Tea is so much more than a simple infusion: it is a sign of taste, an excuse for a get-together or a spiritual moment. Drinking tea is a symbol of conviviality and great hospitality, a pleasant way to be sociable, to share time with one or more friends, and to create peace and harmony. But it can also be a real form of meditation: sipping this noble beverage alone is a way to reclaim time; it envelops you in a warm embrace, bestowing a sense of satisfaction and pleasure. This volume offers a modern vision of a drink that has been with us for millennia, describing the ritual instruments to make this "perfect infusion" and how to prepare it, taking you from its remote origins to its present fortunes, through a 5,000-year-long history. Tea is a refined product that today is considered a true gastronomic delicacy at all levels: it is a drink possessing a range of aromas as rich as that of wine, and as a product of the territory it also has its crus and names. Through an introduction to sensory analysis, tea enthusiasts will discover the bouquet of different aromas, and the grammar of flavours, unveiling the emotional enjoyment that tea savouring entails. This richly illustrated guide is an initiation to the art of professional tea tasting with a description of its rules and of the tea sommelier tools. AUTHOR: Fabio Petroni has worked with the top professionals of the sector. His professional career path led him to specialise in portraits and still life, fields in which he distinguished himself for his intuitive and meticulous style. Gabriella Lombardi was led to Granada, in southern Spain through her university studies and there,where the influence of Arab culture is an integral part of the atmosphere, mixed with the aroma of tea that everyone drinks in the numerous teterias or tea rooms, she became enamoured of tea and its rituals. In 2010 Lombardi decided to change her lifestyle and realise a dream by opening the Cha Tea Atelier, the first shop with a tea room in Milan specialised in the tasting and sale of quality tea. A curious traveller, she goes regularly to China to continue to learn the secrets of the art of tea-making, increasing her expertise in places where this extraordinary beverage originated. Tea Sommelier is her first book. 220 colour photographs
Tea Sommelier
Description
Author Description
Photographer Fabio Petroni specializes in portraits and still lifes. Over the years he has photographed leading Italian celebrities, and he now works with top advertising agencies where he handles the publications of some important Italian brands. His books with White Star include "Horses: Master Portraits," "Mutt's Life!," "Cocktails," and "Supercats!" He lives and works in Milan.
Gabriella Lombardi attended university in Granada, Spain, where she became enamored of tea and its rituals thanks to the city's numerous teterias or tearooms. When she returned to Italy, Gabriella worked as an advertising sales agent until, in 2010, she realized her dream by opening the Cha Tea Atelier, the first shop in Milan specializing in the tasting and sale of quality tea. She regularly visits China to learn more about the art of tea making and to increase her expertise in the cultures where this extraordinary beverage originated. Gabriella lives and works in Milan."