Michael -

I included the following description of the Darjeeling process which I find
to be the most clear in describing it.
http://www.thunderbolttea.com/pages/...rocessing.html
Please, notice that at the end of the description they mention the sieve
grading stage.
That is when size grading (P-OP-BP) happens.
It is my understanding that F, T and other grade designations that has
nothing to do with the size and integrity of the leaf are made even earlier
when different ways of picking up the tea (a bud with 1 leaf, 2 leaves, etc)
is being ordered from the plantation crew.

Sasha.


"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
> snip
>
> [Sasha]
>> It [OP (orange pekoe)] always was and still is an attempt to describe the
>> TYPE
> OF LEAF from the point of view of it being mostly whole, broken or
> fannings
> plus the presence and quantity of tips, etc.
>
>> OP has to be at least a large part leaf and at least some - whole leaf
>> teas.
>> Majority of " box of Assam or Ceylon black, Yunnan black, or Kenya
>> black," -
>> will be fannings or broken leaf. If you put an OP label on such a box it
>> will be a... hm... misrepresentation.
>
> My instincts say you are right here,
> but what about the fact that Assam and
> Darjeeling leaves, even excellent ones,
> are cut to smaller uniform sizes as part
> of the production process? I *think* the
> FOP and more elaborate designations refer
> to the leaves not as they appear in your
> package when you buy it, but rather to a
> condition of the leaf in an earlier stage,
> back at the ranch as it were. Otherwise,
> traditionally (whatever that means), there
> would be *NO* OP at all from those two
> regions, save for some variations on Oolong
> themes that are quite new on the tea scene.
> Basic Assam and Darjeeling are *always*
> "broken." Am I making any sense here?
> Or did I miss a crucial point you made?
> Michael
>
>