Antony Wild – författare

Your morning flat-white helped shape the modern world ‘Elegantly written, witty and so wide in scope, so rich in detail and so thought provoking’ Joanna Blythman It may seem like just a drink, but coffee's dark journey from the highlands of Ethiopia to the highstreets of every town in the country links alchemy and anthropology, poetry and politics, science and slavery. Plots have been hatched, blood spilled and governments toppled to keep your mug filled with fresh espresso.In this thought-provoking exposé, Antony Wild, coffee trader and historian, explores coffee's dismal colonial past, its perilous corporate present, and the environmental destruction which could limit its future, revealing the shocking exploitation at the heart of the industry.

Coffee trader and historian Antony Wild delivers a rollicking history of the most valuable legally traded commodity in the world after oil—an industry that employs 100 million people throughout the world. From obscure beginnings in east Africa in the fifteenth century as a stimulant in religious devotion, coffee became an imperial commodity, produced by poor tropical countries and consumed by rich temperate ones. Through the centuries, the influence of coffee on the rise of capitalism and its institutions has been enormous. Revolutions were once hatched in coffeehouses, commercial alliances were forged, secret societies were formed, and politics and art were endlessly debated. Today, while coffee chains spread like wildfire, coffee-producing countries are in crisis: with prices at a historic low, they are plagued by unprecedented unemployment, abandoned farms, enforced migration, and massive social disruption. Bridging the gap between coffee’s dismal colonial past and its perilous corporate present, Coffee reveals the shocking exploitation that has always lurked at the heart of the industry.

Imagine a table laden with homemade scones and muffins, freshly made sandwiches and savouries, biscuits and cookies, cakes and pastries of all varieties, and seasonal fruit jams. Afternoon tea is a perfect treat, to be enjoyed by everyone whenever you can, not just a ritual for high days and holidays. This delightful recipe book presents 200 delicious dishes to serve for afternoon tea. It opens with a brief history of afternoon tea traditions and etiquette. A guide to specialty teas of the world follows, and of course information on how to choose, blend and make the perfect cup of tea. There are recipes suitable for traditional high tea, family afternoon tea, teatime celebrations or an indulgent get-together - and recipes to suit the different seasons, as well as to suit different appetites. All the well-known classics such as Victoria Sponge, Bakewell tart, chocolate cake and malt loaf are included, and of course savouries such as sausage rolls, mini quiches, cheese straws and more. Learn how to make your own crumpets, English muffins, teacakes and preserves. Enjoy classic cucumber sandwiches, mouthwatering chocolate eclairs, and fruit teabreads. Whether you are planning an alfresco tea in the sun or tucked up by the fire after a winter walk, this collection of delights - beautifully photographed throughout - is a must for all teatime lovers.

The extraordinary tale of the wildfire spread of a drink which is embedded in our history and our daily cultural life – and which provides a compelling allegory for corporate greed, mercantile ruthlessness and global expansion.Arguably the most valuable legally traded commodity in the world after oil, coffee's dark five-hundred year history links alchemy and anthropology, poetry and politics, and science and slavery. Revolutions have been hatched in coffee houses, secret socities and commercial alliances formed, and politics and art endlessly debated.With over a hundred million people looking to it for their livelihood, the coffee industry is now the world's largest employer and the financial lifeblood of many third-world countries (or the blood with which they feed the global capitalist vampire, depending on your point of view). But with world prices at a historic low, the future looks uncertain. In this thought-provoking exposé, Antony Wild, coffee trader and historian, explores coffee's dismal colonial past and its perilous corporate present, revealing the shocking exploitation at the heart of the industry.To many people, coffee has become largely just another commodity. Black Gold restores our faith in the mystery of this unique beverage.