TeaHaus

Mono Gemiini Stackable Cream & Sugar

“Gemiini” stackable porcelain cream and sugar set.

mono.de

Mono Gemiini Cup & Saucer (set of two)

“Gemiini” porcelain cup and saucer set of two.

mono.de

Mono Gemiini Warmer

“Gemiini” warmer. For use with the Gemiini-style teapot.

mono.de

Mono Gemiini Teapot

“Gemiini” porcelain teapot.

mono.de

Mono Filio Cream & Sugar Set

“Filio”, sugar/creamer set.

mono.de

Mono Filio Cups (set of two)

“Filio”, set of glass teacup.

mono.de

Mono Filo Teapot

“Filio”, teapot with integrated warmer.

mono.de

Tea by Lydia Gautier

Prepare for a richly exotic voyage across continents and centuries in this in-depth exploration of the world of tea. Like wine, tea has its own prestigious growing regions and plantations where are produced refined, noble, and modern varieties as distinctive as the terroir on which they are grown. This impressive volume follows the trade routes of the familiar yet mysterious tea leaf, from the origins of cultivation in China to Japan’s legendary tea ceremony to the ritual of afternoon tea in the U.K. Practical advice describes the benefits of tea in the diet, the optimum brewing temperature, and precise measurements for steeping the perfect cup. Profiles of the Grand Crus of tea (32 worldwide varieties) plus recipes that pair well with tea or have tea as an ingredient are also featured. Rich and sumptuous photographs lead us through this ancient but still contemporary pursuit that reaches from remote Asian villages to exotic islands to today’s modern cities. Tea is a book to be savored with all the senses.

The Contemporary Tea House: Japan’s Top Architects Redefine a Tradition

This vibrant, relevant study from architects Ando, Fujimori and Isozaki looks at the present moment of a centuries-old Japanese tradition, the chashitsu, or “tea room.” In first-person narratives, leading Japanese architects discuss their contemporary take on the classic tea ceremony space. Full-color photographs, design sketches and polished plans are clearly laid out along with text, and each chapter focuses on a number of works by a single architect. Fujimori’s chapter, for example, includes an elaborate tree-top tea house, an “enormous woven bamboo birdcage” called The Forum and a room built especially to host France’s President Chirac. Ando gets to the heart of the matter in his statement of purpose: “not to dwell solely on the abstract; but to explore abstract concepts by expressing them through material phenomena.” Three more architects-Isozaki, Kengo Kuma and Hiroshi Hara-discuss their designs, and how they relate to the genre’s traditions, in similar terms, focusing on the “tension between abstraction and representation.” Especially fascinating are discussions of materials used: for Fujimori, the most important components are “raw, unworked materials” and “amateur artisans” to do all the building. Throughout, the houses’ elegance and simplicity are reflected in the text; lush images, meanwhile, provide tranquil warmth and a real sense of place.

Miss Spider’s Tea Party

What’s a sociable spider to do when no one will accept her invitations to tea? Seemingly unaware of her own predatory reputation, the eponymous arachnid is perplexed and saddened when a parade of potential guests scuttles, scampers and scurries away “in mortal dread.” A timely rainstorm provides the perfect opportunity for Miss Spider to prove her good intentions, however, as she lovingly nurtures a rain-soaked moth with sweets and warm brew. Good news travels quickly, and before long her web is abuzz with a full-scale tea party. “Her friends were glad to watch her feast / Upon the floral centerpiece. / It was a great relief to see / She ate just flowers and drank just tea.” First-time author Kirk’s rhyming text, with its singsong rhythm and counting motif (two beetles are followed by three fireflies, then four bumblebees, etc.), is slack and predictable, but his illustrations are thoroughly original. The stylized paintings are flecked with a shimmery light that accentuates the bold, often garish, juxtaposition of colors and increases the whimsy of the appropriately bug-eyed cast. All ages.

Read more on Miss Spider’s Tea Party…