Most books about tea choose a single path: history, brewing, culture, or science. Leaf by Leaf follows the whole road.
 
This book was born from years spent learning tea from the inside out: trekking the misty mountains and forest gardens of Taiwan, sitting in the serene discipline of Japanese tearooms, peering into the hidden microbial worlds beneath the soil, and always returning to the simple, shared joy of a cup of tea. It's written for beginners, enthusiasts, and lifelong students alike, revealing new layers as your understanding grows.
 
At its heart, Leaf by Leaf is about the relationship between leaf and land, maker and drinker, ritual and everyday life. Tea is not a mere product here; it's a living system, shaped by ecology, history, culture, and human care.
 
Along the way, you'll discover how tea is grown, made, brewed, and tasted. You'll explore tasting practices that sharpen your senses, tea myths and legends, and the tools and materials that quietly shape flavour and energy in every cup. You will even learn how to grow your own tea!
 
The book also moves into the deeper layers of tea: the chemistry and microbiology of fermentation, the role of fungi and soil life, and the ethical realities of modern tea farming. History unfolds through the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties, across the Tea Horse Road, and through the lives and legends of figures such as Lu Yu and Myoan Eisai. Spiritual and cultural traditions are woven throughout, including Buddhism in tea, tea meditation, wedding rituals, chado, and the practice of Gong Fu Cha as taught by masters in Taiwan.
 
Despite its depth, Leaf by Leaf never assumes prior knowledge. Technical ideas are explained patiently and clearly, inviting curiosity rather than intimidation.You can start simply - learning to make better tea - and return again and again as your practice deepens.
 
It is, quite simply, everything I have ever learned about tea.