130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Tea

A Global History
Series: Edible
3.69 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 189 ratings, 33 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Tea by Helen Saberi explores the rich history and cultural significance of tea across the globe. The book delves into various types of tea, their preparation methods, and the role they play in social rituals and culinary traditions. It offers fascinating insights into the beverage's journey, from ancient origins to its status as a beloved household staple.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$3499
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by the art and ritual of preparing and enjoying tea. It offers a deep dive into the cultural significance, history, and diverse preparations of one of the world's most beloved beverages, making it perfect for both tea aficionados and those curious about global culinary traditions.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

In Tea: A Global History , Helen Saberi explores the rich and fascinating history of tea. She looks at the economic and social uses of tea, which was used as currency during the Tang Dynasty, and combined with Tango dancing in 1913 to create a tea dance called The Dansant . Tea Tea will engage both the senses and the mind.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In Tea: A Global History, Helen Saberi explores the rich and fascinating history of tea. She looks at the economic and social uses of tea, which was used as currency during the Tang Dynasty, and combined with Tango dancing in 1913 to create a tea dance called The Dansant.

Tea also explores how customs and traditions surrounding the beverage have evolved throughout time, as well as where and how tea is grown around the world. Featuring vivid images and recipes for both drinking tea and using it as a flavouring, Tea will engage both the senses and the mind.

Series: Edible

View all
  • Liqueur
    Liqueur is a guide to the cultural history of liqueurs from a celebrated spirits journalist. The original recreational spirit, liqueurs travelled the Silk Road, awaited travellers at the Fountain of Youth, and traversed the globe from ancient times through the industrial revolution and beyond. In this thrilling exploration of liqueur's global history, Lesley Jacobs Solmonson describes how a bitter, medicinal...
    Hardback
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Hummus
    This is a global history of hummus bi-tahina, the delicious combination of chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic that we know and love as hummus. The story begins in the medieval kitchens of the Near and Middle East and ends with its rise in popularity in the Western world at the end of the twentieth century. This book also addresses the...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Champagne
    'This short volume, wittily illustrated and beautifully designed, is a pleasure both to look at and to consume. Which, given the subject matter, seems fitting.' The Spectator 'A sparkling history of the world's greatest wine. Stories, pictures and mouth-watering cocktails.' The Lady Champagne signals celebration, fun and camaraderie, embodying luxury and decadence as the preferred drink for any toast. Now...
    Hardback
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Coconut
    From curries to creamy pina coladas, enjoy a delectable global history of the many culinary incarnations of the coconut. The flavour and image of the coconut are universally recognisable, conjuring up sweet, exotic pleasures. Often called the "Swiss army knife" of the plant world, the versatile coconut can be an essential ingredient in savoury curries, or a sacred element in...
    Hardback
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Gin
    The story begins with the aromatic juniper berry, originally used by the Dutch to flavour the whisky-like genever. The drink then made its way to Britain, where cheap imitations laced with turpentine and other caustic fillers made it the drink of choice for poor eighteenth-century Londoners. Eventually replaced by the sweetened Old Tom style and then by London Dry, gin...
    Hardback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Coffee
    Coffee is a global beverage: it is grown commercially on four continents, and consumed enthusiastically in all seven. There is even an Italian espresso machine on the International Space Station. Coffee's journey has taken it from the forests of Ethiopia to the fincas of Latin America, from Ottoman coffee houses to 'Third Wave' cafes, and from the simple coffee pot...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Mango
    This beautifully illustrated book takes us on a tour through the rich world of mangoes, which inspire fervent devotion across the world. In South Asia, mangoes boast a history steeped in Hindu and Buddhist mythology, even earning a mention in the Kama Sutra. Beyond myth, the authors show us that mangoes hold literary significance as a potent metaphor. While mango-flavoured...
    Hardback
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Melon
    Perfumed, sweet, succulent, cooling; a ripe melon can be one of the most delicious of fruits. Sylvia Lovegren untangles the melon's long and complex history and follows the journeys of the varied fruits known as melons from the sandy wastes of the Kalahari Desert, to the ancient kingdom of Ur in Mesopotamia, to the exotic oases of the Silk Road,...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Vodka
    Vodka is the most versatile of spirits. While people in Eastern Europe and the Baltic often drink it neat, swallowing it in one gulp, others use it in cocktails ranging from the Bloody Mary to the vodka Martini, or mix it with tonic water or ginger beer to create a refreshing drink. Vodka manufacturers even infuse it with flavours ranging...
    Hardback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Rum
    Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! A favourite of pirates, the molasses-coloured liquid brings to mind clear blue seas and weatherbeaten sailors. But enjoyment of rum spread far beyond the scallywags of the Caribbean. Charles Dickens savoured it in punch, George Washington served it at campaign rallies, Queen Victoria sipped it in the British Navy's grog, and Kamehameha...
    Hardback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Tequila
    The ancient Mayans, Olmecs and Aztecs made pulque from the fermented sap of the agave plant, and later the Mexicans distilled tequila from agaves. Once described as like swallowing a 'yard of barbed wire', tequila has improved beyond recognition and exploded in popularity, and is now consumed in bars and homes worldwide. Featuring recipes for tequila-based cocktails, and offering advice...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Breakfast Cereal
    Simple, healthy, and comforting, breakfast cereals are a perennially popular way to start the day around the world. They have a long, distinguished, and surprising historyβ€”around 10,000 years ago, with the advent of agriculture, people began breaking their fast with porridges made from wheat, rice, corn, and other grains. It was only in the second half of the nineteenth century,...
    Hardback
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Tea by Helen Saberi is praised for being an engaging and informative read, offering a compact history of tea enriched with fascinating facts. It combines erudition with charm, making it both a delightful and educational experience. The book is part of the Edible series, known for its engaging style and convenience, making it an enjoyable companion while sipping a cup of tea.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781861897763

Publisher: Reaktion Books

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 October 2010

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Reaktion Books

Illustration: 77 illustrations, 62 in colour

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 197.0mm

Height: 120.0mm

Weight: 600g

Pages: 184

About the Author

Helen Saberi is a London-based food historian and writer. She is the author of a number of books on food, including Noshe Djan: Afghan Food and Cookery (2000), The Road to Vindaloo: Curry Cooks and Curry Books (2008), co-authored with David Burnett, and Tea: A Global History (2010) in Reaktion’s Edible series.

Also by Helen Saberi

View all
  • Teatimes
    In Teatimes: A World Tour, food historian Helen Saberi takes us on a journey into the fascinating history of teatimes, from elegant afternoon teas, hearty high teas, and delicious cream teas, to cricket and tennis teas, the funeral teas of Britain, and much more. The book also explores tea gardens, tea dances, tea gowns, and tearooms. The reader is invited...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

More from Cooking & Food

View all
  • Always Delicious
    New Release
    Always Delicious
    The bestselling Vanya Insull, one of our favourite foodies and the creator of VJ Cooks, returns with her fourth cookbookβ€”her best and tastiest collection yet. Packed full of the approachable, reliable recipes she's famous for, Always Delicious covers every occasion with Vanya's signature laidback style. Begin with some light bites, perfect for sharing platters, relaxed lunches, and easy entertaining. Fire...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Ottolenghi SIMPLE TOO
    New Release
    Ottolenghi SIMPLE TOO
    For the three million home cooks around the world who lovedΒ Simple, Ottolenghi brings us 135 brand-new easy recipes that are full of flavour, intensity and creativity For the millions of home cooks who loved Ottolenghi SIMPLE, discover the pleasure of keeping things SIMPLE TOO.It’s a noisy world out there, so stop, take a minute or two, listen to the soup...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Thyme to Cook
    Free Gift
    New Release
    Thyme to Cook
    Thyme to Cook is a practical guide to growing, harvesting and cooking real food at home to nourish our bodies and minds! From successful cookery writer Emma Galloway. 'A treasure trove of a book - an approachable and very beautiful guide to growing your own food and easy and original ways to cook and eat it.' Anna Jones, author of...
    Hardback
    $4699
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • How We Cook
    New Release
    How We Cook
    Welcome to How We Cook: The Two Raw Sisters' best cookbook yet, with more than 100 ridiculously good recipes that will help you cook with confidence. The Two Raw Sisters are here to make healthy eating feel easy and genuinely achievable. Inside, you'll find adaptable base recipes, from granola and smoothies to salads and soups, to muffins and rocky road,...
    Hardback
    $4299
    Elsewhere:
    $4999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • 20 Minute Meals
    New Release
    20 Minute Meals
    Fast food is good food in 20 minutes or less with Jamie . . . 20-Minute Meals solves all your dinner dilemmas, giving you quick, tasty meals every night of the week. These incredible recipes will be on the table in just 20 minutes or less. With a maximum of ten ingredients in each recipe and 70% hitting daily nutritional...
    Hardback
    $5599
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Saint Peter Saint Peter
    Free Gift
    New Release
    Saint Peter
    In 2026, Saint Peter marks a decade at the forefront of global dining – a restaurant that has quietly but decisively reshaped the way we think about fish. In Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse, Josh Niland brings that world to the page for the first time: a landmark work that captures the philosophy, precision and daily rhythm of one of...
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $9000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Soph's Plant Kitchen 30 in 30: 30g of protein, 30 minutes or less
    An essential cookbook for anyone looking to increase the amount of plant protein and fibre they eat without spending hours in the kitchen. Instagram sensation and Sunday Times bestselling author @Sophsplantkitchen has created her very best plant-based, high fibre recipes: all with at least 30 grammes of protein, all on the table in 30 minutes or less and all mouth-wateringly...
    Hardback
    $4800
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Lunchbox Bible
    From the team behind the bestselling sensation Baby Food Bible, Lunchbox Bible is your go-to recipe book for feeding children healthy, allergen-friendly, and nutritionist-approved food that’s guaranteed to please. With 75 recipes and a visual library containing 75 different lunchboxes, this comprehensive guide has been carefully created with time-poor parents in mind. The recipes are simple, quick, nutrient-dense, and get...
    Hardback
    $4700
    Elsewhere:
    $5999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Fitwaffle's Easy 6
    Discover how simple cooking can be every day with over 100 easy, tasty recipes using only 6 ingredients. "My mission is simple. I want to help people feel more confident in the kitchen and show that baking and cooking don't need to be complicated. Whether you're brand new in the kitchen or you've been doing it for years, my goal...
    Hardback
    $4199
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • So Good Express
    Simple, nutritious recipes for when time is of the essence. Bringing together delicious and easy-to-follow recipes with the sound advice of a fully qualified nutritionist, number one bestselling author Emily English shows us that good food can make you feel amazing and bring you joy, every single day. Blending her nutrition expertise with a love of simple, fresh food, Emily...
    Hardback
    $4799
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • BBQ
    Britain's best-selling chef shares his BBQ passion and secrets. We all love a good BBQ, but too often they centre around some slightly burnt sausages and burgers. Not anymore! Jamie's got 90 recipes to show us just how brilliant and versatile barbecuing can be, whatever the season. With recipes suitable for both charcoal and gas BBQs, Jamie shares his key...
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Cooking & Food lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!