I'll keep my eye open for good sow mei packaged. I'll scan the box and
email it to whoever's interested.

Peter


"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
om...
> Tenren is a gimme in the larger Chinatowns. Usually they have
> selection with sky high prices. You can buy their commercial brand in
> groceries cheaply. I always thought there is something missing in the
> Tenren consumer equation when judging selection, quality, and price.
> I've concluded there are two prices one in English for the tourists
> and one in Chinese for the locals. I remember my first visit to
> TenRen in SF in 73 and came away with sticker shock. If I could shop
> in Tenren and come away with the best Formosa(company headquarters)
> oolong and not worry about the price tag one could do worse. So
> you're painting a picture of Chinatown which more or less reflects
> what one should expect. That certainly hasn't been the case in the
> past. I don't have any problems with off the shelf
> oolongs,gunpowder,keemuns. For the beginner I'd recommend Indian,
> Ceylon, African teas over Chinese. If you come across a commercial
> brand of sow-mei you like please let me know here. I've tried many
> brands over the years and can't get excited about any. However it is
> probably simply since I know there is bud I don't worry about leaf.
>
> Jim
>
> "Peter" > wrote in message
>...
> > Well, in Vancouver's Chinatown, there are many shops with both
commercially
> > package tea, and loose leaf in jars. There are also two chain stores
which
> > seem to be associated somehow. They both have green awnings and green
> > signs. One is Ten Ren, and the other is Ten Lee. They both have a lot
of
> > packaged, and a lot of loose. There is a Ten Ren in NYC Chinatown as
well.
> > I was in it last September. But even their stuff is only so good. Most
of
> > the other shops with tea in Chinatown are Chinese herbalists, selling
all
> > manner of herbs, dried whole snakes, mushrooms, scallops, etc. They
have
> > mostly packaged tea but also maybe a few jars of lesser quality loose.
> >
> > Heck, I'll meet someone there if you want and show you the shops. It's
only
> > a few blocks worth.
> >
> > My next tea mission will be to a shop in a largely Asian mall called
> > Metrotown, where they have some choice sow-mei. Better than the best
I've
> > found in Chinatown.
> >
> > Peter
> >
> >
> > "Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > > Previous assertions made by others about VCBC said you can't even buy
> > > Chinese commercial packaged tea in Chinatown. I can walk down aisles
> > > in many stores with dozens and dozens of different brands with even
> > > more teas to choose from.