Added: 09/22/2005 |
Earl grey tea - the most popular tea in the Western worldEarl Grey tea was named after the Prime Minister to King William IV, the second earl in his line, Charles Grey, in the 1830s. During this time, he passed the act to abolish slavery in the British Empire. This act seems rather a vital accomplishment in the history of the British Empire, however, due to some unknown reasons, Charles Grey is known more for earl grey tea rather than for his participation in the historical events.
There is the legend that a Chinese mandarin, whose life Charles Grey saved, gave the recipe of the tea to him. The tea was so popular that the Prime Minister gave its sample to his tea merchants, Twinings in the Strand. They produced a close match to the primary sample and the first earl grey tea appeared in the British market. Twinings' earl grey tea is a mixture of China tea, Indian Darjeeling, Ceylon, and a shade of Lapsang Charles Grey souchong strong black tea. Then, many blends of tea have been used for the earl grey tea preparation, however, the blend of black Indian and Ceylon tea is the leading one.
A bergamot oil, which is a small fragrant citrus orange (the oil is taken from its rind), added the unusual flavor and taste to the tea. The bergamot orange is a cross between the Seville or sour orange and the sweet or pear lemon. It is impossible to describe bergamot tea; it is more revealing to taste it. It has a delicate refreshing taste and fragrant smell, which is not only a citrus flavor, but a blend of citrus with shades of some exotic flower's aroma. It can be served hot with or without sugar or milk, or can be used to make ice tea.
A close relative to earl grey, produced by Twinings, is called "Lady Grey". It is a blend of black tea, Seville orange, lemon and bergamot. "Earl Green" is a name given to earl grey-like green types of tea. Moreover, today's tea industry offers a great variety of earl grey tea blends. Here we should name Blue Sky in the Morning "Lady Grey's Secret", a blend of black and green tea with bergamot, lemongrass, jasmine, cornflower petals and lavender. The Citrus Oolong - Organic tea has a citrus fragrance of organic lemongrass and bergamot infusion. The French Blend seems quite tempting - organic black tea is flavored with Earl Grey and vanilla, organic lavender, red rose petals and organic jasmine blossoms. The Majestic Earl Grey is a real taste of aristocracy - a blend of Earl Grey and bergamot oil, creamy vanilla and blue mallow blossoms. Rooibos Earl Grey will be good for those, who prefer caffeine-free drinks. It contains valuable vitamins and minerals and helps to relieve a nervous tension, insomnia, allergic symptoms and indigestion. An excellent any time refresher is the Earl Grey Lemon Mint - blended with organic peppermint and organic lemon myrtle. The Earl Grey &Lychee Tea is carefully hand selected and flavored with bergamot fruit infusion and lychee fruit.
However, Earl Grey tea is not always a high quality tea. As the taste of bergamot is very strong, sometimes it can disguise a poor quality of black tea. That is the reason why, when choosing earl grey in the shop, check properly the grade of the tea in order to make the best choice and enjoy this magnificent drink.
"If you are cold, tea will warm you; If you are too heated, it will cool you; If you are depressed, it will cheer you; If you are excited, it will calm you "Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea." - William Gladstone, the British Prime Minister.
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