Darjeeling

Reviews / Votes

It is not just about Darjeeling, though; and not even just about tea. It is also about the history of colonial and post-colonial India ... As for the rest, it is a book teeming with characters and interest. Koehler, described as "writer, photographer, traveller and cook", has the polymath's curiosity for everything, as well as the writer's ability to listen to and retell a good story ... A richly digressive book -- Nicholas Lezard * Guardian * We live in an age when it has become important to celebrate those few really fine things that are made with care and to document their struggle to survive - never done better than in Jeff Koehler's passionate study of Darjeeling tea. It makes you want to sip a perfectly brewed cup and so makes your life better * <b>Mark Kurlansky, author of <i>Cod</i>, <i>Salt</i> and <i>The Big Oyster</i></b> * This exhaustively researched and eminently readable book will delight foodies, history buffs and armchair travelers alike * Seattle Times * The author's friendly writing style and obvious passion for the subject makes the book an entertaining read * Library Journal * When he writes about the tea itself ... how the pickers skillfully pluck the leaves and toss them into a basket, how the tea smells as it's being dried, the daily taste tests at each estate - his prose is both sensory and balletic * Chicago Tribune * Koehler has the knack of a good storyteller who has found a great story to tell * South China Morning Post * The history of this elixir turns out to be fascinating * Geographical * The perfect present for a tea toper * Oldie * The story of Darjeeling is a romance, rich in history, intrigue and tales of empire, and Koehler tells it with tremendous flourish -- Jane Shilling * Daily Mail *