Among Jane Austen's many attractions for the modern reader are the comfortable domestic details that furnish her novels, and what could be more comforting than tea? Tea was not just a beverage in Austen's time, but a key ingredient in social ritual, and her letters and novels are full of references to its buying, preparing, serving, and drinking. In this book, readers will find not only plenty of tea-related Austen quotes, but a well-researched history of Austen-era tea drinking at different times of day and in different settings. Recipes taken from contemporary cookbooks for old-fashioned delicacies such as orange jelly and syllabub are accompanied by modern adaptations. Austen purists may cringe at the emphasis on cozy charm, but there's definitely something appealing about settling down with a nice cup of Earl Grey, a Bath cake, and a copy of Pride and Prejudice. Perfect for Austen-reading book clubs. Mary Ellen Quinn (Booklist)

"Tea, a social history, and English author Jane Austen—Kim Wilson's delicious little book will instruct and amuse fans of any or all three. . . . Highly recommended." —Tea: A Magazine

"Tea with Jane Austen is not only a good read, but a broad exploration of Austen's era and inner life." —Tea Time

I received this book as a gift two months ago. I took a look and set it aside. I have too hastily judged this book and I am pleased to admit it. The author has done her work well: her goals were to take us to tea with Jane Austen, as the title announces exactly, from breakfast to evening, via shopping, traveling and health. She transports us in early 19th century, with extracts of books and letters written by Jane Austen and others. She gives us recipes, both in their original version (one hour and a half of beating with your hand for a pound cake) and their modern one (lb, grams and cups measurements supplied), in case we wanted to recreate an Austen tea.
There are lovely black line drawings all across the book... not always good matches for the text though: the Hot Bath Cakes recipe extracted from the London Art of Cookery, 1807 is accompanied by a drawing of two ladies taking Ceylon tea, as advertised by the box on the table. But tea wasn't cultivated in Ceylon before 1840. Small glitches keep the reader alert. And details like these ones: "Add horse sweat to the lingering flavor of oilskin, and you get an idea of why many people preferred the taste of legal tea." keep the reader happy to live in 21st century.
A well researched and elegantly wrapped book. KH