OT: For the Tea Experts

OK I think I know that most tea comes from the same plant. Black, Green,
and white tea are just harvested at different points. (Not really sure
about even that) And that there are Pekoe and Oolong but that was about it.

But I've wondered for a while. Back when I was in college and trying out
different teas, the ingredients on many were listed as Orange Pekoe and
Pekoe cut black tea. I was able to find and really liked a tea that listed

Sandy...

Snapple has been advertising a decaf white ice tea. I want to try it, but I
haven't been able to find it in the stores yet.

Bill Stock...

LOL, my mothers side of the family would agree with you, but my father's
side always had milk in their tea. Although there was some disagreement
about whether sugar was acceptable. I was accused of drinking syrup when I
was a youngster, NOT Tea.

My grandparents on my fathers side grew up during the depression, so I was
treated to one of their dessert hold overs. Sweet Tea poured over soda
crackers (the large ones, with four in a square). Likely where I acquired my
taste for Tea Syrup and Indian Milk Tea.

At least we agree that Tea should be served hot or at least as hot as it can
be, with all that milk. :-)

only Orange Pekoe. But I haven't seen it in years.

So are most non herbal teas from the same plant a just processed
differently? What different types of plant are there?

Victor Martinez...

No. Herbal teas by definition are not made from Camelia sinensis, which
is where black, green and white tea come from. There's a lot of tea
information here:

All I really keep track of is I don't care for Earl Grey or English
Breakfast tea. Do like Darjeeling and rarely Irish Breakfast. And there is
an English Tea with a name like Red Dragon that is good when I can find it.

Mark Edwards...

Years ago, I was working at a place right across from Cookworks - a
place that sells gourmet foodstuffs and equipment for gourmet cooks.

They had some really fine teas (and really fine chocolates - yum!),
but eventually closed down. By then, I had grown used to tea from one
supplier - Harney & Sons. Their website is at:

They sell a wide variety of black, green and white teas, as well as
few herbal blends.

I order direct from them nowadays. In fact, I have a big box of
teabags (Darjeeling and Irish Breakfast) that I ordered just recently
(yum!). Somewhere along the line, I pretty much stopped drinking
coffee in favor of tea...

Hugs and Purrs,
Mark

Winnie...

I love Englisth Breakfast and Darjeeling too. Haven't drank them in a
long time though.
Trying to finish my 'tea collection' first.