Before you shop, you should know what you are buying! Watch for these codes on the tea labels, or that pricey tea may be no more than fannings in a bag:
OP (Orange Pekoe): good quality with large leaves from Sri Lanka or southern India
OP Sup (Orange Pekoe Superior): from Indonesia
FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe): teas from the first leaf and bud of the shoot
GFOP (Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): higher quality tea that includes the golden
tips of the young buds leaves
TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): higher quality tea that includes more of the golden tips of the young buds leaves
FTGFOP (Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, or, in jest, Far Too Good For Ordinary People): extremely high quality
SFTGFOP (Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): even higher quality
BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe): small or broken pieces of leaves
Fannings: tiny bits and pieces, usually leftovers from processing, found in tea bags along with tea dust