Books for your Christmas List? I have a few ideas... and if you love TEA, you'll love this...

 Hello and Welcome to Kirsty's amazing Book Review!

(*like i am on the Telly, wearing glasses that make me look clever*)

This is a gorgeous book newly published by "hardie grant"

 and just in-time for Christmas Lists and Christmas Gifts.

So here is my indepth Tea Discussion...

Do you know what breaks my heart? A Department Store restaurant where i sit, with a nasty white chipped tea pot and stained, thick rimmed tea cup. In the Tea Pot is a stale tasting tea bag on a string, the tea barely strong enough to colour the water...

Is this the end of Tea... TEA as we know it? And all the beauty that goes with it? Has the Costa Coffee generation contributed to the demise of the Tea Shoppe?

 Now Blog Friends - i know you well enough I think...

and if i tell you this book is called TEA & CAKE we need not review it any further as i have the feeling it is SOLD! on the title alone :)

It is though, a lovely book and nobody has paid me to say this to you.

 Seriously, nobody needs a book about Tea and more Recipes for Cake: we know this.

But "Tea& Cake" is really pretty and will totally inspire and indulge anyone who loves their cups of tea, their girly coffee mornings, or the odd Tea Party.

 This has to be my favourite page....

an awesome illustrative explanation to the types of tea we like!

And the illustrations are beautifully and thoughtfully done by Emma Block.

Emma Block likes "Charity Shops, Tea and very sharp pencils" so surely she is a friend of ours?

 I said to Emma: "My Blog readers and I LOVE vintage tea cups, teapots, colourful mugs... do they inspire you too?

And where did you find all the cups involved in your illustrations?"

Emma said to us: "Almost all of the tea cups in the book are mine or my granny’s. I have quite a large vintage teacup collection and I find it really helps to draw from life. I did find a few on etsy though. My grandpa is an antique silver dealer and he is very pleased that my drawings of his silver sugar tongs and caddy spoons are in the book"

 Emma, Has the British ‘Tea’ really turned into “Let’s have a milky brew, made with a bag in a mug, stood at the kitchen work surface”?

Aaah, replies Emma, "I think real tea is coming back. We’ve gotten used to expecting a bit more than a Tetley’s tea bag floating in a mug when we go to a cafe. More often we see ‘posh tea bags’ (Tea Pigs are a good example) and occasionally a loose leaf tea, which all seems to justify the ever increasing price tag of the humble cup of tea"

 I was superbly surprised to find the section on coctails in the book!!

You know i have my bookmark pinned in the page called THE NAUGHTY EARL

so this isn't all about pretty illustrations of Victoria Sponge... there are lots of tea based ideas to keep us fans inspired.

 You will really like this book i think, otherwise i wouldn't be telling you all about it.

I am keeping my copy because i am selfish but i might be buying one for my friend for Christmas (don't tell her) and then you will be itching to put out your thrifted table cloths and best mis-matched china and get the girls over for tea.... invite me won't you?

 And very soon i shall be reviewing the *new* Pip Lincolne Book

AND.....

I have a copy to giveaway to a lucky Blog Friend so keep your eyes on the Blog my cosy wee Tea & Craft Fans

xxx

*slurp*