing plenty of it. Don't get me wrong: it's interesting, it's well-researched, it's informative, but it is light. I resist a weak tea simile/pun here.

[Alexander McStan 82 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Edible series can be hit and miss, but what's not to love about the world's most-consumed beverage?

From the origins of tea in ancient China, to the six varieties, to all the culture manifestations of its use (from Afghanistani chai to Taiwan's bubble tea), pretty much everything is covered.

[Dalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick and light read (finished it within an hour). Time well-spent for tea enthusiasts like me. Highly recommend this book with a cup of (you guessed it) tea.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a lover of tea, especially black tea, this book was appealing in its size, photos, and layout. I previously started another book on the history of tea and gave that one up as it was waaaay too much information. This book was manageable to digest information on tea's history throughout the world and touched on its processing in its different forms, i.e. green, black, medicinal, etc. The photos are clear and colorful, some antique and others modern. The book has a small recipe chapter at the end, a glossary of tea terminology, a footnote section, and a handy Websites and Associations section for more study and resources on tea.

[Anjalii · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s fascinating how something as ordinary as tea can hold centuries of stories - from temples in China to elegant English parlors. Tea: A Global History by Helen Saberi captures all of that with warmth and detail.

This isn’t just a history book; it’s a journey through how tea shaped culture, class, and even design - from porcelain cups to silver teapots. I loved how it shows the transformation of tea from a luxury of the rich to a comfort shared by everyone.

The book is filled with intriguing facts, beautiful visuals, and a quiet charm that makes you want to sip slowly as you read. It reminded me that history often hides in the smallest things - sometimes, in a cup of tea. ☕✨

If you love cultural nonfiction, vintage aesthetics, or simply your evening chai, this book will feel like home.

[Randolph Breschini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting quick read…

When I led Rift Valley Corporation in Africa, we owned and managed 2,500 producing hectares of tea in Tanzania. We had 3 factories. While with RVC, we built a fourth factory. And in Dar Es Salam, we built a tea blending facility,taking in teas produced from several African countries and blending them to customers specifications

I love the tea industry…I met many, many interesting people 🙏🏻

I didn’t realize the significance of tea in world history, going back many centuries 😳

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a really quick and interesting read. As an avid tea drinker I thought it was really interesting to get the history on how the tea we know today became so. Some of the content is fairly common knowledge but I did learn a lot of new things. This is an easy read, written in a very loose conversational style that does not get too textbook-ish but is still really factual. I look forward to reading more in this series (The Edible Series)

[Lils · Rating 5 out of 5]

i drink & appreciate tea almost on a daily basis and this book made me appreciate tea even more. it enlightens the reader with intricate details such as the discovery of tea, various types of tea, to tea trading, how tea actually rose to popularity, to how each culture appreciates and enjoys their tea, and the creation of high tea. every tea lover should read this book.

[Youssouf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book, specially for someone who claim to be a tea lover! I grew up making tea, but not the way most people make tea around the world. I, or should I say we, make tea in a specific way in West Africa. Nonetheless, the book is easy to read and has plenty of fun facts about teas around the world.

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brief, but very interesting history of tea. It is definitely pack full of information, and there is certainly something new to learn from reading it. If you are an avid tea drinking, I'd recommend perusing this book.

[Marina Lant · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and concise history of tea. Some sections (tea in “the West”) have more details than others. For a short introduction, this is interesting, but more scholarly citations and research would have added a lot to this book.

[Mélodie Herbas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book about the history of Tea. I learnt a lot of things about tea.

[Veldi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear and accurately written book for the beginners to the history of tea.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly done - the best of the twenty or so books in the Edible series I’ve read to date.

[Jessica Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise and engaging!

[hai wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good little book

A good fast read book. Full of interesting knowledge about coffee. At least you know what you are drinking now

[Helen Geng · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually 2.5--3 stars.

Some of the assertions in this book had me scratching my head.

Good back matter.

NYPL book

[Alli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A read as fast as drinking a cup of tea, but not as sweet or refreshing. I now know more about my favorite drink than I ever expected. Hoping to read more in this series soon.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure how I found this book but it was a pleasant and surprisingly comprehensive quick read. Like the title says, Tea: A Global History is about the history of tea, with a few recipes at the end.

Most tea histories that I've seen focus on the West, despite tea's origins and long history in China and many other countries. Happily, this book is true to its title and only one chapter of the book focuses on the West. The book is fairly short, starting with an introduction to tea. One new thing I learnt from this section was about the different types of tea tress. There is the:

1. China variety (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis), which is a "small-leaved bush with multiple stems [...] the small leaves produce a delicate tea."

2. Assam variety (Camellia sinensis var. assamica), which "produces tea with a strong earthy flavour" and is a single-stemmed tree with large leaves, and the

3. Cambodia variety (Camellia sinensis var. cambodiensis), which is a hybrid of the China and Assam varieties and has the flavours and qualities of both.

After the introduction to tea, including a quick glossary, the book starts the with the history of tea in China. A lot of it was similar to what I learnt in Tea Chapter's workshop, but it was good to see it all in one place (and in English). After that, the book moves on to quick histories of tea in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, before hopping on to the caravans and Mediterranean countries. Only then did they talk about tea in the West, along with the emergence of afternoon tea and tea salons (including a theory that "milk was added to tea to prevent cracking delicate porcelain cups"). Lastly, the book takes a look at tea in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, which I really appreciated because it's not something that I hear about often.

After going through the history of tea, the book ends with a few recipes, from making tea the Mrs. Beeton way to Jasmine Tea Sorbet. There are actually quite a few recipes that I'd like to try, like the aforementioned tea sorbet and the tea cup trifle. Oh and the tea loaf, because I read that it's often served with afternoon tea and I've never had it.

I think this is a book that will interest tea lovers. It's pretty comprehensive but short and easy to read. I borrowed this copy from the NLB but I really want my own copy now. Especially to try the recipes.

This review was first posted at EusTEA

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a easy and enjoyable read, especially for a tea lover. It touches on the history of tea and the role it has played in a variety of countries both in the past and in current times but manages a good balance between giving enough information to keep the reader interested but without bogging down the writing or trying to sound like a text book. The only downside is that author does skip Africa and South America, mostly focusing on Europe, Asia, North America and Australia. Even if these continents did not have a large tea trade and consumption history it still would have been nice to see some mention of them. Other than that, it's a nice introduction on the subject.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Edible Series is terrific. This is the weakest title in the series that I have read. It has been constructed as a conventional chronological narrative, with 'facts' following 'facts.' Interpretation is lacking.

It is a 'global history,' well chronological narrative. But the non-Chinese and non-European tea producers and consumers are granted a few token pages.

For such an important topic - with colonial history written over and through it - this book could have been stronger, wider and deeper. What we are left with is a simple chronology of tea.

[R.W. Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for tea lovers. There are beautiful photos of leaves, tea ceremonies, tea-houses and whatnot. And, Saberi goes into great detail about the difference between the cultivation and consumption of tea in various countries, including brewing practices and pruning methods. Obviously, it's boring but if you get through this and memorize some of the key terms, you might impress some older folks at a dinner party. I will revisit this book again at some point because it will make me that much more refined.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of Reaktion's Edible series. Be warned, this is very brief. It does its best, but the point of the series is to give an introduction to the history of a food item in 150 pages or so. If that's all you want or need, or if you've read other, more in depth books about tea, you'll probably enjoy this one. It's nicely written and illustrated. But if you've never read a history of tea, or if you want more information, you may find this one frustrating.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not exactly what I was looking for, but it was interesting.
Only 65% or so of the book is text though. There is a great deal of references and additional resources listed. I appreciate that and hope there is something to lead me to what I AM looking for, but not everyone may. To be honest, if I wasn't reading this for work, I probably wouldn't.
I also liked the recipe section. It had some interesting ones.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a huge variety of tea, and I really enjoy learning where these types of tea came from, what the names mean, how they were discovered, how it is prepared, and how tea has traveled the globe. I like learning about ceremonies as well as the struggles relating to tea. I really enjoyed this book. The photographs are beautiful.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dry. Felt more like I had decided to take a self study course on tea rather than an interesting romp through tea history like some books I've read. Good information but sometimes too granular and sometimes too skim-over-the-topic. Probably good for someone who wants a 101 level college course type thing. Still a college course but still entry level.

[Diego · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es una excelente guía de introducción para el mundo del té.

Enseña mucho de la llegada y tradición en cada una de las mecas del té como China, India, Rusia, Irán, Pakistán, etc.

Muy recomendable para entender bien a esta bebida que sin duda tiene muchos beneficios.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

nothing fancy here, just a very straightforward, basic primer on the history of tea. There is no finess to the writing but that's kind of ok - I was just looking for information and that's what I got - in a technically well written and relatively short little book with many full color photos.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't nearly as interesting as I thought it would be. It was mostly how tea drinking spread around the world, and while there was some mention of cultural traditions surrounding tea and how different types of tea became popular, it was pretty dry.

[Chris Dech · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quaint, fun little read. Nothing particularly special but if tea amateurs and professionals alike will probably enjoy this little romp through the history of tea, the various ways it's consumed, and the evolution of its cultural significance over time.