KunsThee

Did you know that tea had a huge impact on our social- and cultural history?....With a cup of tea in your hand, you will be taken on an extraordinary journey relating to what is now thought of being a common beverage, but in the past was considered its weight in gold.... 
Be prepared to be amazed!

Introduction

My passion for tea stems from having spent the majority of my youth abroad and was thereby introduced to the many different rituals surrounding the beverage. Where ever I was across the globe, the drinking of tea always remained a constant and soothing factor throughout my life.
Initially I graduated as a costume designer (BA Fashion Design) for film and television, but shifted my professional career to become a restorer of ceramics & related materials (MA West Dean College/University of Sussex). Next to running my restoration workshop for 21 years, I also achieved a MA in Museology and followed several (international) Master Classes on tea before finally obtaining my tea sommelier certification.

Lectures

There are several topics (see list below) that will be covered during a lecture. For the general lecture on the history of tea, you will be taken on a whirlwind  journey through the most important events that impacted society. 
In all subsequent lectures we will  delve deeper into the subject matter- examples of which are the Opium Wars that enabled the English to open up the trade barriers with China, the rise of the porcelain factories in Europe and the influence on women's fashion, as well as the Suffragette Movement. 

The lectures can be held at a location of your choosing, or by one assigned by KunsThee. 
Likewise, these can be booked with- or without- a tea tasting session.

·      The History of Tea in a Nutshell
A general overview of the history of tea

·      Changing Fashions Around the Tea Table
How drinking tea changed women’s fashion and their place in society

·      One Lump or Two- The Rise of the European Porcelain Factories
The design evolution of (tea) tableware throughout the centuries

·      Stirring the Political Teacup
How the need for tea changed the political landscape

·      Around the World with Tea
Different tea rituals around the world
 
·      Enticing Tea Adverts throughout the Ages
How tea advertisement coaxed our devotion for the beverage

·      Tea and the Written Word
Descriptions of tea drinking in classical literature
 
·      All Hands on Deck- Tea Clippers and Contraband
   The development of clipper ships and the smuggling of tea
 

·      Places to be for Enjoying your Tea
      Tea gardens, thés dansants and music

Contact Details:

For further details on the lectures, or the possibility of a made-to-measure lecture, please use the following contact details:

Laurette E. Laman Trip
Tel: +31 (0)6 53704733
Email: [email protected]