What exactly is orange pekoe? It is what is used by Tim Hortons (
http://www.timhortons.com/en/menu/tea.html ). The taste is great.

When I went to a specialty tea shop and asked for it, they said it's not
really a type of tea and that they don't carry it.

1. Why not just Google it?

2. If a "specialty tea shop" has no idea what an "orange pekoe" is, not only
its not a "specialty" tea shop, but not a tea shop at all. Its like a car
shop that has no idea what a "sedan" is.
One cannot spend more than 10 minutes on reading about black tea without
learning about orange pekoe, fannings, tippery, flowery and other basic
black tea terminology.

Sasha.


"-" > wrote in message news:lYkoh.577247$1T2.79580@pd7urf2no...
> What exactly is orange pekoe? It is what is used by Tim Hortons (
> http://www.timhortons.com/en/menu/tea.html ). The taste is great.
>
> When I went to a specialty tea shop and asked for it, they said it's not
> really a type of tea and that they don't carry it.
>

"-" > wrote in message news:lYkoh.577247$1T2.79580@pd7urf2no...
> What exactly is orange pekoe? It is what is used by Tim Hortons (
> http://www.timhortons.com/en/menu/tea.html ). The taste is great.
>
> When I went to a specialty tea shop and asked for it, they said it's not
> really a type of tea and that they don't carry it.

Right. OP is actually a designation of leaf size, not a type of tea as some
companies would have you believe. From the link, Tim Hortons created its own
blend, so you'd have to ask for Tim Hortons, not OP.


--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

Well they're sort of right.. it's not a "type of tea" it's a "grade" of tea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe

I'm just glad you didn't ask for some Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange
Pekoe.

Well, Wiki's article is a bit confusing, IMHO.
Try this forum's FAQ, its a much better source.

Sasha.


"Zarky Zork" > wrote in message
. net...
> Well they're sort of right.. it's not a "type of tea" it's a "grade" of
> tea.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe
>
> I'm just glad you didn't ask for some Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery
> Orange
> Pekoe.
>
>

how do you access the forum faq?

"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
. net...
> Well, Wiki's article is a bit confusing, IMHO.
> Try this forum's FAQ, its a much better source.
>
> Sasha.
>
>
> "Zarky Zork" > wrote in message
> . net...
>> Well they're sort of right.. it's not a "type of tea" it's a "grade" of
>> tea.
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe
>>
>> I'm just glad you didn't ask for some Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery
>> Orange
>> Pekoe.
>>
>>
>
>

By Google.

Sasha.


"-" > wrote in message news:wpEoh.588441$5R2.302607@pd7urf3no...
> how do you access the forum faq?
>
> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> . net...
>> Well, Wiki's article is a bit confusing, IMHO.
>> Try this forum's FAQ, its a much better source.
>>
>> Sasha.
>>
>>
>> "Zarky Zork" > wrote in message
>> . net...
>>> Well they're sort of right.. it's not a "type of tea" it's a "grade" of
>>> tea.
>>>
>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe
>>>
>>> I'm just glad you didn't ask for some Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery
>>> Orange
>>> Pekoe.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

"-" > writes:

> how do you access the forum faq?

http://pages.ripco.net/~c4ha2na9/tea/faq.html

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

In article <lYkoh.577247$1T2.79580@pd7urf2no>, - > wrote:
>What exactly is orange pekoe? It is what is used by Tim Hortons (
>http://www.timhortons.com/en/menu/tea.html ). The taste is great.

It's whatever you want it to be.

>When I went to a specialty tea shop and asked for it, they said it's not
>really a type of tea and that they don't carry it.

It's not really a type of tea. But you can get a box of Assam or Ceylon
black, Yunnan black, or Kenya black, and write ORANGE PEKOE on the box
and you'd be right on the money.

Orange Pekoe is a sort of grade of tea... it's one of the lowest sorts of
grade of tea. It's like saying "table wine." It doesn't tell you what it
is or where it comes from, but it establishes some minimum standard.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Sorry, Scott,

I do not agree with you at all.

You may not believe each and every label on a tea box, but that does not
change the meaning of the words.
You are right - ITS NOT A TYPE OF TEA, because it never was and it never
claimed to be such.
It always was and still is an attempt to describe the TYPE OF LEAF from the
point of view of it being mostly whole, broken or fannings plus the presence
and quantity of tips, etc.
OP has to be at least a large part leaf and at least some - whole leaf teas.
Majority of " box of Assam or Ceylon black, Yunnan black, or Kenya black," -
will be fannings or broken leaf. If you put an OP label on such a box it
will be a... hm... misrepresentation.

Sasha.



"Scott Dorsey" > wrote in message
...
> In article <lYkoh.577247$1T2.79580@pd7urf2no>, - > wrote:
>>What exactly is orange pekoe? It is what is used by Tim Hortons (
>>http://www.timhortons.com/en/menu/tea.html ). The taste is great.
>
> It's whatever you want it to be.
>
>>When I went to a specialty tea shop and asked for it, they said it's not
>>really a type of tea and that they don't carry it.
>
> It's not really a type of tea. But you can get a box of Assam or Ceylon
> black, Yunnan black, or Kenya black, and write ORANGE PEKOE on the box
> and you'd be right on the money.
>
> Orange Pekoe is a sort of grade of tea... it's one of the lowest sorts of
> grade of tea. It's like saying "table wine." It doesn't tell you what it
> is or where it comes from, but it establishes some minimum standard.
> --scott
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

snip

[Sasha]
> It [OP (orange pekoe)] always was and still is an attempt to describe the TYPE
OF LEAF from the point of view of it being mostly whole, broken or fannings
plus the presence and quantity of tips, etc.

> OP has to be at least a large part leaf and at least some - whole leaf teas.
> Majority of " box of Assam or Ceylon black, Yunnan black, or Kenya black," -
> will be fannings or broken leaf. If you put an OP label on such a box it
> will be a... hm... misrepresentation.

My instincts say you are right here,
but what about the fact that Assam and
Darjeeling leaves, even excellent ones,
are cut to smaller uniform sizes as part
of the production process? I *think* the
FOP and more elaborate designations refer
to the leaves not as they appear in your
package when you buy it, but rather to a
condition of the leaf in an earlier stage,
back at the ranch as it were. Otherwise,
traditionally (whatever that means), there
would be *NO* OP at all from those two
regions, save for some variations on Oolong
themes that are quite new on the tea scene.
Basic Assam and Darjeeling are *always*
"broken." Am I making any sense here?
Or did I miss a crucial point you made?
Michael

Michael -

I included the following description of the Darjeeling process which I find
to be the most clear in describing it.
http://www.thunderbolttea.com/pages/...rocessing.html
Please, notice that at the end of the description they mention the sieve
grading stage.
That is when size grading (P-OP-BP) happens.
It is my understanding that F, T and other grade designations that has
nothing to do with the size and integrity of the leaf are made even earlier
when different ways of picking up the tea (a bud with 1 leaf, 2 leaves, etc)
is being ordered from the plantation crew.

Sasha.


"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
> snip
>
> [Sasha]
>> It [OP (orange pekoe)] always was and still is an attempt to describe the
>> TYPE
> OF LEAF from the point of view of it being mostly whole, broken or
> fannings
> plus the presence and quantity of tips, etc.
>
>> OP has to be at least a large part leaf and at least some - whole leaf
>> teas.
>> Majority of " box of Assam or Ceylon black, Yunnan black, or Kenya
>> black," -
>> will be fannings or broken leaf. If you put an OP label on such a box it
>> will be a... hm... misrepresentation.
>
> My instincts say you are right here,
> but what about the fact that Assam and
> Darjeeling leaves, even excellent ones,
> are cut to smaller uniform sizes as part
> of the production process? I *think* the
> FOP and more elaborate designations refer
> to the leaves not as they appear in your
> package when you buy it, but rather to a
> condition of the leaf in an earlier stage,
> back at the ranch as it were. Otherwise,
> traditionally (whatever that means), there
> would be *NO* OP at all from those two
> regions, save for some variations on Oolong
> themes that are quite new on the tea scene.
> Basic Assam and Darjeeling are *always*
> "broken." Am I making any sense here?
> Or did I miss a crucial point you made?
> Michael
>
>

I would agree with you here Michael, I have to say that even if a black tea
(say assam or ceylon) is labled as OP, or FOP, it's always broken somehwhat
in the bag. The only full-leaf teas that steep and unfurl as actual whole
leaves that I've seen are the oolongs and greens from Taiwan and China (also
maybe some puerh leaves). Even sencha is a bit fragmented in the bags I've
bought.

Melinda


"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
> snip
>
> [Sasha]
>> It [OP (orange pekoe)] always was and still is an attempt to describe the
>> TYPE
> OF LEAF from the point of view of it being mostly whole, broken or
> fannings
> plus the presence and quantity of tips, etc.
>
>> OP has to be at least a large part leaf and at least some - whole leaf
>> teas.
>> Majority of " box of Assam or Ceylon black, Yunnan black, or Kenya
>> black," -
>> will be fannings or broken leaf. If you put an OP label on such a box it
>> will be a... hm... misrepresentation.
>
> My instincts say you are right here,
> but what about the fact that Assam and
> Darjeeling leaves, even excellent ones,
> are cut to smaller uniform sizes as part
> of the production process? I *think* the
> FOP and more elaborate designations refer
> to the leaves not as they appear in your
> package when you buy it, but rather to a
> condition of the leaf in an earlier stage,
> back at the ranch as it were. Otherwise,
> traditionally (whatever that means), there
> would be *NO* OP at all from those two
> regions, save for some variations on Oolong
> themes that are quite new on the tea scene.
> Basic Assam and Darjeeling are *always*
> "broken." Am I making any sense here?
> Or did I miss a crucial point you made?
> Michael
>
>

1/10/07

> I would agree with you here Michael, I have to say that even if a black tea
> (say assam or ceylon) is labled as OP, or FOP, it's always broken somehwhat
> in the bag. The only full-leaf teas that steep and unfurl as actual whole
> leaves that I've seen are the oolongs and greens from Taiwan and China (also
> maybe some puerh leaves). Even sencha is a bit fragmented in the bags I've
> bought.
>
> Melinda

Yes, indeed. A "classically" made Darjeeling includes
a break-the-leaf-into-pieces step. Therefore the difference
between a B/roken O/range P/ekoe and a F/lowery O/range
P/ekoe must be a matter of leaf condition before production.
Or not. Who knows.

Put another way, if the leaf pieces are to be more or less
uniform in shape and size, their breakdown has to be
purposeful, not random. Or not. Who knows.

Michael

"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
> 1/10/07
>
>> I would agree with you here Michael, I have to say that even if a black
>> tea
>> (say assam or ceylon) is labled as OP, or FOP, it's always broken
>> somehwhat
>> in the bag. The only full-leaf teas that steep and unfurl as actual whole
>> leaves that I've seen are the oolongs and greens from Taiwan and China
>> (also
>> maybe some puerh leaves). Even sencha is a bit fragmented in the bags
>> I've
>> bought.
>>
>> Melinda
>
> Yes, indeed. A "classically" made Darjeeling includes
> a break-the-leaf-into-pieces step. Therefore the difference
> between a B/roken O/range P/ekoe and a F/lowery O/range
> P/ekoe must be a matter of leaf condition before production.
> Or not. Who knows.
>
> Put another way, if the leaf pieces are to be more or less
> uniform in shape and size, their breakdown has to be
> purposeful, not random. Or not. Who knows.
>
> Michael
>

One thing I also noticed early on was that the wet leaves of an OP from,
say, a single estate Assam, had what I thought at first were stems, but then
I realized that they were the center vein of the leaf with the tea along
it's edges broken off. So it was a relatively large leaf piece but it wasn't
just a section of the whole leaf intact from side to side, because the more
fragile part of the leaf (I'm sure there must be a botanical term for this
but I don't know it) was broken off and the center vein remained more
intact.

I remember I was a little scandalized at first because I thought they were
stems and even then I knew stems oughtn't to be showing up in that sort of
tea. The Darjeeling I've had from Kyela was less broken than the Assams I've
seen, fwiw.

I wonder if OP or FOP is graded by fragment size and not assumed in the
industry to be whole leaf. After all, the manufacturing processes for those
types of teas are not at all the same as thedelicacy of process with which
an a li shan is made.

Just general observations.

Melinda