Post by snaffle on Dec 20, 2009 23:15:58 GMT -5
There are lots of species of teas, but you are not likely to ever know which species you're buying. Lots aren't labeled. Ceylon tea will be labeled because it grows in a certain region of India, is a premium tea, they want people to know it's theirs.
When you buy green, orange, or black tea - you are not buying a species or a color of tea. Any given leaf can be processed to be sold as green, orange, or black tea. Leaves are harvested and sent out for processing - fermenting (drying), rolling (cutting), and packing according to how it has been processed.
Leaves that are fermented (dried) for a very short time will be labeled green tea. It still contains a lot of moisture, so it has a light color. Leaves fermented an extra 20 minutes or so lose more moisture and make an oolong (orange) tea. Leaves fermented for 1-1.5 hours will have lost lots more moisture, and will be packed as black tea. and will be stronger in flavor than green or orange.
So, one batch of leaves from any variety tea can be sent to a processor,and come out as 3 different *color* teas. The quickest fermented portion will be labeled green, the rest can go on and get fermented longer, ferm. stopped, and be labeled orange, and the remainder can ferment longer still and be labeled black.
Pekoe has nothing to do with species of tea leaves or time fermented. Pekoe is the grading scale for leaf size after fermenting & rolling. The largest pieces are orange pekoe, the medium ones are broken pekoe, and the smallest pieces are fannings. Orange pekoes can be pretty large. Broken pekoes are the ones usually packed in the single serving tea bags because they have a lot of surface area, yet will not come out through the bag. Fannings are powdery and become instant teas in jars. Instant tea is processed the same as bag and loose teas, but the *cuttings* are fine, like powder and will not stay in tea bags.
If you find a tea product you really love, you may or may not be able to find out which species of tea was used. The label might state, or it might not. Now, this is pure speculation on my part, but I would think that when you find inconsistencies in your beloved tea products, it may be because a different species was used that run - because prices change daily in the commodities market. Some might just buy the cheapest that day. Others want their formulas consistent so they buy the sepcies they want and don't let price affect their blend.
SO, SNAFFLE, what kind of tea should you substitute???
Any tea you like in the single serve bags is most likely orange, unless labeled black or green. Orange is just the *strength* (amt. moisture removed) and the one most people like for making tea by the cup or pitcher. Most of the orange teas are going to actually be broken pekoes, and technically not orange pekoes as in your recipe. It's all in the name, no biggie. It's just smaller leaf pieces which make a medium tea. Just look for a place on the label that says orange, and forget the pekoe - the packers know what they're doing & make it easy for us. If it doesn't say black or green anywhere - it's orange, the most common fermentation.
Daddio says Tetley makes a *very fine* orange tea, boxed in single bags, and sold at grocery stores.
And that's all I'm sayin' about THAT!
LOL!
When you buy green, orange, or black tea - you are not buying a species or a color of tea. Any given leaf can be processed to be sold as green, orange, or black tea. Leaves are harvested and sent out for processing - fermenting (drying), rolling (cutting), and packing according to how it has been processed.
Leaves that are fermented (dried) for a very short time will be labeled green tea. It still contains a lot of moisture, so it has a light color. Leaves fermented an extra 20 minutes or so lose more moisture and make an oolong (orange) tea. Leaves fermented for 1-1.5 hours will have lost lots more moisture, and will be packed as black tea. and will be stronger in flavor than green or orange.
So, one batch of leaves from any variety tea can be sent to a processor,and come out as 3 different *color* teas. The quickest fermented portion will be labeled green, the rest can go on and get fermented longer, ferm. stopped, and be labeled orange, and the remainder can ferment longer still and be labeled black.
Pekoe has nothing to do with species of tea leaves or time fermented. Pekoe is the grading scale for leaf size after fermenting & rolling. The largest pieces are orange pekoe, the medium ones are broken pekoe, and the smallest pieces are fannings. Orange pekoes can be pretty large. Broken pekoes are the ones usually packed in the single serving tea bags because they have a lot of surface area, yet will not come out through the bag. Fannings are powdery and become instant teas in jars. Instant tea is processed the same as bag and loose teas, but the *cuttings* are fine, like powder and will not stay in tea bags.
If you find a tea product you really love, you may or may not be able to find out which species of tea was used. The label might state, or it might not. Now, this is pure speculation on my part, but I would think that when you find inconsistencies in your beloved tea products, it may be because a different species was used that run - because prices change daily in the commodities market. Some might just buy the cheapest that day. Others want their formulas consistent so they buy the sepcies they want and don't let price affect their blend.
SO, SNAFFLE, what kind of tea should you substitute???
Any tea you like in the single serve bags is most likely orange, unless labeled black or green. Orange is just the *strength* (amt. moisture removed) and the one most people like for making tea by the cup or pitcher. Most of the orange teas are going to actually be broken pekoes, and technically not orange pekoes as in your recipe. It's all in the name, no biggie. It's just smaller leaf pieces which make a medium tea. Just look for a place on the label that says orange, and forget the pekoe - the packers know what they're doing & make it easy for us. If it doesn't say black or green anywhere - it's orange, the most common fermentation.
Daddio says Tetley makes a *very fine* orange tea, boxed in single bags, and sold at grocery stores.
And that's all I'm sayin' about THAT!
LOL!