Basic Black Tea

Tea has reached mainstream status in the U.S.

Yeah for TEA!

Way to go, tea drinkers!

It is amazing to be able to get tea just about anywhere and specialty tea stores have opened in malls and on main street.  Brands like Teavana and Tazo were snapped up by Starbucks.  It is not unusual to be presented with a tea chest filled with delights when you order tea at a coffee shop.  Herbal tea.  Rooibos,  Jasmine,  White.  All packaged in luxurious foil or crispy cellophane wrappers.  

And one slot filled with Farmer Brothers.  Or Lipton.  The least expensive, common-denominator, rando “tea” on the planet.  Pedestrian, run-of-the-mill plain white paper wrapper and a paper filter filled with crushed leaves and dust.  

This is what’s offered if you want black tea – your basic Orange Pekoe (which is a leaf cut, not a flavor).  The lover of  English Breakfast, Ceylon, Assam, Lapsang Souchong or Darjeeling – that connoisseur doesn’t merit an exotic, luxuriously packaged, high end tea.  We black tea drinkers are legion.  There are too many of us, and the five packets of English Breakfast tea that came with the selection were gone before breakfast service ended.  It’s Lipton for us.

Which, I admit, is better than earl grey.  Lord help the black tea drinker who despises earl grey.  It is offered with a flourish – we haven’t forgotten you – have some of THIS!  (I could go on and on about EG but that’s another post).

Honestly, given a choice between earl grey and Lipton, I’ll drink Lipton.  The flavor is bland and inoffensive, it’s a caffeine delivery system, no more, no less.  Lipton is the McDonald’s of teas.  At least you know what you’ll get when you drink Lipton.

But I tell you, tea purveyor. 

It is a special place that treasures all customers, that doesn’t cheap out on basic black tea.  That cares enough to offer a fragrant amber cup of clear delights.  We see  you.  We will be back.