telynor's Full Review: Jane Pettigrew - Design For Tea: Tea Wares From Th...
It's odd, but as our world becomes more modern and convenient, and more rushed, I've found that I need a time where everything is entirely self-indulgent, where I can take a half-hour or so, and rest. The magic cure for me is the custom of afternoon tea, and to a lesser extent, an ever-growing collection of tea wares. It may seem terribly old-fashioned, but there something very renewing about being able to have a well-brewed pot of tea, served on good china, with an accompanying nibble or two that may be sweet or savory.
Longtime scholar on the subject of tea drinking, Jane Pettigrew, has taken a look at all of the accessories and paraphernalia that surround the art of tea, and taken a look not just at what is used, but also the history and the why an object has come to be created. Accompanied by plenty of illustrations and photographs, along with little sidebars filled with quotes and excerpts, this is an excursion through the tea table, from humble spoons and tea cups and cozies, all the way to trays and tables, and how and when they were used.
Starting first with the topic of tea pots, and tea cups, Pettigrew traces the origins of how tea was brewed up in China, and shows how the custom arrived in England and Europe, and how the shape and designs of tea ware were influenced by both sides of the export trade. When the English began to uncover the secrets of Chinese porcelain, much of which was devoted to the creation of objects for enjoying tea. As tea was an expensive commodity, it was first drunk by the Royal Court and the aristocracy, but was also quickly adopted by the middle classes and the poor. To have a complete set of china for afternoon tea was certainly a status symbol, and those that could afford it indulged in collecting exquisitely made pieces.
There's also an interesting bit of lore as to why oriental cups do not have handles, and those used in the West do. While Ms. Pettigrew doesn't focus much of her attention on Chinese lore and utensils, preferring instead to look at how custom evolved and how the items would match a need.
What I found interesting was the use of Tipping Kettles -- there is a particularly beautiful example shown -- an item that tea is not brewed in, but rather the water is brought to a boil in, and the history of the tea cozy.
Where this book really works is in the identification of various items -- tea caddies, mote spoons, caddy spoons, and right down to linens to line trays, cover tables and even napkins. Ms. Pettigrew's writing style is elegant and forthright, without being twee or overly cute. While each chapter is very brief, and the book itself is under two hundred pages, it is crammed full of useful information. This would be wonderful for those who enjoy hunting in antique shops and flea markets, or have found a collection of items in their grandmother's attic, and trying to figure out what they are.
What I hope this book will do is inspire others to go beyond just dunking a tea bag into a mug into a kitchen and revive the art of taking tea for themselves as a means to sidestep the rushed world that we live in now. There is something wonderful about the ritual of taking tea with others, and the invitation that it gives to sit down and take a moment, and simply talk and exchange ideas (not to mention gossip as well).
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