'Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage,' are the opening words of Okakura Kakuzo's The Book of Tea, written in English in 1906 for a Western audience. The book is a long essay celebrating the secular art of the Japanese tea ceremony and linking its importance with Zen Buddhism and Taoism. It is both about cultural life, aesthetics and philosophy, emphasising how Teaism - a term Kakuzo coined - taught the Japanese many things; most importantly, simplicity, which can be seen in Japanese art and architecture. Looking back at the evolution of the Japanese tea ceremony, Kakuzo argues that Teaism, in itself, is one of the profound universal remedies that two parties could sit down to. Where the West had scoffed at Eastern religion and morals, it held Eastern tea ceremonies in high regard. With a new introduction, this is an exquisitely produced edition of a classic text made using traditional Chinese bookbinding techniques. Surely it's time for tea.

Babs knows that food traditions are at the heart of every season, and in Celebrate with Babs, she invites you into her own. With seasonal menus and time-tested recipes, this book bestows the key for elevating all of life's festivities into memorable occasions. Start new traditions now, and they will surely be enjoyed for generations to come. With recipes for New Year's Day festivities, birthday celebrations, summer barbecues, and everything in between, you will know exactly what to serve! Your adopted grandmother Barbara Costello, a.k.a. Babs, who has taken the nation by storm with her enthusiastic attitude and practical recipes, has collected hundreds of recipes over the decades, and has curated the top 100 recipes for your family occasions. The stories of these recipes will tug at your heartstrings, the recipes will delight your taste buds, and the cookbook will insert itself at the centre of all of your family and friend gatherings for generations. Get cooking with Babs this Mother's Day!