Steeped in Tradition: A Celebration of Tea

Marcia Sweet, formerly head of the Douglas Library’s
Information/Reference Unit at Queen’s University and editor of the
Queen’s Quarterly, is currently an information consultant and
freelance editor.

This lively and informative celebration of tea is well researched and
scrupulously documented.

The author, a professional historian, begins by providing a fascinating
history of tea. She then focuses on the history of tea in Canada,
particularly Upper Canada. She discusses the rather complicated rituals
associated with the drinking of tea and describes what constitutes a
“proper” tea.

We are introduced to Canadian establishments that observe tea time. The
menus of the tearooms are described, and in some cases recipes are
provided. (My favorite, Langdon Hall’s “Poppyseed & Tea Cake,”
calls for 13 eggs, 750 grams of sour cream, and 675 grams of butter.) In
addition to including basic information about the tearooms (prices and
hours of operation, for example), Hoffman notes special attractions of
the building, town, and environs.

Sources of good blends of tea are listed, and the reader is encouraged
to experiment. According to Hoffman, the secret to brewing the perfect
pot is freshly boiled fresh water in an earthenware or similar pot and a
good-quality tea. The underlying message of this fine book is that a
good cup of tea shared with a friend requires little more than taking
the time.