The aisles I mention are my own metro area. I gave the example of
finding commercial Chinese teas in Oakland versus SF because a poster
in this thread and several others over the years who say you can't
even find Chinese brand teas in VCBC. So is it simply they're not
looking in the right place? Even at that Oakland doesn't have a great
selection. So my favorites in Chinatown any generic Fujian
oolong(Black Dragon), Wuji(oolong birthplace), Silver Needles(rarely),
Foojoy. Plug in Foojoy tea into the Google search engine and you'll
get other commonly available Chinese commercial teas with rosetta
stone labeling of Chinese characters. The website for Mark T. Wendell
should sort to the top which carries top of the line Foojoy in the
tins which I can find locally. Over the years everytime there is a
Chinese commercial tea thread someone asks where is the good stuff
only to discover they like Indian and Ceylon teas well duh. If you
like lichee then any off the shelve brand will do the same for
gunpowder. If you don't like Jasmine try Lotus. Learn some lettering
and look in the loose herbal section for kilo bags. I stay away from
any HongKong export.

Jim

(Joseph Kubera) wrote in message >...
> >I can walk down aisles
> >in many stores with dozens and dozens of different brands with even
> >more teas to choose from.
>
> <snip>
>
> >In the Bay area you have to go to
> >Oakland to find the selection and not SF.
>
> Please elaborate. One day last year I combed Oakland's Chinatown area for good
> tea selection. The places I found had the standard packaged stuff I see in
> Chinese groceries and department stores in NYC, where I live.
>
> Are you saying that some of that stuff is really excellent? If so, I'd love to
> learn which brands and how to ID them from their packaging. Clue us in! I've
> had generally poor luck with the Chinese grocery stuff.
>
> Joe