High Tea, India Style

[Gurkha]

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/travel/14Tea.html?ex=1192939200&en=8a318a399c2cbc30&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Flying to a remote corner of India and braving the long drive into the Himalayas may seem like an awful lot of effort for a good cup of tea, but Darjeeling tea isn't simply good. It's about the best in the world, fetching record prices at auctions in Calcutta and Shanghai, and kick-starting the salivary glands of tea lovers from London to Manhattan.

If you are a tea lover, you owe it to yourself to be there.

[daveuz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlf7KqXqiLo&mode=related&search=d and than there is this.

[Ara T.]

My dad loves that Darjeeling tea. I don't, tastes like dirt to me. I like ole Earl Grey or even lady grey.

I didn't know it was so popular, sounds like the basmati rice of the tea world.

[Gurkha]

Originally Posted by Ara T.

My dad loves that Darjeeling tea. I don't, tastes like dirt to me. I like ole Earl Grey or even lady grey.

I didn't know it was so popular, sounds like the basmati rice of the tea world.

What kind of Darjeeling tea does your father drink, usually many true and fake varieties, the good ones taste fruity and very subtle.

[Ara T.]

Originally Posted by Gurkha

What kind of Darjeeling tea does your father drink, usually many true and fake varieties, the good ones taste fruity and very subtle.

Really, i don't know. It definitely doesn't have any fruity flavor whatever brand it is.

[Gurkha]

Originally Posted by Ara T.

Really, i don't know. It definitely doesn't have any fruity flavor whatever brand it is.

If it says Lipton, Twinnings, Tetley, its very low grade Darjeeling.

[Ara T.]

Originally Posted by Gurkha

If it says Lipton, Twinnings, Tetley, its very low grade Darjeeling.

Yea, think it's Twinings.

[Gurkha]

Originally Posted by Ara T.

Yea, think it's Twinings.

LOL! No wonder, in no class with the teas being discussed in the NYT article, please tell your dad to check out http://www.makaibari.org/

They sell online as well.

[Dee8go]

Originally Posted by Gurkha

If it says Lipton, Twinnings, Tetley, its very low grade Darjeeling.

I'm not much of a hot tea drinker, but I thought Twinings was supposed to be pretty good tea. Your comment took me by surprise. Being from the land of tea, I would expect you to know a lot mre than I do about it. What IS a good brand that is commonly available?

[Gurkha]

Originally Posted by Dee8go

I'm not much of a hot tea drinker, but I thought Twinings was supposed to be pretty good tea. Your comment took me by surprise. Being from the land of tea, I would expect you to know a lot mre than I do about it. What IS a good brand that is commonly available?

Dee8go,

Apart from ordering directly from the companies listed in the NYT article, the only other way is to find a good tea merchant nearby your place, I know a few in NYC and if you want, can give them your addresses, none will give you the super high quality ones which can only be ordered directly. For cold tea, flowery orange pekoe would be perfect, you needn't get the super expensive ones, just good brands like Makaibari etc.

[Kuan]

Yeah I thought Twinings was pretty good too! Fancy packaging I guess. What's an almost there pretty darn good commercially available tea brand?

[Gurkha]

Originally Posted by Kuan

Yeah I thought Twinings was pretty good too! Fancy packaging I guess. What's an almost there pretty darn good commercially available tea brand?

None, just order online.

[Dee8go]

Tea drinking seems to be gaining popularity. I see tea specialty stores poping up all over the place. I think Orange Pekoe is what I normally use for iced tea. I'm from the South, so I put about a cup of sugar in the pitcher with four tea bags and then pour boiling water into it. Man is THAT ever good!

[Gurkha]

Originally Posted by Dee8go

Tea drinking seems to be gaining popularity. I see tea specialty stores poping up all over the place. I think Orange Pekoe is what I normally use for iced tea. I'm from the South, so I put about a cup of sugar in the pitcher with four tea bags and then pour boiling water into it. Man is THAT ever good!

Instead of boiling water, try putting it out in the Sun, even better taste, add some mint leaves for a change and put Demerara sugar instead of regular.

[cscmc1]

Man, do I love hot tea. Someone gave me an obscure-brand bag of Earl Grey loose tea years ago, and man, was it good. It's long gone, of course, but I sure enjoyed it. Thanks for posting the makaibari link -- I'll have to check it out!