Tea Celebrations: The Way to Serenity - Hardcover

Alexandra Stoddard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0688134270 ISBN 13: 9780688134273

Publisher: William Morrow, 1994

Synopsis

Celebrating tea as a beverage soothing to the soul, the author recommends various delightful circumstances for the enjoyment of the soothing drink, emphasizing serenity and spiritual centeredness and featuring recipes. 50,000 first printing.

About this title

About the Author

Author of twenty-four books, Alexandra Stoddard is a sought-after speaker on the art of living. Through her lectures, articles, and books such as Living a Beautiful Life, Things I Want My Daughters to Know, Time Alive, Grace Notes, Open Your Eyes, and Feeling at Home, she has inspired millions to pursue more fulfilling lives. She lives with her husband in New York City and Stonington Village, Connecticut.

Reviews

Stoddard (Creating a Beautiful Home, not reviewed) makes some amazing claims about the healing powers of tea in this overwrought little book that focuses less on cooking than on personal memoir, entertaining hints, and egregiously inane aphorisms. Those who plod through the insipid writing will learn that ``each of us, whether broken or whole, is empowered by tea''; that Stoddard's husband thinks she must have been an apprentice tea-master in a former life; and that the sound track from the film Mission serves as the perfect accompaniment to ironing napkins. She spends an inordinate amount of time explaining how to make the tea experience special with everything from mismatched cups and saucers (buying a complete tea set is ``less exciting'' than collecting porcelain piece by piece) to flower arrangements (go asymmetrical, be sparing, let a leaf or blossom overlap the vase, ``play'') to using decorative swizzle sticks to spice up an ordinary glass of hot or cold tea (she seems especially attached to the set she bought at Pier I: ``Sometimes I put the blue ball at the bottom of the glass, and other times I put it at the top for color and delight''). The prize for making it to the end is a chapter of recipes, both sweet and savory, to serve with tea--from lemon bread to watercress-and-egg sandwiches. Most are well explained, one-bowl operations, and the scones are fabulous. But with only 19 recipes, no serious cook will look at this twice. Tea may soothe, but Stoddard will drive you crazy with her self-conscious, precious drivel. (Illustrations, not seen) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Take time out for a restful tea break! Stoddard's personal philosophy is of a decidedly Eastern persuasion: life should be celebrated through the ceremony of tea. This doyenne of interior decorating extols the benefits of making quiet times a regular part of each day, where one enjoys solitary, comtemplative moments over a simple cup of tea. Stoddard also suggests unhurried tea parties for good friends or honored guests as a sure way of improving the quality of life through the sharing of carefully prepared light fare, fragrant teas, and treasured cups, teapots, linens, and other special items to enhance these occasions. Recipes for assorted goodies are included, and there will be line drawings to illustrate Stoddard's upbeat text. Alice Joyce

Edition details

• Publisher: William Morrow
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0688134270
• ISBN 13: 9780688134273
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Stephen Freeburg
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 227