
Two great books for this time of year or anytime...
My guests were Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss. Mary Lou Heiss and her husband, Robert, have owned and operated Cooks Shop Here, a purveyor of fine tea and other specialty food products, since 1974. Mary Lou is also the author of Green Tea. When not traveling to source teas and other ingredients for their shop, they make their home in western Massachusetts, where Robert’s lively food radio program can be heard each week. The Heisses’s deep respect for and passionate interest in artisan food products, traditional foods, and the history and evolution of world cuisines bring a global perspective to their work.
Learn more: www.cooksshophere.com

Whether it’s a delicate green tea or a bracing Assam black, a cup of tea is a complex brew of art and industry, tradition and revolution, East and West. In this sweeping tour through the world of tea, veteran tea traders Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss chronicle tea’s influence across the globe and provide a complete reference for choosing, drinking, and enjoying this beverage.
Vividly illustrated throughout, THE STORY OF TEA is an engrossing tribute to the illustrious, invigorating, and elusive leaf that has sustained and inspired people for more than two thousand years.
“Put this in your cup and sip it: The
Story of Tea will take you around the world and back home again,
hopefully with a fine cup of tea in your hands.”
—Kansas City
Star

When summer days give way to autumn crispness and the first snows of winter, falling temperatures send you searching for thick sweaters and woolly hats. But nothing warms you down to the soul like a steaming mug of hot chocolate or spicy mulled cider. HOT DRINKS presents fifty recipes for delicious coffees, teas, chocolates, ciders, punches, and cocktails to sip in front of a crackling fire or heat up holiday get-togethers. You'll find a toasty pick-me-up for every frosty occasion, including classics like Hot Buttered Rum, Cafe con Leche, and Moroccan Mint Tea, as well as new twists on old favorites like Snowflake Vanilla White Chocolate, Hot Wasabi Red Snapper, and West Indies Pineapple Cup. Easy to mix and full of rich flavor, these cold-weather warmers are guaranteed to chase away the winter chills.