Well, the "Lady Grey" tins had no expiration dates that I could read properly but I bought one. The "Prince of Wales" I bought is best used by 2012. I made a comment to the owner about expiration dates again, but he said "They just don't put them on do they?" Then he tried to convince me that the dates were only "shelf dates" and should not be sold after that. Well, I told him as he rang up a box of "Yorkshire Gold" tea bags that I gave a gift of this YG (purchased at his shop) to a friend one time and found out later it was nearly 2yrs. old! He said he doesn't understand the difference in taste really - oh brother. I answered it "Tastes like straw when old!" ha. he just smiled. Anyway, my box of YG is good until November of 2010 - 40bags to a box - how will I ever drink all of those before November? If anyone wants to sample Yorkshire Gold send me your address and I'll slip several or more bags into an envelope! And I also bought a small box of 20 Lapsang Souchong tea bags to try again. It has such an exotic smokey flavor that I didn't want to buy an entire tin. The shop owner also told me that Twinings is no longer going to offer the small packs of 6 bags. Have to buy boxes of 20bgs. in the future.

Hi Jim: thank you for the link to Charleston Tea Plantation ...I'll definitely order some for Christmas ... I love the taste of green tea. Hubby drinks coffee, but that doesn't appeal to me. A friend sent me a link to how tainted foods from China are, such as contaminated vinegar with anti-freeze (lethal poison). A grandmother in Vietnam was healthy until she turned 98 years old and drank wine tainted with rubbing alcohol ... she became blind & sick and died afterwards. http://www.wired.com/2011/08/china-food-risk/ Pets are also affected by tainted foods from China. From Wikipedia about the 2007 pet food recalls "By the end of March, veterinary organizations reported more than 100 pet deaths amongst nearly 500 cases of kidney failure,[1] with one online database self-reporting as many as 3,600 deaths as of 11 April.[2][3] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received reports of several thousand cats and dogs who have died after eating contaminated food .... the actual death toll could potentially reach into the thousands.[6][7] Overall, several major companies have recalled more than 5300 pet food products, with most of the recalls coming from Menu Foods.[4] The contamination was caused by melamine in the affected foods. The Chinese company behind the contaminated wheat gluten has initially denied any involvement in the contamination. Reports of widespread and possibly intentional adulteration of Chinese animal feed with melamine have raised the issue of melamine contamination in the human food supply, both in China and abroad.[11] On 27 April, the U.S. FDA subjected all vegetable proteins imported from China, intended for human or animal consumption, to detention without physical examination, including: wheat gluten, rice gluten, rice protein, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten, corn gluten meal, corn byproducts, soy protein, soy gluten, proteins (includes amino acids and protein hydrosylates), and mung bean protein.[12] In a teleconference with reporters on 1 May, officials from the FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture said between 2.5 and 3 million people in the United States had consumed chickens that had consumed feed containing contaminated vegetable protein from China.[13] Current research has focused on the combination of melamine and cyanuric acid in causing renal failure. Reports that cyanuric acid may be an independently and potentially widely used adulterant in China have heightened concerns for both pet and human health.[14] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_pet_food_recalls Dr. Oz TV-show tested high arsenic levels in major-brands apple-juice, such as Mott and Minute Maid, with China as their supplier. http://www.doctoroz.com/article/dr-oz-investigates-arsenic-apple-juice The Wall Street Journal has a list of foods most imported from China, here's an excerpt from below link: "Chinese imports dominate some food categories to a striking extent. In a testimony before a subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in May (pdf), food safety expert Patty Lovera noted that China accounted for 80% of tilapia, 51% of cod, 49% of apple juice, 34% of processed mushrooms, 27% of garlic and 16% of frozen spinach consumed in the U.S. in 2011." Here is a link that might be useful: Wall Street Journal on foods imported from China

Just to clarify on the nespresso...they have a few pods marketed as "lungo" pods (italian for "long"). Traditionally, you can make an espresso shot ristretto (short), "normal," or "lungo"...the lungo pods have a bit more coffee in them, and it is ground a little less fine. It is technically a sort of a cross between an Americano and a true drip, as it is still brewed with pressure through the grounds. To my taste, it is an excellent substitute for strong drip coffee.. There is also no reason at all you can't do a long shot through a non-lungo pod...the results vary, but I find they are generally still better than the coffee you get out of a k-cup or similar. Just my opinion - YMMV. You can change the size of the shots, but as they come standard the lungo button gives you a 110ml pour (as opposed to 40ml for an espresso pod). This is just shy of 4oz...I find that doing 2 lungos fills a "normal" size coffee mug pretty much perfectly. I originally bought one for my office at work because even though it was more expensive per cup theoretically, in reality I was wasting large parts of every pot I made in my traditional drip machine...and the lack of any messy grounds to dispose of was a real bonus. I have been very happy with ours...it isn't our only coffee maker, and I use other things when I want a *really* good cup, or a pot for weekends, but for the morning latte or a quick cuppa, it is perfect. It is also nice because their decaf is actually very tasty...I don't make a lot of decaf, so it is nice to be able to make a cup on the spot when someone wants it.

Trudysmom, thank you for finally posting in the right place. Now, however, you should grab a cup of coffee or tea or pop and sit down at your computer and start paging through the 67 pages of recommendations, warnings, and so on, in this forum. Many people have already posted their findings and their experiences; you should take advantage of them. It will be extremely difficult for us to make any recommendations for you or even to guess because you have given us no idea of your budget or any special requirements you may have (have to be able to wash king-sized comforters every week; DH is a mechanic; you live far from a big city; etc.). By the time you empty your cup or glass, you should be able to identify your must-haves, what you might want to spend, etc. One limiting factor for you -- and, therefore, a starting point -- may be which brands you can buy and have serviced locally. There's little point in buying a top-of-the-line gold-plated German Zaubermann if no one within 300 miles of you can sell or service it. Check your locals phone book's yellow pages and maybe make a few calls to find out which brands are carried in your area.