Today I want to make a cup Darjeeling tea. This tea is delicate and has a lovely colour.
The more letters describing your tea the better quality it is.
Generally the FTGF refers to the quality and OP refers to the size of the leaf. You can actually see the leaves easily after it is brewed. Tea bags are generally made from tea dust!
From Wikipedia:
FTGF OP - Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Highest quality grade (Note: "Special" is occasionally substituted for "Finest", with a number 1 at the end to indicate the very finest) . Often hand processed and produced at only the best plantations. Roughly one quarter tips.
The tea industry uses the term Orange Pekoe to describe a basic, medium-grade black tea consisting of many whole tea leaves of a specific size
- Flowery - A large leaf, typically plucked in the second or third flush with an abundance of tips.
- Golden Flowery - Tea that includes very young tips or buds (usually golden in colour) that were picked early in the season.
- Tippy - Tea that includes an abundance of tips.
The first flush is more delicate and just a little less fruity than the second flush.
You need to boil the water for this tea. Warm the pot and quickly add the leaves. You can clearly see the size of the leaves in the dry tea. The paler pieces are the tips or buds.
Steep for 2 to 5 minutes. I prefer less time than more. The flavour doesn't just increase it becomes bitter.
I have used my little one cup pot from Somerton -Green. It has a charming scene on the sides. I think I bought this one in Maclean near Yamba in northern NSW.
I don't have a matching cup so I have used my Seyei Fine China cup with a wooden saucer. Seyei was a Japanese company but I don't think they are in business any more.
I started a Tea Journal a while back and first recorded drinking this tea in 2006.
The cover has coffee pictures on it since I couldn't find any tea fabric at the time.
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| This is a single estate tea from the Goomtee Estate in NE India. |
I laughed when I inspected the photos and saw I had spilt rice on the bench at lunch time. Never mind.
I left my cat board on the bench. I love all the cute cats. My big board on the other bench has dogs.
This afternoon when I came into my sunny room I found these two arch enemies sleeping almost nose to nose in the sun. Even when they noticed each other Blacky just rolled over and went back to sleep. Seeing them this close together is very unusual!
I am linking up with Tuesday Cup of Tea at Antiques and Tea cups
on Tuesday 11th Dec 2012
Interested in Tuesday Treasures? Visit Melody's House on the Side of the Hill
