What do I drink now? Tea dilemma.

[Aphra]

After a brief flirtation with coffee in my youth, I have returned to the home of my grandmothers and am now, once again a tea drinker with a minor flirtation with decent coffee.

Upon my return I realised that I much preferred China tea to Indian and Ceylon teas. Well, that wasn't a problem really, lazy human that I am, I could buy Twinings China Black in tea bags and be happy. In the summer I drank Lapsang with a little lemon or maybe a nice cup of Earl Grey, and all was well. For a little while.

But the sudden influx of flavoured teas and ten varieties of green tea and whatnot invaded the supermarket shelves and suddenly China Black was no more. Oh well. For a little while I drank Russian Caravan, which wasn't quite it, but better than nothing. And then by accident I discovered Twinings Yunnan Tea and I was back in business. For a little while. I was even makiing special trips to the only supermarket I knew which carried the Yunnan.

But then the Yunnan went the way of China Black and even Russian Caravan is losing ground to three hundred varieties of tea flavoured with white chocolate and toenails or used bandaids and rosewater, or whatever.

So the question is now, what am I going to drink? I'm obviously going to have to break out my teapot and visit speciality stores, but I'm a little lost by the varieties of loose China tea available. I've visited Grey and Seddon online, and they look promising (I'm in Australia), but I don't know what to buy.

I do drink White Tea and Chai tea, Yerba Mate sometimes and some herbal teas, but what I really want is a decent black tea as my every day tea, so that I can come home, put on the kettle and make myself a nice cup of tea.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

[fou de Bassan]

Aphra,

If you are near a T2 store, or anywhere that stocks their products, I'd start there. They have nice, plain black tea that is perfect for an afternoon cuppa. If you live near an Asian market there will be untold choice. If you are nowhere near either of those then pm me and I'll send you some nice tea as it's terrible to be without.

Kathryn

[Dorine]

After a brief flirtation with coffee in my youth, I have returned to the home of my grandmothers and am now, once again a tea drinker with a minor flirtation with decent coffee.

Upon my return I realised that I much preferred China tea to Indian and Ceylon teas. Well, that wasn't a problem really, lazy human that I am, I could buy Twinings China Black in tea bags and be happy. In the summer I drank Lapsang with a little lemon or maybe a nice cup of Earl Grey, and all was well. For a little while.

But the sudden influx of flavoured teas and ten varieties of green tea and whatnot invaded the supermarket shelves and suddenly China Black was no more. Oh well. For a little while I drank Russian Caravan, which wasn't quite it, but better than nothing. And then by accident I discovered Twinings Yunnan Tea and I was back in business. For a little while. I was even makiing special trips to the only supermarket I knew which carried the Yunnan.

But then the Yunnan went the way of China Black and even Russian Caravan is losing ground to three hundred varieties of tea flavoured with white chocolate and toenails or used bandaids and rosewater, or whatever.

So the question is now, what am I going to drink? I'm obviously going to have to  break out my teapot and visit speciality stores, but I'm a little lost by the varieties of loose China tea available. I've visited Grey and Seddon online, and they look promising (I'm in Australia), but I don't know what to buy.

I do drink White Tea and Chai tea, Yerba Mate sometimes and some herbal teas, but what I really want is a decent black tea as my every day tea, so that I can come home, put on the kettle and make myself a nice cup of tea.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

←

If you can get to a Chinatown, you will like nearly everything that's black tea. You may find Lung Ching and Pu Erh to be nice choices.

If anybody can tell me how to upload a picture here, I'll upload one of some nice Chinesse tea tins from China that I can buy here in Philadelphia (eastern USA).

[Gifted Gourmet]

what I really want is a decent black tea as my every day tea, so that I can come home, put on the kettle and make myself a nice cup of tea.

←

Do yourself a favor and look into the black teas offered by my favorite purveyor:

Upton Teas. They are quite lovely ... Upton also has a tremendous number of other fine teas as well. I have enjoyed the varieties that they offer as well as the idea of using loose leaves in my tea preparation.

Fully oxidized, black teas are the most popular types of tea on the American market and are available in a wide variety of flavors which vary depending on soil quality, elevation, and time of harvest. Single-estate, loose-leaf teas provide the connoisseur with an array of choices that cannot be found with prepackaged teabags. Black teas can be enjoyed all day-- from a morning pick-up to an evening indulgence after dinner.

[Aphra]

Thank you so much for your kind offer Kathryn.

I live in Central Victoria, but I go into the Vic Market once a fortnight or so. Today I went to the Asian supermarket across the road from the Market and bought a packet of Yunnan tea, which is doing very well as an every day sort of tea. I'm saved!

Of course, now I'm actually thinking about it, there is also a tea and coffee shop inside the Vic Market.

Next week I'm going to be in Melbourne for a meeting at RMIT, and I know there is a specialist tea shop in the Queen Victoria centre, so I'll visit them.

Thank you all for your help.

[His Nibs]

Don't think upton teas ship internationally (or at least only to canada)

I second the chinatown option if you are into chinese teas. Tian Ren (天仁) or Tian Fu (天福) is a pretty good chain for purchasing teas. Hopefully you have these stalls down under (as they are sprouting all over the place in the states and even china).

[Shalmanese]

This might have better luck in the Australia forum but I remember a friend from melbourne informing me that there were several pretty decent tea shops in Melbourne, probably in Chinatown.

[jpr54_]

http://www.gray-seddon-tea.com/index.shtml

this is a great place to buy tea online that is near you