Food and drink: non-alcoholic beverages Books

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Book SynopsisCoffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry offers a definitive guide to the many rich dimensions of the bean and the beverage around the world. Leading experts from business and academia consider coffee's history, global spread, cultivation, preparation, marketing, and the environmental and social issues surrounding it today. They discuss, for example, the impact of globalization; the many definitions of organic, direct trade, and fair trade; the health of female farmers; the relationships among shade, birds, and coffee; roasting as an art and a science; and where profits are made in the commodity chain. Drawing on interviews and the lives of people working in the businessfrom pickers and roasters to coffee bar owners and consumersthis book brings a compelling human side to the story. The authors avoid romanticizing or demonizing any group in the business. They consider basic but widely misunderstood issues such as who adds value to the bean, the constraiTrade ReviewIn light of today's caffeine-obsessed culture, this new work focusing on coffee production and consumption is highly interesting and informative. The book is composed of 63 relatively short chapters gathered into five overall sections, beginning with 'The Coffee Business' and 'The State of Trade.' The trade section includes chapters on each of the world's seven major coffee-growing areas and nine of the biggest coffee-consuming countries. The third section focuses on coffee's history and coffee (and coffeehouse) culture, followed by a section on coffee qualities, including health aspects. The book concludes with an exploration of coffee's future. This is not a compendium of academic papers, as are so many edited collections these days. Chapters, contributed by experts in their respective fields, are written in an engaging, accessible style. They are well researched and often include an extensive notes section at the end. Black-and-white photos, maps, graphs, and other illustrations are interspersed, depending on the topic. A glossary and detailed index round out the text. Highly recommended. All public and academic library collections. * CHOICE *Truly comprehensive, examining coffee from soil to cup. [The authors] have pulled together 63 essays that address agriculture, economics, gender, culture and history, assessment of quality, effects on health, and future research and development of the coffee bean and coffee production. The authors include coffee farmers, scientists, industry leaders, journalists, historians, and even a mechanical engineer. In addition, there are country profiles providing detailed information about both coffee-producing and coffee-consuming countries (e.g., Vietnam, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Colombia, the United States) that cover subjects such as the history of coffee in the region, climate, business costs, companies in the marketplace, and trends in consumption. . . . For those who have a serious coffee addiction, the book offers a wealth of content. * Library Journal *This comprehensive guide to the coffee bean and the beverage itself includes contributions from leading experts in business and academia. They consider the history, global spread, preparation, marketing, and social issues that surround coffee today. The book also includes interviews with people who work in the business, from pickers to roasters, to bring a human side to the story. By tracing coffee's journey from field to cup, the editors work to create a guide for professionals, coffee lovers, and students to help them better understand their favorite beverage. * Specialty Coffee Retailer *Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry [is] a real heavyweight of 400 pages or so. . . . The authors . . . point out that they consider the work to be ‘a handbook’, and so using the book as a dip-in becomes perfectly legitimate. . . . Elsewhere in the book, we find many nuggets and gems. . . . Insights into the situations at origin are fascinating. . . . Producer country profiles are interesting and... observations are direct and to the point. . . . This book works very well indeed. * Caffè Culture *One of the very best coffee books to be released in a very long time. * Barista Magazine Blog *A must read for all coffee people.... Not only does this book include an amazing and global perspective of the bean that became one of the world’s most popular beverages, but also discusses all of the major coffee growing counties in detail from Guatemala to Ethiopia. * Portland Book Review *A gift to every coffee lover and scholar: this monumental guidebook takes the reader from seed to cup, with stops in every time and place where coffee is significant. Even coffee fanatics will find many stories and details to savor in this rich and rewarding collection. -- Richard Wilk, Indiana UniversityThurston and his colleagues have produced a welcome up-to-date vade mecum on the subject of coffee in all its manifestations. Readable, useful, and to the point, it will answer nearly everybody’s questions about this enigmatic beverage. -- Sidney W. Mintz, Johns Hopkins University; author of Three Ancient Colonies. Caribbean Themes and Variations and Sweetness and PowerTable of ContentsIntroduction Robert W. Thurston Part I: The Coffee Business 1 Strategies for Improving Coffee Quality Price Peterson 2 The Coffee Plant and How It Is Handled Shawn Steiman 3 Digging Deeper: Cultivation and Yields H. C. "Skip" Bittenbender 4 Coffee as a Global System Peter S. Baker 5 What Does “Organic” Mean? Robert W. Thurston 6 Coffee under Threat: The Growing Problem of the Coffee Berry Borer Juliana Jaramillo 7 Culture, Agriculture, and Nature: Shade Coffee Farms and Biodiversity Robert Rice 8 A Guatemalan Coffee Farmer’s Story: A Challenging Life in a Beautiful, Harsh Land Carlos Saenz 9 Pickers Robert W. Thurston 10 Coffee Processing: An Artisan's Perspective Joan Obra 11 Women in Coffee in Colombia Olga Cuellar 12 How a Country Girl from Arkansas Became an Importer Leading Other Women in Coffee Phyllis Johnson 13 The Role of Nonprofits in Coffee August Burns 14 Hunger in the Coffee Lands Rick Peyser 15 The “Price” of Coffee: How the Coffee Commodity Market Works Robert W. Thurston 16 Appreciating Quality: The Route to Upward Mobility for Coffee Farmers George Howell 17 What is Specialty Coffee? Shawn Steiman 18 Where Does the Money Go in the Coffee Supply Chain? Robert W. Thurston Part II: The State of the Trade 19 The Global Trade in Coffee: An Overview Robert W. Thurston 20 Coffee Certification Programs Robert W. Thurston 21 Direct Trade in Coffee Geoff Watts 22 Fair Trade: Still a Big Plus for Farmers and Workers around the World Paul Rice Producer Country Profiles 23 Hawaii Shawn Steiman 24 India Sunalini Menon 25 Indonesia Jinap Selamat 26 Colombia Luis Alberto Cuéllar 27 Ethiopia Willem Boot 28 Vietnam Robert W. Thurston 29 Brazil Carlos H. J. Brando 30 Supporting Coffee Farmers’ Response to Market Changes Jeremy Haggar Consumer Country Profiles 31 Introduction to Consumer Countries Jonathan Morris 32 Denmark Camilla C. Valeur 33 France Jonathan Wesley Bell 34 Italy Vincenzo Sandalj 35 United Kingdom Clare Benfield 36 Russia Robert W. Thurston 37 Ukraine Sergii Reminny with Jonathan Morris 38 Japan Tatsushi Ueshima 39 Germany Britta Zeitemann 40 United States Robert W. Thurston Part III: The History of Coffee and Its Social Life 41 Coffee, a Condensed History Jonathan Morris with material from Robert W. Thurston 42 Coffee House Formats through the Centuries: Third Places or Public Spaces? Jonathan Morris 43 Why Americans Drink Coffee: The Boston Tea Party or Brazilian Slavery? Steven Topik and Michelle Craig McDonald 44 The Ecology of Taste: Robusta Coffee and the Limits of the Specialty Revolution Stuart McCook 45 The Espresso Menu: A History Jonathan Morris 46 The Competing Languages of Coffee: Signs, Narratives, and Symbols of American Specialty Coffee Kenneth Davids Part IV: The Qualities of Coffee 47 Coffee Quality Geoff Watts 48 Why Does Coffee Taste That Way? Notes from the Field Shawn Steiman 49 Coffee Quality and Assessment Shawn Steiman 50 Distinctive Drinking: Specialty Coffee and Class in the United States Jonathan D. Baker 51 Brewing: Dissolving the Puzzle Andrew Hetzel 52 Roasting: Developing Flavor in the Bean Colin Smith 53 Roasting Culture Connie Blumhardt and Jim Fadden 54 Barista Culture Sarah Allen 55 Brewing Culture Alf Kramer Coffee and Health 56 The Long Debate over Coffee and Health Robert W. Thurston 57 Caffeine: How Much Is in Your Cup, and How Much Is Bad for You? Robert W. Thurston 58 Recent Research on Coffee and Health Lawrence W. Jones Part V: The Future of Coffee 59 Coffee Research in Kenya: Current Status and Future Perspectives Elijah K. Gichuru 60 Genetically Modified (Transgenic) Coffee Robert W. Thurston 61 Mechanization Robert W. Thurston 62 A Life in Coffee Ted Lingle 63 How to Make a Great Cup of Coffee Robert W. Thurston with Shawn Steiman and Jonathan Morris Glossary

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Book SynopsisCoffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry offers a definitive guide to the many rich dimensions of the bean and the beverage around the world. Leading experts from business and academia consider coffee's history, global spread, cultivation, preparation, marketing, and the environmental and social issues surrounding it today. They discuss, for example, the impact of globalization; the many definitions of organic, direct trade, and fair trade; the health of female farmers; the relationships among shade, birds, and coffee; roasting as an art and a science; and where profits are made in the commodity chain. Drawing on interviews and the lives of people working in the businessfrom pickers and roasters to coffee bar owners and consumersthis book brings a compelling human side to the story. The authors avoid romanticizing or demonizing any group in the business. They consider basic but widely misunderstood issues such as who adds value to the bean, the constraiTrade ReviewThis comprehensive guide to the coffee bean and the beverage itself includes contributions from leading experts in business and academia. They consider the history, global spread, preparation, marketing, and social issues that surround coffee today. The book also includes interviews with people who work in the business, from pickers to roasters, to bring a human side to the story. By tracing coffee's journey from field to cup, the editors work to create a guide for professionals, coffee lovers, and students to help them better understand their favorite beverage. * Specialty Coffee Retailer *A gift to every coffee lover and scholar: this monumental guidebook takes the reader from seed to cup, with stops in every time and place where coffee is significant. Even coffee fanatics will find many stories and details to savor in this rich and rewarding collection. -- Richard Wilk, Indiana UniversityThurston and his colleagues have produced a welcome up-to-date vade mecum on the subject of coffee in all its manifestations. Readable, useful, and to the point, it will answer nearly everybody’s questions about this enigmatic beverage. -- Sidney W. Mintz, Johns Hopkins University; author of Three Ancient Colonies. Caribbean Themes and Variations and Sweetness and PowerOne of the very best coffee books to be released in a very long time. * Barista Magazine Blog *Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry [is] a real heavyweight of 400 pages or so. . . . The authors . . . point out that they consider the work to be ‘a handbook’, and so using the book as a dip-in becomes perfectly legitimate. . . . Elsewhere in the book, we find many nuggets and gems. . . . Insights into the situations at origin are fascinating. . . . Producer country profiles are interesting and observations are direct and to the point. . . . This book works very well indeed. * Caffè Culture *In light of today's caffeine-obsessed culture, this new work focusing on coffee production and consumption is highly interesting and informative. The book is composed of 63 relatively short chapters gathered into five overall sections, beginning with 'The Coffee Business' and 'The State of Trade.' The trade section includes chapters on each of the world's seven major coffee-growing areas and nine of the biggest coffee-consuming countries. The third section focuses on coffee's history and coffee (and coffeehouse) culture, followed by a section on coffee qualities, including health aspects. The book concludes with an exploration of coffee's future. This is not a compendium of academic papers, as are so many edited collections these days. Chapters, contributed by experts in their respective fields, are written in an engaging, accessible style. They are well researched and often include an extensive notes section at the end. Black-and-white photos, maps, graphs, and other illustrations are interspersed, depending on the topic. A glossary and detailed index round out the text. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All public and academic library collections. * CHOICE *Truly comprehensive, examining coffee from soil to cup. [The authors] have pulled together 63 essays that address agriculture, economics, gender, culture and history, assessment of quality, effects on health, and future research and development of the coffee bean and coffee production. The authors include coffee farmers, scientists, industry leaders, journalists, historians, and even a mechanical engineer. In addition, there are country profiles providing detailed information about both coffee-producing and coffee-consuming countries (e.g., Vietnam, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Colombia, the United States) that cover subjects such as the history of coffee in the region, climate, business costs, companies in the marketplace, and trends in consumption. . . . For those who have a serious coffee addiction, the book offers a wealth of content. * Library Journal *Table of ContentsIntroduction Robert W. Thurston Part I: The Coffee Business 1 Strategies for Improving Coffee Quality Price Peterson 2 The Coffee Plant and How It Is Handled Shawn Steiman 3 Digging Deeper: Cultivation and Yields H. C. "Skip" Bittenbender 4 Coffee as a Global System Peter S. Baker 5 What Does “Organic” Mean? Robert W. Thurston 6 Coffee under Threat: The Growing Problem of the Coffee Berry Borer Juliana Jaramillo 7 Culture, Agriculture, and Nature: Shade Coffee Farms and Biodiversity Robert Rice 8 A Guatemalan Coffee Farmer’s Story: A Challenging Life in a Beautiful, Harsh Land Carlos Saenz 9 Pickers Robert W. Thurston 10 Coffee Processing: An Artisan's Perspective Joan Obra 11 Women in Coffee in Colombia Olga Cuellar 12 How a Country Girl from Arkansas Became an Importer Leading Other Women in Coffee Phyllis Johnson 13 The Role of Nonprofits in Coffee August Burns 14 Hunger in the Coffee Lands Rick Peyser 15 The “Price” of Coffee: How the Coffee Commodity Market Works Robert W. Thurston 16 Appreciating Quality: The Route to Upward Mobility for Coffee Farmers George Howell 17 What is Specialty Coffee? Shawn Steiman 18 Where Does the Money Go in the Coffee Supply Chain? Robert W. Thurston Part II: The State of the Trade 19 The Global Trade in Coffee: An Overview Robert W. Thurston 20 Coffee Certification Programs Robert W. Thurston 21 Direct Trade in Coffee Geoff Watts 22 Fair Trade: Still a Big Plus for Farmers and Workers around the World Paul Rice Producer Country Profiles 23 Hawaii Shawn Steiman 24 India Sunalini Menon 25 Indonesia Jinap Selamat 26 Colombia Luis Alberto Cuéllar 27 Ethiopia Willem Boot 28 Vietnam Robert W. Thurston 29 Brazil Carlos H. J. Brando 30 Supporting Coffee Farmers’ Response to Market Changes Jeremy Haggar Consumer Country Profiles 31 Introduction to Consumer Countries Jonathan Morris 32 Denmark Camilla C. Valeur 33 France Jonathan Wesley Bell 34 Italy Vincenzo Sandalj 35 United Kingdom Clare Benfield 36 Russia Robert W. Thurston 37 Ukraine Sergii Reminny with Jonathan Morris 38 Japan Tatsushi Ueshima 39 Germany Britta Zeitemann 40 United States Robert W. Thurston Part III: The History of Coffee and Its Social Life 41 Coffee, a Condensed History Jonathan Morris with material from Robert W. Thurston 42 Coffee House Formats through the Centuries: Third Places or Public Spaces? Jonathan Morris 43 Why Americans Drink Coffee: The Boston Tea Party or Brazilian Slavery? Steven Topik and Michelle Craig McDonald 44 The Ecology of Taste: Robusta Coffee and the Limits of the Specialty Revolution Stuart McCook 45 The Espresso Menu: A History Jonathan Morris 46 The Competing Languages of Coffee: Signs, Narratives, and Symbols of American Specialty Coffee Kenneth Davids Part IV: The Qualities of Coffee 47 Coffee Quality Geoff Watts 48 Why Does Coffee Taste That Way? Notes from the Field Shawn Steiman 49 Coffee Quality and Assessment Shawn Steiman 50 Distinctive Drinking: Specialty Coffee and Class in the United States Jonathan D. Baker 51 Brewing: Dissolving the Puzzle Andrew Hetzel 52 Roasting: Developing Flavor in the Bean Colin Smith 53 Roasting Culture Connie Blumhardt and Jim Fadden 54 Barista Culture Sarah Allen 55 Brewing Culture Alf Kramer Coffee and Health 56 The Long Debate over Coffee and Health Robert W. Thurston 57 Caffeine: How Much Is in Your Cup, and How Much Is Bad for You? Robert W. Thurston 58 Recent Research on Coffee and Health Lawrence W. Jones Part V: The Future of Coffee 59 Coffee Research in Kenya: Current Status and Future Perspectives Elijah K. Gichuru 60 Genetically Modified (Transgenic) Coffee Robert W. Thurston 61 Mechanization Robert W. Thurston 62 A Life in Coffee Ted Lingle 63 How to Make a Great Cup of Coffee Robert W. Thurston with Shawn Steiman and Jonathan Morris Glossary

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Book SynopsisThis distinctive and enlightening book explores development of tea drinking in China, using tea culture to explore the profound question of how Chinese have traditionally expressed individuality. By linking tea to individualism, Bret Hinsch's deeply researched book makes an original and influential contribution to the history of Chinese culture.Trade ReviewFrom a distinct perspective, this relatively slim yet fluently written book opens up a new dimension about the tea culture in China. After a brief discussion of the ancient form of tea, the author switches his attention to the period of the Tang and Song dynasties, when the making and drinking of the beverage once again experienced a marked change. But his real interest lies elsewhere. Hinsch is intent on describing how tea drinking at that time played a role in fostering a new culture from the Tang to the Song. Drawing on existent scholarship, the author maintains that China’s political culture experienced a transformation marked by the rise of individualism (however one chooses to define the term in a Chinese context). He illustrates how this cultural transformation was reflected in tea drinking customs and habits, especially among the literati class. In particular, he points out that from the Tang to the Song, while tea became increasingly accessible to people of all walks of life, it attained a particularly rich sociocultural and religious meaning for the literati class. Very worthwhile reading. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. * CHOICE *Bret Hinsch’s delightfully written book is a very welcome addition to the literature on tea. Using largely Chinese sources, Dr. Hinsch finds that tea was associated with individuality and connoisseurship in imperial China. He focuses on the Tang and Song dynasties, when tea became popular and became a topic for conversation, meditation, and luxury. This is a highly original book with new and exciting ideas about the history of tea in China. -- Eugene Anderson, University of California at RiversideIn this captivating volume, Bret Hinsch demonstrates as never before how an unpretentious infusion of the dried leaves of a bitter plant from the southern hinterland became the iconic beverage of high culture in central China. Beyond that, he shows how the art of tea drinking during the transition from medieval to early modern China was intimately involved in the development of individualism and self-expression, such that the ‘new man’ of this period had a very different outlook on personhood from individuals of classical times. This is a learned study of the role of tea in Chinese society, one that ranges from literature and aesthetics to gender and morality, covering a host of topics in a most engaging fashion. -- Victor H. Mair, University of PennsylvaniaTable of ContentsTimeline of Major Chinese Dynasties Introduction Chapter One: The Rise of Tea Chapter Two: Power Chapter Three: Lu Yu Chapter Four: Connoisseurship Chapter Five: Morality Chapter Six: Transcendence Chapter Seven: Manhood Glossary Bibliography

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Book SynopsisFrom the creator of the successful food blog Delightful E Made, a collection of healthy smoothies packed with protein! Loaded with fresh, simple ingredients, The Protein Smoothie Bible brings together protein, nutrition, and flavor in delicious, easy-to-make smoothies.This approachable guide to blending up smoothie success in your kitchen is the perfect way to become a healthier, happier, more energetic you! You’ll love creations such as the Strawberry Citrus Sunrise, Perfect Pear, Peach Powerhouse, and Chocolate-Covered Cherry.This smoothie collection is perfect for: Anyone wanting healthier breakfast, snack, and lunch options! Eliminate the junk and swap in a healthy, protein-packed smoothie—you’ll look and feel a million times better! Busy people who don’t have much time to fix something healthy and nutritious. P.S., you can eliminate that 3 p.m. slump! Athletes and fitness enthusiasts who want more options to power their workouts. Protein smoothies with real food are the perfect pre- and post-workout fuel! Parents who want healthy snack and lunch ideas for their kids that they’ll actually like and eat! Anyone looking to lose a few pounds! Protein smoothies made with yummy fruits and vegetables are the perfect way to not only add good nutrition to your body, but also help keep you fuller, longer! No depravation necessary. The Protein Smoothie Bible is the perfect tool to bring nutrition to your life with simple, everyday ingredients. No weirdo ingredients that you’ve never heard of here—just simple, fresh food that will help you look and feel amazing!

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Book SynopsisLearn all about tea—from growing and drinking to reading leaves and making medicine!Tea drinking has become a way of life. To put it frankly, it is a love, an addiction, and some would even go as far as to say a philosophy. Dr. Keith Souter examines the perpetual impact that this adored beverage has bestowed upon the world for centuries, from its mystical origins in the East to its inevitable influence on the West. The Tea Cyclopedia is an indispensable reference for anyone interested in all things tea.Commencing each chapter with insightful quotes, it not only captures the historical beginnings of this beloved drink, but also explores tea's involvement in politics, health, the economy, and even fortune-telling. This unprecedented beverage has united people in times of adversity; it has also divided nations, causing volatile revolutions, such as the Sri Lankan Civil War and the Boston Tea Party. But today you will most likely find that various cultures have developed their own unique style of enjoying tea, and the ritual of tea drinking itself is not only intriguing, but also highly rewarding. In this meticulously detailed guide, readers will rediscover tea, its cultivation, and all of its richness and intricacy as a worldwide beverage. The Tea Cyclopedia is an enthralling tribute to the illustrious, invigorating, and elusive leaf that has vehemently continued to inspire people for more than two thousand years.

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Book SynopsisThis engaging guide traces the history, cultivation, and culture of coffee, as well as the major factors influencing the industry today. Robert Thurston provides a readable, concise overview of coffee from the time the seeds of the coffee fruit are planted to the latest ideas in roasting and making beverages. He considers cultivation and its challenges, especially climate change; new research on hybridization; the history of coffee and cultural change surrounding it around the world; devices, new and old, for making coffee drinks; the issue of organic versus conventional agriculture; and the health benefits of the brew. The first book that coffee lovers naturally will turn to, it will also appeal to anyone interested in globalization, climate change, and social justice.Trade ReviewCoffee is an inspiration that goes beyond our knowledge, our boundaries, and our limits. Robert Thurston has felt this inspiration since his first visits to coffee-producing countries, and he has put that experience into transformative and knowledgeable words. Now we can taste more than just a cup of coffee; we can envision a coffee farm and, more important, a coffee-farming family. This superb book closes our knowledge gap and makes all of us more sensitive, emotional, and informed about coffee. -- Olga Lucía Cuéllar Gómez, S&D Coffee and TeaConversational and comprehensive, Robert Thurston’s blend of entertaining anecdotes, home experiments, and reliable statistics answers with precision the questions asked by coffee enthusiasts. Going beyond thoughtful explanations about ‘how’ the global coffee industry works, Thurston provides satisfying answers on ‘why’ it works and what can be done to make it work better. -- Dan Bolton, STiR Tea & Coffee[Thurston] pours out a rich history of the coffee industry . . . . [His] sophisticated guide to coffee’s history, cultivation, and enjoyment will more than satisfy coffee aficionados. * Publishers Weekly *The book is written in a very engaging style, with a feel like the author is talking to the reader, sometimes with details about the author’s experiences, or tips for the reader to help them enjoy their coffee. There’s a helpful glossary at the end too for some of the key terms and acronyms used throughout the book. A welcome addition to my ‘coffee library’. * Cafespaces *Table of Contents1 INTRODUCTION 2 IN PRODUCING COUNTRIES: COFFEE FROM FARM TO PORT Where and How Coffee Grows Organic vs. Synthetic: Yes, Coffee Is Full of Chemicals Coffee Cultivation Women in Coffee Gathering and Processing the Harvest The Cost of Coffee through the Supply Chain Certification Programs: Benefits and Drawbacks Cupping (Rating and Purchasing Decisions) Climate Change 3 ROASTING COFFEE, MAKING COFFEE DRINKS Coffee Consumption around the World What Is “Sophistication”? How Coffee Spread around the Globe Roasting Making Coffee to Drink 4 COFFEE AND HEALTH, SOCIAL AND PERSONAL How Coffee Brought Social and Political Disruption to the World Coffee and Personal Health Caffeine Recent Research on Coffee and Health 5 CONCLUSION GLOSSARY NOTES INDEX ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Book SynopsisThis distinctive and enlightening book explores the invention and development of tea drinking in China, using tea culture to explore the profound question of how Chinese have traditionally expressed individuality. Western stereotypes portray a culture that values conformity and denigrates the individual, but Bret Hinsch convincingly explodes this facile myth. He argues that although Chinese embrace a communitarian ethos and assume that the individual can only thrive within a healthy community, they have also long respected people with unique traits and superior achievements. Hinsch traces how emperors, scholars, poets, and merchants all used tea connoisseurship to publicly demonstrate superior discernment, gaining admiration by displaying individuality. Acknowledging central differences with Western norms, Hinsch shows how personal distinction nevertheless constitutes an important aspect of Chinese society. By linking tea to individualism, his deeply researched book makes an original and influential contribution to the history of Chinese culture.Trade ReviewFrom a distinct perspective, this relatively slim yet fluently written book opens up a new dimension about the tea culture in China. After a brief discussion of the ancient form of tea, the author switches his attention to the period of the Tang and Song dynasties, when the making and drinking of the beverage once again experienced a marked change. But his real interest lies elsewhere. Hinsch is intent on describing how tea drinking at that time played a role in fostering a new culture from the Tang to the Song. Drawing on existent scholarship, the author maintains that China’s political culture experienced a transformation marked by the rise of individualism (however one chooses to define the term in a Chinese context). He illustrates how this cultural transformation was reflected in tea drinking customs and habits, especially among the literati class. In particular, he points out that from the Tang to the Song, while tea became increasingly accessible to people of all walks of life, it attained a particularly rich sociocultural and religious meaning for the literati class. Very worthwhile reading. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. * CHOICE *Bret Hinsch’s delightfully written book is a very welcome addition to the literature on tea. Using largely Chinese sources, Dr. Hinsch finds that tea was associated with individuality and connoisseurship in imperial China. He focuses on the Tang and Song dynasties, when tea became popular and became a topic for conversation, meditation, and luxury. This is a highly original book with new and exciting ideas about the history of tea in China. -- Eugene Anderson, University of California at RiversideIn this captivating volume, Bret Hinsch demonstrates as never before how an unpretentious infusion of the dried leaves of a bitter plant from the southern hinterland became the iconic beverage of high culture in central China. Beyond that, he shows how the art of tea drinking during the transition from medieval to early modern China was intimately involved in the development of individualism and self-expression, such that the ‘new man’ of this period had a very different outlook on personhood from individuals of classical times. This is a learned study of the role of tea in Chinese society, one that ranges from literature and aesthetics to gender and morality, covering a host of topics in a most engaging fashion. -- Victor H. Mair, University of PennsylvaniaTable of ContentsTimeline of Major Chinese Dynasties Introduction Chapter One: The Rise of Tea Chapter Two: Power Chapter Three: Lu Yu Chapter Four: Connoisseurship Chapter Five: Morality Chapter Six: Transcendence Chapter Seven: Manhood Glossary Bibliography

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Book SynopsisLearn to skip expensive juice bars and make your own fresh fruit concoctions with this book. Add nutrition to fruit blends while garnishing and serving them with flare.

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Book SynopsisCoca is a plant with a complex array of mineral nutrients, essential oils, and varied compounds with greater or lesser pharmacological effects – one of which happens to be the alkaloid cocaine, which in its concentrated, synthesized form is a stimulant drug with possible addictive properties. Of all the plants introduced to the world by American Indian societies, few have been as controversial as the coca bush. Part of the Erythroxylum genus, the coca plant, whose leaves were first consumed by Andean Indians, is the source of the raw alkaloids that are refined to make cocaine. In Coca: The Divine Plant of the Incas, W. Golden Mortimer, M.D. presents an exhaustive, encyclopedic look at the plant’s history and pharmacology. He traces its origins among the Native American peoples, who chewed the plant leaves for their stimulating and analgesic properties. From there, he examines the early European colonists’ first encounters with the plant, how it became an object of intense study among naturalists and scientists, and how chemists first used it to create cocaine extract. Coca: The Divine Plant of the Incas includes: • Traditional Indian uses for coca • Early European explorers’ impressions of the plant, first damned as an immoral intoxicant, and then praised as a stimulant for work and travel • The story of Angelo Mariani’s coca-leaf wine, which won accolades from European royalty and the Pope • Botanical aspects of the coca plant varietals • Soil, humidity, elevation, latitude, and other factors necessary for the plant’s growth • How to grow and harvest the plant, and cure and store coca leaf • Chemistry of the leaf, its alkaloids, and its extracts • How to extract cocaine from coca leaf • How to determine the purity and strength of coca extract • Coca and muscular energy, exercise, diet, and fatigue • Coca’s effects on the body, the brain, and the nervous system • The pathology of cocaine use and addiction Filled with rare illustrations and diagrams, Coca: The Divine Plant of the Incas is a thorough historical and scientific examination of this little-understood plant and its products. It belongs in the library of anyone interested in pharmacology, botany, natural studies, or the history and culture of indigenous Americans. Coca explores the fascinating history of Coca, know as the Divine Plant of the Incas. The coca leaf has been chewed and brewed for tea traditionally for centuries among its indigenous peoples in the Andean region – and does not cause any harm and is beneficial to human health when the leaf is chewed. When chewed, coca is a mild stimulant and suppresses hunger, thirst, pain, and fatigue. It helps overcome altitude sickness, which is helpful in the Andes Mountains. It covers the Incan empire, its conquest by the Spaniards, the existence of coca within Incan society, early use of the drug, and the "present day" Indians of Peru. Coca chewing and drinking of coca tea is carried out daily by millions of people in the Andes without problems, and is considered sacred by indigenous cultures. Coca tea is widely used, even outside the Andean Amazon region. Coca leaf was originally used in the soft drink Coca Cola for its stimulant effect, but was removed in 1903 it was removed and replaced by a decocainized coca extract. Traditional medical uses of coca are foremost as a stimulant to overcome fatigue, hunger, and thirst. It also is used as an anesthetic to alleviate the pain of headache and sores. Before stronger anesthetics were available, coca leaves were used for broken bones, childbirth, and during operations on the skull. Coca leaves have been used for centuries as a stimulant. Coca is traditionally cultivated in the lower altitudes of the eastern slopes of the Andes, or the highlands depending on the species grown. Since ancient times, its leaves have been an important trade commodity between the lowlands where it is grown and the higher altitudes where it is widely consumed by the Andean peoples of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Bolivia.Table of ContentsIntroduction to Coca History The Botany of Coca Products of the Coca Leaf Production of Alkaloids Coca & Muscular Energy Action on the Nervous System Physiological Action of Coca Coca As Food

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