Saturday, March 6, 2010

Tea and Books Saturday #10 - "The Tea Cookbook"


The Tea Cookbook
By William I. Kaufman
Doubleday, 1966


William I. Kaufman, author of such titles as "The Nut Cookbook," "The Hot Dog Cookbook" and "The Coffee Cookbook," is described on the dust jacket of this book as a serious collector of recipes who traveled far and wide gathering new recipes for his collection. No surprise, then, that this book is part history, part how-to, and part cookbook. The first section of recipes features dishes made using tea as an actual ingredient, such as the very first recipe in the book, Savory Tea Pot Roast. It is made with "4 cups strong tea including leaves," but lots of the other tea-as-an-ingredient recipes call for instant tea, which I doubt very many of us are using today. Still, even those recipes are ones I will use as inspiration and try to adapt by perhaps replacing or infusing the liquid ingredients with real tea.

The black and white photos of food, which appear courtesy of Lipton, are quite sixties looking. Someday soon, I have decided, I am going to consult my various books and scan some photos of teatime fare from the sixties on to see if you can guess which decade is featured. I'll bet you can, because our food tables look much more polished today!

In his chapter on tea parties, Kaufman maintains there are five categories of such parties: the nursery tea, the informal tea, the formal tea, the tea reception and the "high tea." (He has "high tea" in quotes, so I shall as well.) I actually thought I sort of made up the wedding tea reception, but Kaufman's book makes it clear mine was not a first, although I greatly agree that this is a fine way to serve a large crowd at a wedding celebration. His "high tea" menu, however, almost made me gag: grilled sausages, grilled sardines on toast, tiny codfish balls, chicken livers wrapped in bacon, etc. (I realize he's using "high tea" in the proper sense, but still ... is that a tea menu you'd care for? Not me!)

This book also provided a bit of useful info I'd never come across before, and if you have, I'd love to know the source. Kaufman says that while the French were not especially big tea drinkers, "it is important to credit the French with the innovation of adding cream and milk to tea. It is a contribution to tea drinking for which many imbibers are exceedingly grateful and illustrates to a great degree the gift which the French have for gastronomic discovery." Tidbits like that, along with some unique recipes, certainly make it worth tracking down a copy of "The Tea Cookbook."

12 comments:

  1. That does sound like an interesting book with some unusual recipes. I'd never heard that the French were the first to add milk to their tea. This could provide a little research fun. Thanks for another great book review.

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  2. When it comes to the "high tea" menu, I think I'll have to quote my grandson -- "Yuck!" B-)

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  3. Sounds like an interesting book!

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  4. You have sure found some gem teabooks lately - I am still dreaming of that Tea With the Bennets one from England. I saw one on Amazon (used) for like $46.00 and thought "no thanks" but still dreaming about it just the same. This book looks fabulous!

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  5. How could any discussion of teas exclude the what is, perhaps, the most famous of them all - Afternoon Tea. Did Kaufmann leave this out?

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  6. I agree with your comments on the 'fishy entrees' for tea time...not for me either! Thank you sharing the book with us, looks interesting.

    Have a great weekend,
    Joanie

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  7. I love your book reviews. Yet another book I have not heard of.

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  8. I've never heard of the French adding milk to their tea either. Thanks for the review.

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  9. Wow - a man ahead of his time with the use of tea as an actual ingredient! (Or maybe we're all way behind!) ;-)

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  10. I make a wonderful pot roast, Swedish style, with a cup of very strong coffee, with cream and sugar as the liquid. Took me 16 years to try it, but it is soo good. I will try the one with tea and not wait 16 years! LOLOL

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  11. Except for shortbread cookies, I still find it difficult to use tea in my cooking. Perhaps someday soon I will brave the brew!

    Ooooh that would be fun to see your retro pictures, I lurve them and often use them in my posts too.

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  12. As the daughter of William I. Kaufman and Rosamond VP Kaufman (the anonymous collaborator on all of WIK's books) I was delighted to read this astute review and your many comments. All of you tea lovers and officionados will be happy to learn that Miriam Novalle, owner of the reknown TSalon in NY - and the newly opened TSalon in LA - are working on an update version of this wonderful book so stay tuned!

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