The Windless Calm Of Tea with James Norwood Pratt

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Tea is a miracle of vegetation that not only benefits our health but enhances our mood. It is understood to be liquid sunshine, a beverage distilled from the energy of the sun and has been part of human culture for 6000 years. Tea can mellow us out or energize and exhilarate us, and many Americans are abandoning soft drinks and becoming tea drinkers. Pratt educates us, “In all of nature tea is the only plant that combines the chemicals that wake us up, stimulate us, caffeine principally, with chemical constituents that also soothe and calm us. Nothing else in all of nature does both of these things at the same time.” There are many families of teas including black tea, green tea, white (oolong) tea, Jasmine & Floral tea, and herbals. And, depending on how the tea leaf is processed, you get radically different teas. Let yourself be amazed by the history of tea, how it is harvested, the best way to brew it, and how it lubricates many social activities. (hosted by Phil Cousineau)

Bio

For more than thirty years James Norwood Pratt has been a presence on the international tea scene, becoming Honorary Director of America's first traditional Chinese tea house and International Juror of India's first-ever tea competition and a force for excellence as educator and authority on tea and tea lore. He has been described by Chinese tea connoisseurs as the apostle of tea to the round eyes and by other commentators as a tea angel or America's tea sage.

James Norwood Pratt's books include:

• The Wine Bibber's Bible (Macmillan Publishers 1981)
• New Tea Lover's Treasury : The Classic True Story of Tea (Tea Society 1991)
• The Tea Lover's Companion: The Ultimate Connoisseur's Guide to Buying Brewing and Enjoying Tea (Birch Lane Press 1996)
• James Norwood Pratt's Tea Dictionary (Tea Society 2010)
• The Ultimate Tea Lover's Treasury (Sevan Shah and Ravi Sutodia for Tea Society 2011)

To learn more about James Norwood Pratt go to www.jamesnorwoodpratt.com.

Topics Explored in This Dialogue

• Why is tea both exhilarating and comforting
• What is the best way to buy tea being assured it is fair trade and organic
• What is the history of tea
• What is the Camellia sinensis plant
• What is the dark side of tea history
• What are the social benefits of tea
• What is the proper way to make tea

Host: Phil Cousineau   Interview Date: 8/4/2014   Program Number: 3516

Music Playlist

Album: Music from the film, The Meaning of Tea
Artists: Joel Douek & Eric Czar
1997 Quinland Road Music

Opening Essay: Track 14 Wu Wei
Music Break 1: Track 03 Tea South Dakota
Music Break 2: Track 11 Tea Ceremony
Music Break 3: Track 13 Nantou Mist