The French Art of Tea

Cleaning my house this week I came across The French Art of Tea book. I picked the book up several years ago when having tea at the Mariage Freres in Paris. There are some great quotes and tea history in this book, which I will share from time to time. It is the story of the Mariage Freres French Tea House, which was opened in June 1854 by Henri Mariage and Edouard Mariage. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Paris you must have tea at the Mariage Freres. I plan to have tea there in September and reading through the book I can't wait!

THE SPIRIT OF TEA

by Henri Mariage

'Tea: a gift from heaven,

a spiritual beverage

for humanity'

'Tea must be deserved; it is demanding.

Every harvest has its own nature, its secrets'

'Tea is a noble beverage.

Preparing it is an art that combines

skill and tradition'

'Tea weds an individual's consciousness;

it is the surest marker of the soul'

'Tea stirs poetic feeling

and inspires gentle reverie'