Each day, over one and a half billion cups of tea are consumed on the planet, and more tea is drunk worldwide than any other beverage except water. This exquisitely illustrated volume leads readers on an investigation of the many faces of tea: a mythic plant, a ritual, the cause of wars (remember the Boston tea party), and ultimately the world's favorite beverage. The Book of Tea provides a comprehensive history and background of the beloved ritual of tea, providing photographed accounts of tea farming, tea barons, teatime, and the various tastes and nuances of teas from English tearooms to the mountains of Tibet. Novelist Anthony Burgess and a host of historians and writers paint fascinating portraits of the kings of the tea trade: Thomas Twining, whose London tea room was the first to serve tea by the cup, Robert Fortune, who slipped into China to steal tea plants and learn the secrets of tea production, and adventurer Sir Thomas Lipton, who conquered America with his quality teas. This best-selling title, first published in 1992, is now edited and brought up to date with extensive annexes that include a guide to teas and blends from across the globe, recipes, a glossary, and a connoisseur's guide to the best tea rooms and shops in America and Europe. With an exceptional selection of archival and contemporary documents, The Book of Tea is the perfect way to steep in the culture and traditions surrounding the world's most popular and extraordinary beverage.