I know it looks silly, but it's far more interesting and substantive than it sounds. Lots of quotes and Austen references, but more of a social history of tea—not so much the beverage as the ritual. Quick and fun reading.

A thin little book with a lot of illustrations and quotes in big print, that accomplishes its purpose of exploring tea practices of Jane's era, and in particular of Jane herself. Although mostly a discussion of social customs, the book also includes a dozen or so recipes, most of them offered first as written in Jane's lifetime, and then translated for a modern kitchen. I would have liked some color illustrations, for example of Jane's brother's Wedgwood set, but wasn't surprised by the lack and...

In Regency era England, the popularity and social importance of tea-drinking is exemplified by Jane Austen’s characters no less than fifty-eight times in her six major novels. The observant reader will recognize pivotal events transpire around sitting down and taking tea: In Emma, Miss Bates declines coffee “No coffee, I thank you, for me-never take coffee. A little tea if you please,” in Northanger Abbey impressionable Catherine Moreland drinks tea with the Tilney’s and is awed by the “elegance...

Tea with Jane Austen is a lovingly told tale of the importance of tea in the life of those who lived in the Regency Era. It is all here: How to make tea, tea and toast for breakfast (the usual breakfast fare for all but the wealthiest households), seeping the tea leaves, tea caddies and miscellaneous utensils, shopping for tea sets, and the different types of teas. In Austen's time, tea was a valuable commodity that was kept under lock and key. In the Austen household, Jane was the keeper of the...

It's the second book called 'Tea with Jane Austen' that I'm reading this month, and although this naming similarity is a bit confusing, the books are quite different and complement each other nicely. This one doesn't have any food photography and has fewer recipes, but instead provides curious tea-related facts from the times of Jane Austen. Again, my only regret is that it's such a little book. I wish the illustrations could be larger and the author would go more in-depth.But again, I'm being p...

Well, I don't know why I took so long to read this. It was a birthday gift from several years ago and while I was obviously interested enough to keep it, I kept putting off reading it. I guess because it's non-fiction and I can struggle with reading that in physical copy. (Audio tends to do better for me with that kind of book.) But I got distracted while cleaning recently, picked it up to dust the cover and thought, "what exactly is this about, anyway?" Then I opened it, skimmed it, and found i...

Illustrated with period illustrations and peppered with quotes from the novels and other books of the period, this slim volume contains all you ever wanted to know about the social history of tea in Jane Austen's World. The book is broken down into times of day and explains why and how tea was taken with examples from Jane Austen's writings. There are also a few recipes for tea treats and you can even make them at home with the handily provided modern recipe. The recipes use both British and Am

You know there is a stereotype of unsophisticated english cuisine and gosh this book unintentionally strengthens this notion. Oats water, Barley jelly...and on top of all Syllabab - white wine with whiped cream, lemon and sugar - OMG is this even real? :) But jokes aside it's a really nice quick read that introduces us an english tea culture on the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries through the anecdotes from life of Jane Austen and her literary characters.But most important - it succeeded to c...

This book was very interesting and informative, a portrayal of Jane Austen, how she acquired her tea, which teas she preferred to drink, and what she served with her tea, including some recipes, as well as a history of tea, the availability of different types of tea in Jane Austen's time, and the evolution of tea in general. I particularly enjoyed reading the excerpts from Austen's novels and letters. This is a great book for both tea lovers and Jane Austen fans. I highly recommend it!

Lots of excerpts from letters from Jane to her sister and quotes from her novels. Tea figured prominently in Jane Austen's life. Lots of history and recipes for food served with tea as well as for brewing the perfect cup of tea. I was shocked at how difficult it was to make cakes in the 1800's without electricity, baking pwder/soda, etc. Who needs a gym when you could just make pound cake which required 1-2 hours of hand mixing!

I adore this book! I think I'd give it 4.5 stars, though, because I waver between thinking it was perfectly brief and thinking it could have been longer.

When I received this book as a gift, I expected it to be mostly filled with recipes, alongside various Austen quotes which mention tea. It is far, far more than that. Tea With Jane Austen is a fine piece of food history, detailing how the consumption of tea in England had evolved by the Regency era. Each point is illustrated with quotes from the Austen novels, unfinished works, and letters. The chapters conclude with historical recipes and modern adaptations of them. Understanding food is a larg...

If you are watching or reading Jane Austen this book will be very helpful. It goes over not just the role tea played in society it also covers numerous other aspects of social behavior in Jane Austen's day. I felt after reading this that I had a better understanding of the social dynamics in th enovels. It does have two other bonuses: an extensive bibliography with other intriguing materials to read, and recipes for foods of the period adapted to todays measures. I also really enjoyed th equotes...

A history of tea and tea-time in England with emphasis on Jane Austen's lifetime as well as examples of different tea traditions from different levels of British society and quotes from Austen's novels that illustrate these traditions. Did you know that coffee appeared in England before tea? Some households even served coffee or hot cocoa instead of tea at tea time but since tea had become the fashionable drink of high society and royalty this afternoon or evening repast became refered to as "te...

A delightful little book. Granted, I'm probably not this author's target demographic, but I still enjoyed it. The author did well in discussing social situations where one would encounter tea in Austen's time and the particular habits of the Austen family as described in their personal correspondence. Great for anyone with an insatiable love of the beverage. History buffs should be forewarned that it also contains recipes. Read tea-related articles on my website: http://joshuarigsby.com

I most enjoyed the historical aspect of this book. Very few of us think about the history of food and drink even though they are integral to each of us. This book not only brings in the history but also Jane Austen's works and recipes.

A cute little book; slightly more substance than some books of this type, but mostly just a conversation piece.

2.5Meh. Nice idea but heavy on the dull, light on the charming and absolutely no recipes I would use.

The finer points of tea-making and the relevancy that it had for those who lived during Jane Austen’s time are described with a deep sense of appreciation in this introduction to the habit, as portrayed in the novelist’s own works and other writings. As Tom Carpenter (Trustee at Jane Austen’s House, Chawton) points out in his Foreword to this guide, “[i]t is easy to pass over what may appear to be minor or peripheral description to the major story in Jane Austen’s novels, but as this book shows,...

As a tea lover, I enjoyed this book all about my favorite beverage, tea. I received this book as a gift and finished it in a mere 2 short sittings. If you're a Jane Austen fan, you'd really love this book. I've read some of Jane's books but can't say that I'm a fan or expert about her books. So, let's stick with the tea. Back in the 1700s tea was only for the wealthy classes in Britain. It was smuggled and sold on the black market, etc. Servants were not permitted to make the tea or get near it

This is a delightful and very informative book detailing the importance of tea in the lives of Jane Austen and her contemporaries. There are historical facts concerning the rise of tea to the prominence it gained in Austen's era. What makes this book special are the excerpts from Austen's books and letters that provide examples of buying and serving tea and the part it plays in daily life. Lovely sketches accompany the text in this book that is produced on high quality paper. It's a trip back in...

A well researched and thoughtful book, and like its title suggests, its entirely about the tea based economy in Regency (and some Victorian) England. It had dabbles of Jane Austen, but if you want to know everything tea during the late 18th and early 19th century, this is your jam. I am not sure I will use it fully in my books, as I read this with the sole purpose of researching Regency for my forthcoming historical romance novels, but I do know now that people did drink green tea during that ti...

I learned so much about the perioud that Jane Austin lived regarding tea and certain social facts. It was valuable as a genealogist. Better understanding the time when tea had just come to be the beverage of choice in Britain. Not long before the Boston Tea Party really. A good read for anyone that wants to come away with a better understanding of something that sounds so very simple. "Having a spot of tea.".

I thought this would be a book of recipes and while it does include recipes, it was more about what tea drinking was like in Austen’s day. It’s a social history with some recipes thrown in. It was a delightful little book! And I do mean little. It’s fairly short and doesn’t go beyond tea drinking but it was just the right amount for getting a good idea of the customs surrounding tea in the time period without being overwhelmed by the details or broader scope. It was really delightful.

Someone gave me this book, knowing I am a big fan of Jane Austen, and I assumed it would be a shallow treatment. It is a pleasure to read, with quotes from Austen novels and letters as well as from contemporary literature, recipes from that period as well as updated versions, and charming illustrations. I learned a lot.

Tea is an important part of all Jane Austen's works. She was the keeper and maker of tea in her family and each chapter of this small book contains a description of how tea was served at a particular place or time of day. It includes history, recipes, and even how to make a perfect cup of tea.

Much more interesting than you might expect, facts about tea and how tea played out within the strict hierarchy of Recency era England were informative. Excerpts from Austen's works and correspondence rounded it out, and the recipes within were so much fun to read.

This book states more social history and occasions for British tea drinking, with modern recipes and frequent quotations from Jane Austin's writing. I was looking for more technical information and accoutrements on tea drinking in Regency England.

Great book talking about tea in Jane Austen’s time: looking at types, cost, customs etc. There are numerous references to Jane Austen’s letters and novels, shedding light on the author and the world of her characters.

I received this book as part of a birthday present from a friend, and I’m happy to say that it was an easy, charming read with a lot of interesting historical facts and cool recipes that I’m looking forward to trying out!