The Meaning of Tea

Filmmaker Scott Chamberlin Hoyt's The Meaning of Tea is an entertaining overview of the “divine herb,” examining tea's role as an international industry, centerpiece of rituals, rival to coffee, and peaceful common denominator among many of the world's cultures. Hosted by author and tea historian James Norwood Pratt, The Meaning of Tea begins on a jaunt through India and Asia, where most of the world's tea is harvested, supporting families who work at different levels of production. Viewers see tea plucked, milled, sifted for stems, and then sent on its way to tasters, who test it for quality. The documentary then stops in Morocco to witness tea ceremonies and reveal, somewhat surprisingly, that drinking tea in that country is a relatively recent (20th century) development. A world away, the town of Tea, SD doesn't actually grow tea, but that doesn't stop residents from enjoying an annual tea party. Meanwhile, in Japan, of all places, tea is declining in popularity as trendy coffees are gaining converts. In Paris, the eternal question remains, between tea and coffee, which is sexier? DVD extras include a Japanese tea ceremony segment and a “making-of” featurette. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)