The smoky and fragrant taste of Earl Grey is a unique experience that many people can not get enough of. Described as a spicy citrus flavor, Earl Grey is a hard to describe taste that is unforgettable once tasted. Apparently Captain Picard of Star Trek fame will not drink anything else!
Although many people consider Earl Grey as a type of tea, any black tea with bergamot flavor added is in fact Earl Grey. Some manufacturers will even use their lower quality black tea to make Early Grey in the belief that the strong flavor of bergamot will mask the poor taste of the tea. Mostly taken black with maybe a slice of lemon added, Earl Grey is nevertheless one of the most popular of all the flavored teas in the world.
Earl Grey Origins
The legend is that Earl Grey (Charles Grey, prime minister of Britain from 1830 to 1834) saved the life of a mandarin while on a diplomatic mission to China. In return, the mandarin gave him a gift of some tea which he took back to the UK with him. Earl Grey apparently developed such a taste for the tea that when it started to run out he took some to the tea merchants and demanded they make him a special blend. The new, intriguing flavor subsequently spread throughout the country and then the world.
In fact, this story is probably not even slightly true! The Earl never visited China, and at least two different tea suppliers claim to be the original makers of the tea; which means that to this day the enigma is still not solved.
What is Bergamot
On the south coast of Italy, a citrus tree is cultivated. Bergamot is also called the Princes Pear, and is a mix of lemon, grapefruit and orange. Although the fruit is inedible, the oil is very valuable and used in perfumery as well as to flavor tea. The original Eau de Cologne contains extract of bergamot, the scent of which is similar to orange blossom.
Bergamot is picked by hand in the winter, before the fruit is ripe. The essence is extracted mechanically by purpose made presses and stored for a year or longer before use. Bergamot is said to help resist colds and flu, having anti- microbial effects. The oil is also used to treat depression in aromatherapy oil, and as a digestive aid. So drinking Earl Grey could be good for you!
Lady Grey
In the days when Early Grey tea first became popular, people thought that tea could stimulate "impulses" in women that were considered improper. To counteract these impulses, Seville orange, lemon and bergamot were added to tea to calm the lady drinker. The resulting drink was named Lady Grey, and remains a favorite tea today. It is not sure whether tea still produces unwanted impulses in female drinkers, however!
Cory Willins writes website articles for The Tea Spot where you can find many tea resources including information about
Japanese style tea, tea pots,
chai tea and more.
