Darjeeling

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'Koehler ... has the polymath's curiosity for everything, as well as the writer's ability to listen to and retell a good story … A richly digressive book' - Nicholas Lezard, Guardian



'This exhaustively researched and eminently readable book will delight foodies, history buffs and armchair travelers alike' - Seattle Times



'Koehler has the knack of a good storyteller who has found a great story to tell' - South China Morning Post

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WINNER OF THE IACP AWARD FOR LITERARY FOOD WRITING



Set against the backdrop of the looming Himalayas and drenching monsoons, this is the story of how Darjeeling developed its tea industry under Imperial British rule and eventually came to produce the world's finest leaves. But today the industry is battling dropping production ,a violent struggle for independent statehood, labour unrest and the devastating effect of climate change. It's the story, too, of the measures being taken to counter these challenges and save India's most exclusive and iconic brew that are nothing short of radical.



A fascinating portrait of the region and a story rich in intrigue and empire, full of adventurers and romance, it illuminates the historic, arcane and changing world of this celebrated tea.

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'His prose is both sensory and balletic' - Chicago Tribune

'The history of this elixir turns out to be fascinating' - Geographical

'The perfect present for a tea toper' - Oldie

'It makes you want to sip a perfectly brewed cup and so makes your life better' - Mark Kurlansky, author of Cod, Salt and The Big Oyster