Infused: Adventures in Tea

Description

Henrietta Lovell is best known as 'The Rare Tea Lady'. She is on a mission to revolutionise the way we drink tea by replacing industrially produced teabags with the highest quality tea leaves. Her quest has seen her travel to the Shire Highlands of Malawi, across the foothills of the Himalayas, and to hidden gardens in the Wuyi-Shan to source the world's most extraordinary teas. Infused invites us to discover these remarkable places, introducing us to the individual growers and household name chefs Lovell has met along the way - and reveals the true pleasures of tea. The result is a delicious infusion of travel writing, memoir, recipes, and glorious photography, all written with Lovell's unique charm and wit.

Henrietta Lovell left a career in corporate finance to found the Rare Tea Company in 2004. She buys rare and precious harvests from tea growers around the world and has had many adventures along the way. Her expertise is sought by the world's most prestigious restaurants and hotels, including Gordon Ramsay, Alain Ducasse, 11 Madison Park, Noma and Claridges.

I found myself quite caught up in her infectious enthusiasm as she ventured -- twice defeating her own cancer, which tried in vain to slow her down -- out into the world in search of the green tea hills in China, Japan and India, of course, but also in Malawi, Nepal and South Africa.... This is a love letter. I read the book in one contented go on a flight from Sydney to Hong Kong, where I had a few hours' wait before moving on to New York. -- The New York Times This is a chronicle of someone who chose to give herself over to the pursuit of a Big Life, with the triumphs and sacrifices that choice brings. -- Los Angeles Times Poignant, impressionistic, occasionally laugh-out-loud -- Wall Street Journal Magazine Lovell has single-handedly raised the bar for teas, turning tea into something to be both critically tasted and meticulously paired with foods just as wine is treated. -- Booklist STARRED review The book's preface outlines her life: She journeys the world almost ceaselessly, visiting small farms in China, Taiwan, India and Africa that make extraordinary teas, and then working with top-flight restaurants in many countries to introduce those teas to discerning diners using exacting brewing methods...But just as Lovell often shares evocative stories to help her clients connect with the teas she sells, she understands a book on the topic needs to go further than instructions and exploits. She plumbs deeper meanings, from her own life and beyond. This is a chronicle of someone who chose to give herself over to the pursuit of a Big Life, with the triumphs and sacrifices that choice brings. -- Los Angeles Times