Author: Peter GW Keen

A Darjeeling Devotee Makes His Acquaintance with Chai

September 4, 2017

This is a sort of confession, sort of conversion and definite personal surprise. It’s not “about” chais but offers suggestions on how to discover them for yourself. Chai is a style of tea, rather than a precise specification or... ... READ MORE

When war came to Assam

Peter GW Keen .

August 17, 2017

“The Stalingrad of the East… Named at the ceremony as Britain’s greatest battle, ahead of Waterloo and D-Day… The last Great Stand of Empire… The largest volunteer army in world history… Thirty of the total of 182 Victoria Crosses... ... READ MORE

Tea of the Future: How Science Fiction Sees It

Peter GW Keen .

August 4, 2017

By far the best-known quote about tea comes from science fiction. It is, of course, from Jean Luc Picard, the sophisticated French captain of Starship Enterprise: “Tea. Lapsang Souchong. Hot.” Well, that’s what it was intended to be. Of... ... READ MORE

A spot or more…milk in your tea

Peter GW Keen .

July 14, 2017

Classic burning issues of deep trivia about tea have long been whether to add milk and, if so, which to put into the cup first. A corresponding historical question is who initially made this radical culture move, when and... ... READ MORE

Tea, in the White House

Peter GW Keen .

July 1, 2017

Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe… These first five Presidents of the United States were very different in personality, temperament, wealth, professional background, physique, and skills, but they and their wives shared one distinctive characteristic that may seem surprising: a... ... READ MORE

A Beginner’s Guide to Assam Teas

Peter GW Keen .

June 9, 2017

If your core taste preference is for strong black teas, Assam is a good starting point for exploration. It is the largest single tea producing region in the world and a core of the British style of tea, which... ... READ MORE

How tea helped in the fight for women’s rights!

Peter GW Keen .

May 24, 2017

Tearooms are romantically portrayed as cozy and pleasant places to relax and enjoy teas with cakes, biscuits and sandwiches. Their mythology is reinforced through evocations of scones and clotted cream. Hidden behind the Olde Worlde facade is a darker... ... READ MORE

Would you like some sugar in your tea? Or a little tea in your sugar?

Peter GW Keen .

May 17, 2017

Here’s a simple thought exercise. Imagine a standard cup of fresh brewed tea, with a sugar bowl beside it. Pick up the spoon and start adding sugar. One spoonful, two, three, four, five. Don’t stop. Six, seven, eight, nine,... ... READ MORE

From history, a long and complicated relationship with tea

Peter GW Keen .

May 5, 2017

Tea has had a pervasive impact on almost all areas of society for almost four hundred years in the West and somewhere between two and three millennia in Asia. It has been a consequential and even pivotal factor in... ... READ MORE

Author: Peter GW Keen

A Darjeeling Devotee Makes His Acquaintance with Chai

When war came to Assam

Tea of the Future: How Science Fiction Sees It

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A spot or more…milk in your tea

Tea, in the White House

A Beginner’s Guide to Assam Teas

How tea helped in the fight for women’s rights!

Would you like some sugar in your tea? Or a little tea in your sugar?

From history, a long and complicated relationship with tea

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