Tuesday Tea and Tomes: Coffee, Tea and Chocolate (companion book to DIA Bitter/Sweet exhibit)

Coffee, Tea & Chocolate companion book to exhibit (and mug!)

Take today's Tuesday Tea and Tomes Quiz:

What is "Coffee, Tea and Chocolate"?

1. A current exhibit at the DIA
2. The subject of the DIA exhibit companion book
3. My everyday essentials

Of course, it is "all of the above"!

Bitter/Sweet: Coffee, Tea and Chocolate exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts tells the story of three revolutionary morning drinks that launched rituals and industries around the world.

Amazingly, this tantalizing trio all arrived around the same time in England in the mid-1600's.

This special DIA exhibit takes visitors through the discovery of coffee, tea and chocolate and how they became a global presence in so many societies.

As an added bonus to this exhibit, there is the companion book, "Coffee, Tea and Chocolate: Consuming the World" by  Yao-Fen You, Associate Curator of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the DIA.

Yao-Fen You introduces Marc Meltonville at the DIA

The exhibit includes a video starring Marc Meltonville, Food Historian of Historic Royal Palaces, filmed at the Chocolate Kitchen of Hampton Court. We were fortunate to hear Marc Meltonville present at the DIA and later meet up with him and Yao-Fen You. (BTS was at the actual Chocolate Kitchen in 2015 - stay tuned for future blog!)

Yao-Fen You, and  Marc Meltonville chat with Chris after the presentation

Although I took several pictures (they are not only allowed, but encouraged - without flash!), the companion book captures all the exhibit beautifully and with a lot of additional information and interesting essays.

Tea service with fitted case, 1728-29

Coffee pot (1789) Chocolate pot (1781). Chocolate pot lids had openings for wooden stirrers.

Tea drinking defined polite society, shown in this family portrait by Charles Philip, 1732

Barb's TEA Service (Rachel, Barb & Pam) enjoy sampling hot chocolate

At the end of the exhibit, there is a chocolate tasting of two drinks: one Aztec and the other an 18th century French recipe.  Both were delicious!

The gift shop features local tea and chocolate 

There's also a special gift shop at the end of the exhibit which includes local tea, chocolate and this wonderful tome, "Coffee, Tea and Chocolate".

Two thumbs up for the Coffee, Tea and Chocolate  exhibit and companion book!  Wonderful experience and wonderful keepsake!

Bitter/Sweet:  Coffee, Tea and Chocolate runs now through March, 2017. For more information see the DIA calendar page Bitter/Sweet:  Coffee, Tea and Chocolate.