The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook

The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook: A Guide to Enjoying the World’s Best Teas
by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss
(from a press release)

(For my review of this title, check the Taste of English Tea blog, here.)

From the authors of the James Beard and IACP-nominated The Story of Tea comes a pocket guide edition no tea lover should ever be without. The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook is a singular blend of practical know-how and rich detail on how to buy, brew, and enjoy the six classes of tea. In their thirty-five years as retailers of premium tea, veteran tea professionals Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss have been asked just about every possible question regarding tea, tea steeping, and tea storage—questions that are answered with unparalleled passion in this handsome guide for casual tea drinkers and connoisseurs alike.

The Heisses know that crafting fine tea requires a highly developed sense of perception that no machine can replicate, and that every tea tells a story in the cup about the soil and air that nurtured it and the teamaking skills that transformed and shaped it. So get ready to explore the world of premium tea, with information to decipher tea lists, tea labels, and tea menus and to purchase a varied selection of wonderful and delicious tea with assurance. This concise and authoritative guide to the world of fine tea offers the perfect brew to fill one’s cup.

Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss have been premium tea retailers since 1974. They are adventurous tea trekkers and food and travel writers, and they also present popular educational tea workshops and tastings around the country. They are coauthors of The Story of Tea and Hot Drinks. When not traveling to source tea for their shop Tea Trekker, the Heisses make their home in western Massachusetts.

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