The Book of Coffee & Tea - Joel, David, & Karl Schapira

This is the 1975 first edition of the book, which has subsequently been revised and reprinted.  The three authors are part of a family business in New York (Schapira's) with the motto, "It's not coffee, it's art."  The book itself is a great read, giving detailed histories of both coffee and tea, along with recipes and buying advice.  Our copy had a flurry of checkouts in the mid-90's, plus one in 2005, so the topic still seems to be of interest.

My first reaction to the book was that it was an excellent reference book, telling the background story of these two beverages in such vivid detail.  But as I read, I noticed that there are no footnotes, no citations, no references, and just a basic "Suggestions for Further Reading."  I question where the authors found the plethora of historical facts, quotes, cultural references, and ancient recipes, since there is no ability to trace the information back.  Perhaps newer editions include more detailed research material.

Cover image: Openlibrary.org

The authors go to great lengths explaining all of the political intrigue and cultural revolutions associated with both coffee and tea.  It is in those areas where I would prefer to see some sort of back-up to their claims.  For example, there is the story of how Francisco de Melo Palheta wooed the Governor of French Guinea's wife and was able to abscond with a coffee plant to Brazil, thereby starting the massive coffee plantations of that country.

Perhaps the most intriguing stories in the book have to do with the ups/downs of the coffee and tea trades, with each going through cycles of booms and busts.  It can be easy to forget how something as common as a cup of coffee or tea is really a commodity, produced in mass quantity somewhere, bought and sold in huge quantities in exchanges and markets.  There is a lot of history and international trade in each cup you drink.

The authors do a great job in telling the stories of coffee and tea.  The chapters follow the same patterns: first the background history, then how each is grown, then manufacturing, different varieties, and finally how best to enjoy these beverages and a few recipes.  There is also a short chapter on herbal teas.  An interesting part of the book is the "shopping guide" at the back - it lists different places to purchase quality coffee and tea all over the U.S., but is only 13 pages long.  There is an entry for Starbucks that makes it seem as though there was only one cafe at the time - a different world indeed!