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The Rise of the Tea Sommelier
Tea:
Aromas and Flavors Around the World
By
Lydia Gautier
Reviewed by Laurie Hartzell
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A
good wine book has a way of making us want to
relax, swirl wine around in a glass and become
transfixed by the lazy whirlpool of colors and
aromas. Tea, by Lydia Gautier, has the
same effect, only swirling hot tea in a mug is
not highly recommended. This beautiful tome is
not only a guide to the history and appreciation
of tea, but an art book and a cookbook
as well. Gautier, an agricultural engineer and
one of the founders of the École du Thé
at the Palais de Thé in Paris,
covers the history of the world’s favorite
leaf, including legends, timelines, origins, and
different ways tea has been enjoyed throughout
the centuries. Recipes that include “Tea
with Salted Butter” (as people from the
mountains of Yunnan still prepare it), “Maccha
Cake” and “Seafood Poached in a Japanese
Sencha Green Tea Broth” show the versatility
and epicurean qualities of the beverage. Tea
also includes descriptions of the plant itself,
the beneficial properties of the brew, preparation
tips and types of tea.
What
makes this book enjoyable is the sincerity with
which Gautier treats tea. Her prose is scientific
yet artistic, informative yet passionate, and
she gives this delicate, gourmet drink a status
similar to the best of wines.
However, the connection to wine does not end
there. Similar tasting notes and aromatic families
can be found in both tea and wine (although
aromas like “wildcat”, “mildew”
and “oyster” would be unexpected
in either). There’s even a chapter, “The
Subtle Affinities of Tea,” which describes
the similar culture, consumption and history
that tea shares with wine (as well as with coffee,
chocolate and perfume.)
There
is a point in the lives of all wine-lovers where
the drink is no longer simply white or red,
and the same goes for tea. As you delve into
this world of brewing and tasting, never again
will you be choosing between black or green,
but teas that are oxidized or semi-oxidized,
flavored with woody notes or fruity notes, grown
in India or China. Instead of trying to figure
out whether to add milk or sugar, after reading
Tea, you may refuse both, and your
debate instead will be whether to pair your
Vintage Pu-erh with red meats or caramelized
desserts.
After your exploration
of the world of tea, make sure to page through
the final chapter, which contains addresses
of specialty tea rooms and fine merchants where
you can find this worldly beverage. As Lydia
Gautier ends her foreword, “Enjoy your
trip; enjoy your tea!”
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