black tea and orange pekoe
Tea

black tea and orange pekoe

tea ceremony | December 12th, 2024


Alright, let’s talk about this black tea, you know, the kind them fancy folks call “orange pekoe.” Don’t get it twisted, it ain’t got nothin’ to do with oranges, not the taste, not the color. It’s just a name, a way them city people sort out their tea leaves.

Now, this tea, it comes from a plant, somethin’ they call Camellia sinensis. Sounds fancy, huh? But it’s just a bush, grows in places like India, Sri Lanka, even over in Africa. They pick the leaves, dry ’em out, and then you got your tea.

This “orange pekoe” thing, it’s all about the size of the leaf, see? It’s the main kind of loose leaf black tea. You got the whole leaves, or sometimes they’re broken up a bit. There’s bigger leaves and smaller ones, they all get different names, but it’s all the same kinda tea, just different sizes, I reckon.

I heard tell this “orange pekoe” and similar names, them westerners use it when they talk about black teas from India, Sri Lanka, and them other Asian countries. I don’t know much about them countries, but I know good tea when I taste it.

black tea and orange pekoe
  • Big leaves – Them’s the good ones, I reckon. More flavor, you know?
  • Little leaves – They brew faster, but they ain’t got the same punch.
  • Broken leaves – They’re alright, I guess. Good for a quick cup.

Now, some folks, they like to add sugar, milk, maybe even a squeeze of lemon. Me? I like it plain, just the tea. You get the real taste that way, the way it’s supposed to be. You can really taste the earth and the sun in a good cup of black tea.

I remember my grandma, she used to say good tea warms you up from the inside out. And she was right, you know? On a cold morning, nothin’ beats a hot cup of black tea. It wakes you up, gets you going. And on a hot day, it can cool you down just as good. I don’t know how that works, but it does.

I seen some folks selling tea online these days. They got all sorts of fancy names and flavors. But me, I stick to the basics. Good old black tea, that’s all I need. You can order it online, they say, and even pick it up at some place in town, save on shipping they call it.

I also heard there are places that sell a lot of different kinds of tea, even them they call “organic”. They say it’s better for you, ain’t got all them chemicals and stuff. I ain’t sure about all that, but I reckon good tea is good tea, no matter how you grow it.

So, next time you’re at the store, don’t be fooled by all them fancy names. Just look for the black tea, the kind they call “orange pekoe.” It’s good stuff, I tell ya. It’s strong, it’s flavorful, and it’ll warm you up from the inside out. Just like my grandma used to say.

black tea and orange pekoe

And don’t you go frettin’ about whether it’s got oranges in it. It don’t. It’s just a name, a way of sayin’ it’s good quality tea. You just brew it up good and hot, and enjoy it. That’s all there is to it.

Black tea, plain and simple, that’s my kinda drink. It keeps me goin’, keeps me warm, and it’s just plain good. And that’s all that matters, ain’t it?

Tags: [black tea, orange pekoe, tea leaves, tea grades, brewing, loose leaf tea, India, Sri Lanka]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *