Worthless Word for the Day

[teapeebubbles]

the worthless word for the day is: congou

[ad. Chinese kung-fu work, and workman, kung-fu-ch'a,
app. tea on which work or effort is expended - omission
of the f is the foreigner's corruption (Prof. Legge)]
/KUN(j) go/
a fine grade of black tea imported from China

"The chief varieties of black tea, arranged in [an
upward order of excellence] are Bohea, Oolong, Congou,
Campoi, etc."
- F. W. Pavy, Food & Dietetics (1875)

"For example, the company sold very little of the more
expensive and better quality Congou tea since it cost
twice as much as Bohea tea from China. There was
clearly a good opportunity here for the selling of
illicit Congou and within a decade it had become one
of the most popular black teas in Britain."
- William J. Ashworth, Customs and Excise (2003)