Orange Pekoe is a variety of black tea made from the leaves of the small tree: camellia sinensis. The tea has nothing to do with oranges – the fruit is not included in the blend to enhance the flavour. The word “pekoe” comes from a Chinese word meaning “white downy hair.” This is in reference to the tiny hairs found on the smallest leaves of the plant. Tea aficionados believe the word Orange refers to the Dutch East India Company based in the Netherlands, whose royal house was known as the House of Orange. The hugely successful trading company was responsible for bringing tea, among other goods, to Europe. The Dutch Royal Family enjoyed the privilege of sipping on the finest of the black tea that they imported. When the blend was eventually made available to the public it was given the name Orange Pekoe to leverage its association with royalty.