Coffee Books

If you love tea and all that goes with it, you'll certainly enjoy this book. It doesn't have a lot of technical information about tea, but that doesn't matter and that's not the focus of this book. What it does have is "coziness" to spare. As far as I know, this book is unique in the tea literature in that it explores how people view the tea ceremony (or tea break) and the part that having tea plays in their lives--and who knew it could be this fascinating?

One elderly lady is an expert (and award-winning) maker of clotted cream and bemoans the fact that the standard loose tea bought in the market is just dust anymore instead of leaves (a result of mechanization where leaves are not left whole but are cut, torn, and curled). Another lady works for D. J. Miles tea company, a small privately-held tea business in the country side, and gives an interesting glimpse into the business end of tea. The ladies interviewed by the author come from different walks of life, but their commonality is they take time out for tea. They have found it to be a comfort, a break and respite from the cares of daily life, and a time to gather friends and loved ones and enjoy each others company. It's a shame that the traditional afternoon tea is apparently falling on hard times in England, but not with these ladies. They recognize the value of taking time out for tea and just the sheer pleasure of a cuppa with a bite to eat--no apologies needed! Each lady, by the way, also provides a few recipes for tea time treats. I've not tried any of them, but they generally sound tasty.

One little side note: I work for an English boss who introduced me to English brand teas. Let me tell you, they are FAR superior to anything you can buy in American markets. Even though they are not premium teas, they are stronger and have more complex and interesting flavors than American brands. I highly recommend PG Tips, Yorkshire Tea (Regular and Gold), and Barry's (an Irish brand) for hot tea--all loose leaf, of course. All make excellent hot or iced tea. The British have not taken to iced tea, probably because the only kind they've tried comes in bottles and cans--no wonder they think it's nasty! You can find English tea all over the internet, (...) You'll get your purchase quickly, and some companies put in a few samples to try.

Put the kettle on, brew some English tea, and sit back and relax with this charming, entertaining, and fascinating little book. I guarantee that stress will vanish!

I feel like I have had Tea with 13 different women and come away with 13 delicous recipes! The description of the countryside,and cities made me feel as if I was right there, I think I could actually hear the church bells ringing! The sharing of their lives was a fascinating read. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for such a book!

When I started reading this book, I quickly became engrossed and decided to read one chapter everyday with a cup of tea envisioning myself in England sitting and chatting with the ladies or maybe just listening to their stories.

One of the ladies, married with children, was once a ballerina who then enrolled in a school to study law when she was in her mid thirties. She shared her story about how awkward she felt when she found her classmates were all teenagers and how she juggled in her study with the support of her family.

I truly enjoy reading this book. It gives insight and make me reflect on my own life experiences.
As the other reviewer wrote, put the kettle on, brew some English tea or any kind of tea, sit back and relax with this charming, awesome and inspiring little book. Blow away the stress from our mind !

You'll love this book if you like England or tea. The writer is an unusally skilled interviewer and her subjects reveal more than you would ever expect from an English woman. They don't always say the expected thing!

The photography and presentation are excellent. Recipes are included. This is a lovely gift for someone else or for yourself. It's a charmer.

This book is enchanting, it touches the soul and reaffirms traditions such as tea time, in its many forms. The ladies in each chapter are as different as jasmine tea and Earl Gray and delight, each in their own way. The recipes are wonderful as well. I would recommend this book for any tea lover, or lover of tradition in our lives, the special rituals that shape us early on and touch us deep insde.

Includes history, poems and treatises about tea, tea houses, ceremonies, brewing, cups and vessels, varieties, and the effect that tea has on the physical health and psyche. Everything you need to know about Chinese teas is contained in this book. A very welcome addition to anyone's culinary library!

This man, though not Chinese, truly knows his subject and loves it. It shows all through the book. its a masterpiece! a simply MUST HAVE for all admirers of tea or the Chinese culture/ppl/way. Perhaps in a way it is fitting that the author is not Chinese. It shows that even a barbarian [foreigner] can learn something so different when he has enough love and time and determination.

lovely book. a good introduction to tea, taoism, and silence

Great in-depth overview of the varieties of tea and drinking vessels! You need this book.

Coffee, Pie and a Place to Die was great. The author writes in a very conversational style making the book an easy, enjoyable read. This compulation of short stories reminds me of sitting on the front porch and talking to my neighbors about the "goings on" for the day! While reading each story, I found myself trying to anticipate what the characters would do next only to be surprised by a creative twist.

As a reader from a town just as small as the one described in May Mathis' book, I can identify with the desire to hear "juicy" gossip to mark the time while you wave at passersby.

This book is full of mystery and suspense. Just the type of book I like to read. I always had a feeling that more goes on in small towns than usually meets the eye. And seeing all this through the eyes of Sophie gives the stories something extra!
I believe everyone knows someone like Sophie, I know I do.

I found this book to be a very interesting book. It deals very well with regional issues. I especially liked the way the author allows the character, Sophie, to be the voice of the community, thus allowing the reader to view the town through her eyes. She is believeable. The author is a great writer and storyteller.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The author makes the readers feel as if they are right there experiencing the action.
I felt as if I had been transported to the small town of Bethlehem with Mrs. Sophie in the story.

This cookbook is great--not only allowing one to enjoy the taste and the benefits of green tea, but also to experience healthy and delicious foods! I must admit, I always thought of Asian food as a difficult cuisine to prepare at home--but these recipes are easy to follow, and I had great results!

I've been a fan of green tea for a long time, but I had no idea what a difference it can make in cooking! These recipes are simple, and there's a lot of variety -- everything from sauces and appetizers to entrees and desserts. The ones I've tried so far have worked out great. The author's commentary puts each dish in an interesting and useful context (health, cultural, etc.) If you're looking for a fun, interesting, and accessible collection of new dishes to try, I recommend this book!

I have tried cooking with many different teas - its like having little seasonings in a convient packet. I was pleased to find a book that focused on Green Tea - especially because of Green Teas health benefits. The receipes are easy and fast, and most of all extremely tastey! I did try the 3-day green tea diet/cleansing & found it very easy as well as refreshing! I had a lot of entergy afterwards. The Green Tea vegetable soup is one of my favorites! I highly recommend the spring rolls and cold noodles in peanut sauce. Easy recipes with great taste that are good for you! [...]

Just today, Ying Chang Compestine came to our Health class (a class of 20 students) to speak to us upclose and personal about her books, her work, and a little bit of background on how she she got started.

Not once did my mind wander off when she spoke. She spoke with such excitement and passion about her work, that it didn't even occur to me to how she was able to come up with 100+ recipies all including green tea, when it was true that you can see she just loved food!

During her talk, Mrs. Compestine showed us her cooking books, a slideshow of her life as well as the video of her incorporating green tea into one of her recipes in Discovery Channel's HOMEMATTERS. Let me just say that I didn't think twice on purchasing her book.

Therefore I strongly recommend this book! You will not just be motivated to lose weight but it would also prove to you that becoming healthy through eating your favorite food is key! Oh, and for those who are really looking into losing weight. The book also included a 3-day-eating plan, using her recipies which according to her, would let you loose 3-7 lbs. :D

This compilation contains some poems from his book, "Solitudes Crowded with Loneliness," which I also bought, but there are also enough other poems in here from his ouvre to please most of his fans. Kaufman is not as well-known a name as Kerouac or Ginsberg, but he should be....in part because he influenced them both, but mainly because he was a GREAT poet. Like, dig, man!!

jazz, surrealism, and absurdism, all clash together in this splendid volume of work. kaufman was a contemporary of jack kerouac,allen ginsberg, leroi jones, and other beat luminaries of the 50's and 60's. he is credited with coining the term, "beat" and was the unofficial poet laureate of san francisco's north beach area.reclusive and mysterious, he spent many of his readings, reciting his poems from memory; very few volumes of his poems were in print;there were only three known books of his work: " The Ancient Rain," " Solitudes Crowded with Loneliness" and " Golden Sardine." his poetic influences are many, such as rimbaud and hart crane, but jazz is always at the heart of his work...to capture the essence of this brilliant poet, check out such pieces as " would you wear my eyes?" " i, too, know what i am not," and " walking parker home"

Of all the Beat poets, Bob Kauffman was the most naturally gifted. One gets the feeling that Kauffman dashed most of these poems off by cafe or bar light, and that's a big part of their power and their charm. These poems are not "finished" in the same sense as the standard, tenured faculty M.F.A. drivel that's defined as POETRY these ticky-tacky days. Rather, they are invitations: doorways into another time, place, and state of mind, and they're as pumped full of virtu (effortless grace) as a bop solo on the far side of midnight.

Whenever I start to believe, I am a poet, I read this to remind me I am not.

Great book with lots of really good and fun recipes. A must for any tea lover.

This book is so beautiful that you might want to buy it just for that. But I've sampled quite a few of the recipes and they are wonderfully creative and delicious. This would make a terrific gift for the person who has everything.

Rita Bleiman

The book is just wonderful. Has so many unique ideas on how to use green tea . Loved all the summer recipes with ginger and pineapple. Recipes are well thought out and very doable.
Great Photos

I love this book. The fabulous photography made me want to make every recipe right away. The Va-Va Voom Mint Green Tea was as delicious as the photo. We served it at two events and it received compliments from dozens of guests. This book is a must have for Spring and Summer entertaining. - Susan Yachiye McKeen, Editor-in-Chief, Tea Experience Digest - the Premier Magazine for Tea Enthusiasts.

Brilliant. She is the best writer I've read. I want more. When you pick up Diney's book, you do not put it down! I suggest you have the time to read it. It's worth it!

Loved the story and getting to know (or think you know) the characters in this small Texas town. This would make a great movie! I wonder of the sanity of the authors who can come up with this brillance. Bravo!

I Like Ice Cream... is one of the most gripping, play with your head kind of books that screams to be read. Once you pick this book up, you will be hooked. Deruy is pure genious. The grace of fineness flows from the nib of her pen. Bravo ladies !
I am watching the mail for #2.

This book is apparently the first in a series of five. I'm completely hooked. The story combines common, believable characters with a little mystery and mysticism. It's a great read and would be a great movie, as well.

A woman ends up in a small Texas town with amnesia. Is she faking it? You'll be dying to find out. She ultimately captures the hearts of the community and changes their lives forever, in both negative and positive ways.

The book leaves you wanting more, and fortunately there is more in part two, the next book.

Tons of facts about the origins of coffee and different types, along with the different methods used to prepare it and their advantages and disadvantages. The recipe section at the end has a lot of great recipes that span just about every type of coffee drink you could imagine.

Susan Zimmer takes coffee seriously - make no beans about it! Her humor comes through in this amazing book that not only offers super-duper, impressive recipes for all kinds of coffee drinks (hot, cold, w/liquor, caf & decaf!), but she also shares her vast knowledge on all other aspects of this addictive brew.

I own one of her earlier works, "Cappuccino Cocktails & Espresso Martinis," but in her new book, she really hits her stride. It is small and colorful and packed with everything you need to know about our latest obsession. As "The Queen of the Business Lunch," (I am the author of "The Art of the Business Lunch), I need to be in the know about everything relating to fine dining, entertaining and taking care of guests. The Art of the Business Lunch: Building Relationships Between 12 And 2

I entertain a LOT at my home. I was so inspired by Susan's book that I decided to host a Sunday Brunch just so I could get creative and offer my guests some of her suggested drinks. What a hit!

I used coffee as the theme and sprinkled beans on every serving dish. I knew more about coffee than any of my guests after reading "I LOVE COFFEE" and everyone seemed to delight in learning little tidbits of information. We did taste tests and made several of the recipes. Every single one was a winner. Then we got into the coffee martinis. We had a blast. I put out a tray with various sugars, whipped cream, chocolate covered beans, cinnamon sticks and other garnishes. I never knew coffee could be so much fun.

This book also makes a great gift. We played a few games and I gave away a copy as the grand prize. I got rave reviews from my clients who came to brunch. They were all impressed with the theme and all of the treats. I think everyone who loves to cook or entertain should have a copy of Susan's book and read it from cover to cover. I can't rave enough about her wit, her humor and her knowledge. This is an excellent book!

I bought this for my boyfriend as an Chanukah present and he absolutely loves it. We haven't gotten a chance to try any of the recipes, but he loves how it has the history of coffee and espresso and how to properly brew it. There are many wonderful sounding recipes inside!

I work part-time as a barista, and I picked up this book to get some ideas for flavor combinations that we could introduce into our cafe. Certainly, this book has tons, featuring unusual flavor combinations- think chocolate/orange/hazelnut- and also holiday ideas (eggnog for Christmas, creme de Menthe for St. Patrick's etc.) as well as the classics. Even more importantly, it gives you the know-how to make your favorite latte combinations at home. As odd as it may seem, one of my favorite things to do at work is to steam milk- I love the look and feel of the foam. Zimmer explains how to do that almost perfectly using a pan, a whisk or handheld mixer and your stovetop. (Sadly, this doesn't work as well for me with soymilk, but with practice I'm sure I'll get it.) She also explained how to do a stovetop espresso with the classic Bialetti espresso maker. Since it retails for about $35, that's a heck of a lot cheaper than a souped up espresso machine and would almost definitely pay for itself after about ten lattes; you may never need to go to your local cafe again.

However, I disagreed with her instructions for many of the flavored lattes and mochas. She advises pouring in the milk first and then the syrups and espressos; I find the flavor is distributed better if the shot and syrup are in first and then followed by the milk. But that's probably more a matter of preference than anything else- your results may differ.

This is also a comprehensive reference for beans and roasting, and she even gives instructions for roasting your own beans at home. Seriously, she leaves the reader pretty much no excuse not to have the best cafe-level coffee in your own home.

Highly recommended.

I can already see the positive effect the concepts in this book have had and will continue to have on my life. The book doesn't present thoughts from only a single point of view. You create your own life plan using very simple and basic principles. I look at people differently now. I have a greater level of respect for myself and I will never allow anyone to lower that level of self-respect again. I'm just not afraid to ask for the things I need anymore. This one tops my list because it really works.

I picked up this book about a month ago. I was able to read straight through it in about 1 1/2 hours and understood everything, however, I'm slowly absorbing it as each day I pick it up, flip to a random page, read a section, and keep that with me throughout the day. What I like best about the book is how it makes me look at my world and my actions differently; it makes me consider what I do more carefully and it keeps reminding me of all the chances I have every day to do what I want to do. The technique I have of reading a small section and absorbing that to the fullest isn't how one has to read this book. It provides questions for those who like to sit and ponder things or write about them, and it has affirmations for people who want to get the point quickly. I think this book gives few boundaries and excellent options for ANYONE to absorb the important messages it contains. I love knowing this book is sitting in my book shelf.

On a whim I picked up this book for leisure and ended up using it to take another look at my life. This beautiful book is small but absolutely crammed with remarkable insights. It could even be a magic bullet. Really! It makes so much sense. Dont' get me wrong. You still have to do the work. but it's so much fun to really pick apart the questions and feel the pieces of your life just falling in place. Now I carry this book everywhere with me. I ask my friends some of the questions in the book and we talk at a deeper level than we ever have. Anyone who loves life or wants to must read this book.

There is no denying the validity of the principles defined in this book. This is some fascinating stuff! It's refreshing and revealing all in one. Javahouse Journals is not a fluffy self-help book. It is a book that will make you think and put things in perspective. I keep this book on hand for a daily dose. A must read for anyone trying to fall back in love with life.

Excellent book. In fact all of Dillman's books are excellent and the right length to introduce you to each particular subject all of which seem relevant and timely. The little book of Healthy Teas also passed my English Wife's scrutiny particularly for making teas. I appreciated Dillman's extensive overview of teas as well as including some that are not readily sipped in the US, such as yerba mate. The writing is sharp, witty and concise--highly recommended.

A wonderful read with excellent content. Ms. Dillman uses sharp and interesting language to provide valuable information about the ways in which we can integrate tea into a healthy lifestyle. I shall recommend it to many friends and colleagues and stay tuned for the next "Little book".

I have a condition known as ME in the UK and Chronic Fatigue inthe the USA. I found this book really helpful - just by making a sligh adjustment to my liquid intake I have been able to improve my health and overall energy. Dillman explains how including green rea (for example) or roobush can boost your flavanoid and anti-oxidant intake - which will help just about any condition - and has an anti aging effect as well! Some really interesting information is in this book - which I just didn't know. It makes a fascinating and useful read.

Great info on health benefits, how to make really good tea, stress and other relief tips, and more. I love these LITTLE BOOKS, and they are great gifts - there's a YOGA one my wife loves, and I think there are others. I'm a big tea drinker, so this TEA book is my favorite.