Listening to an interview with Nishchal Banskota, founder of Nepal Tea llc, I was struck by a memory he related on something his father (owner of Kanchanjangha Tea Estate and Research Center, Nepal) said to him – that “it is very easy to get into a tea business, but it’s very difficult to get out.” For those of us in this business of researching, buying, blending, teaching, speaking and sharing our love of tea, this statement rings so true. There is always something new to learn and it never gets old.

If you have found yourself drawn into the magic that is tea, there are many well written books out there that will help you in your journey to appreciate the second most consumed beverage in the world. I own dozens of books in hardcover, on my Kindle and as audiobooks. Several books I read over and over and I am always on the hunt for new books on tea. Here are just a very few of my old favorites.

Green Gold: The Empire of Tea by Alan MacFarlane & Iris MacFarlane (The Overlook Press) 2004. Not only the memoir of growing up on an Assam tea plantation, Alan MacFarlane takes us through why tea became the second most popular beverage in the world (No other book I have read on tea outlines it the way he does) and the British role in establishing tea gardens in India. I must admit that I have this also as an audio book. I love the voice of the narrator making it so easy to listen to this book over and over again!

Tea: History Terroirs VarietiesCulinary Tea: More Than 150 Recipes Steeped in Tradition from Around the World by Cynthia Gold and Lise Stern (Running Press) 2010. If you would like to experience your tea as an ingredient in cooking and baking, and as a beverage paired with food like wine, this book is a wonderful resource. Taking you on an inspirational journey that will that will change how you look at preparing food.

he Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss (Ten Speed Press) 2007. If you are looking for a thorough book that will take you from bush to cup including growing regions, production styles, customs, culture health benefits and cooking with tea, this is it. The Heiss’ have been well traveled tea merchants since the early 1990’s and their book is a wonderful reference book for those looking to expand their knowledge of tea.

Darjeeling: The Colorful History and Precarious Fate of the World’s Greatest Tea by Jeff Koehler (Bloomsbury USA) 2015. Darjeeling tea is one of my favorite teas so this book was added to my library immediately upon release. This story of history, politics and unique processing methods added to my enjoyment of this very special tea. Different tea gardens were highlighted including Glenburn and Makaibari whose teas are included in the Greenhalgh Tea inventory.