The unique and aromatic flavor of Earl Grey tea offers a pleasure many people cannot substitute with anything else. The flavor is often described as that of spicy citrus, and certainly it is a flavor that once is has been tried once, cannot be forgotten. Apparently Captain Picard of Star Trek fame will not drink anything else!
While Earl Grey has grown a reputation of being a type of tea, in reality, Earl Grey is simply black tea with Bergamot. Some Earl Grey manufacturers have sometimes used lower qualities of black tea, hoping that the strong flavor of Bergamot will cover the less-than-desirable flavor of the tea. Earl Grey is often drunk black, at most with a slice of lemon, and it has gradually grown to become the most popular of all flavored teas available on the market.
Where does Earl Grey come from?
Earl Charles Grey was the Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1830. Legends tell us that Earl Grey saved the life of a man during a trip to China. To thank him for his kind act, the mandarin offered him a special blend of tea that Earl Grey brought back home with him. It wasn't long before the tea became a favorite, so Earl Grey asked the person who supplied his tea to come up with a blend just like it. The new tea was quickly accepted and spread quickly throughout England and other countries.
This is a lovely story, but it is suspected that it is just a story. Charles Grey never visited China and the Chinese drink very little black tea in any case, which means the true origin of Earl Grey tea is still a mystery.
Bergamot
Bergamot is a citrus tree that grows in the south of Italy. Also known as the Princes Pear, the fruit is inedible but the oil extracted from it is used to fragrance perfume as well as tea. Believe it or not, Bergamot was one of the ingredients of the first cologne that was ever created. (It is quite different from the herb called bergamot). The fruit of the Bergamot tree is a mix of orange, lemon and grapefruit, and it looks like an orange blossom.
In the winter months, before it ripens, the fruit harvest is picked by hand. The essence is extracted with cold presses and then stored away for over a year. The oil is widely used to treat depression with aromatherapy, and also to strengthen the immune system. Perhaps Earl Grey tea is a good remedy for winter sniffles!
The Taste of Lady Grey
At some point, it was a popular belief that women could not drink tea and maintain a proper behavior. Orange, lemon and bergamot were added to tea to calm these impulses, and Lady Grey tea was invented. Lady Grey is still a favorite today, and it is almost comical that many of the people that cherish it aren't women after all.
While Earl Grey has grown a reputation of being a type of tea, in reality, Earl Grey is simply black tea with Bergamot. Some Earl Grey manufacturers have sometimes used lower qualities of black tea, hoping that the strong flavor of Bergamot will cover the less-than-desirable flavor of the tea. Earl Grey is often drunk black, at most with a slice of lemon, and it has gradually grown to become the most popular of all flavored teas available on the market.
Where does Earl Grey come from?
Earl Charles Grey was the Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1830. Legends tell us that Earl Grey saved the life of a man during a trip to China. To thank him for his kind act, the mandarin offered him a special blend of tea that Earl Grey brought back home with him. It wasn't long before the tea became a favorite, so Earl Grey asked the person who supplied his tea to come up with a blend just like it. The new tea was quickly accepted and spread quickly throughout England and other countries.
This is a lovely story, but it is suspected that it is just a story. Charles Grey never visited China and the Chinese drink very little black tea in any case, which means the true origin of Earl Grey tea is still a mystery.
Bergamot
Bergamot is a citrus tree that grows in the south of Italy. Also known as the Princes Pear, the fruit is inedible but the oil extracted from it is used to fragrance perfume as well as tea. Believe it or not, Bergamot was one of the ingredients of the first cologne that was ever created. (It is quite different from the herb called bergamot). The fruit of the Bergamot tree is a mix of orange, lemon and grapefruit, and it looks like an orange blossom.
In the winter months, before it ripens, the fruit harvest is picked by hand. The essence is extracted with cold presses and then stored away for over a year. The oil is widely used to treat depression with aromatherapy, and also to strengthen the immune system. Perhaps Earl Grey tea is a good remedy for winter sniffles!
The Taste of Lady Grey
At some point, it was a popular belief that women could not drink tea and maintain a proper behavior. Orange, lemon and bergamot were added to tea to calm these impulses, and Lady Grey tea was invented. Lady Grey is still a favorite today, and it is almost comical that many of the people that cherish it aren't women after all.
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