I'm looking to get a nice Darjeeling tea. I really have no experience
in buying decent tea. What brands should I look for? Any
recomendations? Places in New York City I might check out?

wrote in news:1132523608.453802.237150
@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:

> I'm looking to get a nice Darjeeling tea. I really have no experience
> in buying decent tea. What brands should I look for? Any
> recomendations? Places in New York City I might check out?

Little India, Lex between 28th & 30th, where tourists & Pakistani cabdrivers
both go to eat (usually at different places).

An Indian store -- I'm drawing a blank on the name -- on 28th between Lex &
Park, downtown side of the street, has (or had a few weeks ago when I last
visited) Lopchu Estate Darjeeling. Kalustyan's Spices on Lex itself
(http://www.kalustyans.com/) is pricey, but they might have something there.
The area has ethnic groceries etc. & they have teas.

A good neighborhood to shop & eat in if you like foods from the Indian
subcontinent. (6th Street between 1st & 2nd is another)

Darjeelings are known by the estate in which they were grown, otherwise I
believe it's a blend. A warning: it's said that worldwide, more tonnes of
tea are sold as Indian Darjeeling than Darjeeling produces, so beware of
adulteration and fraudulent labeling.

Ozzy

I found this online: http://www.englishteastore.com/1mt-mes.html


It's relatively cheap and seems decent. Would I be making a big
mistake?

I buy mine from

http://www.silvertipstea.com/Merchan..._ Code=BT_DAR

It's located in near NYC, from what I can tell.
--
Aloke
----
to reply by e-mail remove 123 and change invalid to com

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I'm looking to get a nice Darjeeling tea. I really have no experience
> in buying decent tea. What brands should I look for? Any
> recomendations? Places in New York City I might check out?
>

> wrote:
>I'm looking to get a nice Darjeeling tea. I really have no experience
>in buying decent tea. What brands should I look for? Any
>recomendations? Places in New York City I might check out?

Call Upton's... I think they have a website at uptonteas.com or something
like that. They have a sampler that contains small amounts of a number of
darjeelings of different grades.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

wrote in news:1132531524.331222.20370
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> I found this online: http://www.englishteastore.com/1mt-mes.html
>
>
> It's relatively cheap and seems decent. Would I be making a big
> mistake?
>

To be honest, I'd Darjeelings over the net. Unless someone on this list
has warnings about englishteastore.com or Mim estate (which I've never
tried, either), all I have to go on is a mild dislike of the catalog copy,
which isn't really much. However, the out-the-door price would be
apparently be only $8.15, you'll have it supposedly next week or next
month -- how big a mistake could it be for 4 oz. of putative Darjeeling?
The only drawback is, what if you really can't stand it?

*However*, if you're open to buying teas from the Net rather than going
the brick-and-mortar route, maybe you should take Scott Dorsey's advice
consider a Darjeeling sampler. Googling, I show one at
<http://www.culinaryteas.com/Black_Teas/SAMP-DAR.html>. It's got five
different teas, including 2nd flush Mim. The cost with shipping
(priority mail) is $15.19, and you only get 1 oz. samples. It is a worse
deal pricewise than the URL you quoted -- and perhaps they're padding the
shipping a little-- but you get some variety.

In fact I ordered that sampler myself. Keep you advised of any snags.

Ozzy

Aloke Prasad wrote:
> I buy mine from
>
> http://www.silvertipstea.com/Merchan..._ Code=BT_DAR
>
> It's located in near NYC, from what I can tell.

It's in Tarrytown, a few stops up the river on the Hudson line (take the
train at Grand Central). Go up the hill to Broadway and turn left.

dmh

1
1/20/05

> I'm looking to get a nice Darjeeling tea. I really have no experience
> in buying decent tea. What brands should I look for? Any
> recomendations? Places in New York City I might check out?
>


Hi Andrew,

In Pursuit of Tea. They sell a nice Darjeeling through Whole Foods, although
I don't particularly like Whole Foods, it answers your question. You can
also order from IPOT on line or by telephone. Their operation is in
Brooklyn. IPOT teas are also sold at the Rubin Museum (of Himalyan art), and
at -- Lew, what's the name of that restaurant/tearoom in the East 20's? --
among other places I haven't yet discovered.<http://www.inpursuitoftea.com/>

Michael

7.14211/20/05


> wrote in news:1132523608.453802.237150
> @z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:
>
>> I'm looking to get a nice Darjeeling tea. I really have no experience
>> in buying decent tea. What brands should I look for? Any
>> recomendations? Places in New York City I might check out?
>
> Little India, Lex between 28th & 30th, where tourists & Pakistani cabdrivers
> both go to eat (usually at different places).

I found a paper wrapped Darjeeling in one of those shops labeled "1994" (or
so, but I'm not far off, trust me) That was a year ago, or slightly more.
>
> An Indian store -- I'm drawing a blank on the name -- on 28th between Lex &
> Park, downtown side of the street, has (or had a few weeks ago when I last
> visited) Lopchu Estate Darjeeling. Kalustyan's Spices on Lex itself
> (http://www.kalustyans.com/) is pricey, but they might have something there.
> The area has ethnic groceries etc. & they have teas.

It might be fun to explore these stores, and the tins and packages are fun
to look at. For good tea, go with IPOT. That's my advice.
>
> A good neighborhood to shop & eat in if you like foods from the Indian
> subcontinent. (6th Street between 1st & 2nd is another)

Yup, food is usually OK, and some is actually quite good, and EVERY one of
those restaurants is Bangla Deshi, no matter what they say.
>
> Darjeelings are known by the estate in which they were grown, otherwise I
> believe it's a blend. A warning: it's said that worldwide, more tonnes of
> tea are sold as Indian Darjeeling than Darjeeling produces, so beware of
> adulteration and fraudulent labeling.

Truer words were never spoken -- to the tune of ten to one. And much of that
phoney Darjeeling ends up in the Indian grocery stores of American cities.

None of this is to say that Ozzy is wrong; you can get decent teas in such
shops, and the fun of exploration awaits you.

Michael

"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
> 7.14211/20/05
>
>
>> wrote in news:1132523608.453802.237150
>> @z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:

>> Darjeelings are known by the estate in which they were grown, otherwise I
>> believe it's a blend. A warning: it's said that worldwide, more tonnes
>> of
>> tea are sold as Indian Darjeeling than Darjeeling produces, so beware of
>> adulteration and fraudulent labeling.
>
> Truer words were never spoken -- to the tune of ten to one. And much of
> that
> phoney Darjeeling ends up in the Indian grocery stores of American cities.

Even if you buy sealed tins of Lipton or Brooke Bond Darjeeling teas? That
would mean that either

a. Reputable companies like Lipton or Brooke Bond are lying or
b. The packages are fake

or both.

Time to sic Eliot Spitzer on the tea industry !!! :-)
--
Aloke
----
to reply by e-mail remove 123 and change invalid to com

Michael Plant > wrote:
>
>Truer words were never spoken -- to the tune of ten to one. And much of that
>phoney Darjeeling ends up in the Indian grocery stores of American cities.

One of the regular posters here gave me some of the Himalayan BOP from
Upton's.

It's better Darjeeling than most Darjeeling that actually is Darjeeling.

Hmm... perhaps this needs brackets....

It's better Darjeeling than most [Darjeeling that actually is Darjeeling].
--scott


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Michael Plant > writes:

> 1
> 1/20/05
>
> > I'm looking to get a nice Darjeeling tea. I really have no experience
> > in buying decent tea. What brands should I look for? Any
> > recomendations? Places in New York City I might check out?
>
> In Pursuit of Tea. They sell a nice Darjeeling through Whole Foods, although
> I don't particularly like Whole Foods, it answers your question. You can
> also order from IPOT on line or by telephone. Their operation is in
> Brooklyn. IPOT teas are also sold at the Rubin Museum (of Himalyan art), and
> at -- Lew, what's the name of that restaurant/tearoom in the East 20's? --
> among other places I haven't yet discovered.<http://www.inpursuitoftea.com/>

Tamarind (the little Indian sandwich shop next door to the swanky
restaurant of the same name.) They'll make you a pot of tea, but I
don't think they'll sell you the leaves. Note: I haven't been there
in a couple of years; time for a revisit.

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

If you are considering purchasing on the web, the Assam Tea Company
(http://www.assamtea.biz/) sells several different Darjeeling teas.
I've had very good luck with the Assam tea I have purchased from them.

Good luck with your search.
Tom
(no connection with the Assam Tea Company except as a satified customer)

"Scott Dorsey" > wrote in message
...
> > wrote:
> >I'm looking to get a nice Darjeeling tea. I really have no experience
> >in buying decent tea. What brands should I look for? Any
> >recomendations? Places in New York City I might check out?
>
> Call Upton's... I think they have a website at uptonteas.com or something
> like that. They have a sampler that contains small amounts of a number of
> darjeelings of different grades.
> --scott
> --

I'll second Upton (www.uptontea.com). I've bought a lot of Darjeeling from
them over the past few years and have only been dissapointed once. For a
new Darjeeling drinter I recommend "TD41: Makaibari Estate Organic TGBOP1 ".
It's organic, relatively inexpensive and delicious; I've drunk over a pound
of this in the last year alone.

Dean

Andrew,

Why not check out In Pursuit of Tea.

http://www.inpursuitoftea.com

I really like their Goomtee Estate 2nd Flush. I brew 4.2 grams in 10 oz.
203 F water, for 30 seconds. Very nice.

http://www.inpursuitoftea.com/Darjee...p/bi024blk.htm




wrote:
> I'm looking to get a nice Darjeeling tea. I really have no experience
> in buying decent tea. What brands should I look for? Any
> recomendations? Places in New York City I might check out?
>