Monday, October 27, 2008

Olde World Tea Company

On Saturday October, 25 2008 I visited Olde World Tea Company in Smithfield, VA. I had a pot of Lapsang Souchong and lunch--a chicken, artichoke and feta quiche with a cup of soup. The food was good and almost all of the menu items used some local ingredients or local taste--all the items were also made from scratch. I did enjoy the Lapsang. I enjoyed it even more because I had not had that type of tea in months. It was brought out already brewed to a good strength. And I got all of this at a very reasonable price ($9 with taxes for a pot of tea, quiche, and cup of soup).

Olde Worlde also sells tea wares and loose leaf teas (about 50 varieties). Below I do have some photographs of some of the teas offered. I thought that the range of selection was very good and appealed to a variety of tastes. My favorite items in the tea shop are the pu erh cakes and discs because no other shop that I have been to in Virginia carries them (at least none that I have been to). The discs are also a good conversation piece because most people have no idea what they are.

website:
www.oldeworldtea.com






above (L to R and bottom to top): White tea Pu Erh disc, jasmine pearls (my first favorite tea), rolled oolong, pu-erh tuo cha, and two varietes of artisanal flowering teas that open into the shape of a pineapple or a flower. (sorry, I did not write down the details--I will next time)
A close up of the white tea pu-erh disc. This demonstrates Olde World's commitment to the tea-fanatic/connoisseur. (Although if you buy this I would start drinking it right away. I wouldnt recommend buying this specifically to age it and drink it 5 or 20 years from now as your house or basement probably does not have the right microbes to make the taste any good) 
Another photograph of the same teas above. (L to R) Jasmine Pearls, some variety of rolled Oolong, Pu-Erh tuo cha, and two varietes of flowering tea

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