Earl Grey, Lady Grey and Earl Green: Variations on a Theme
Earl Grey tea has long been a favourite of mine. Recently, I’ve been trying a few different types of Earl Grey and discovering just how much variety there is in this one blend. Earl Grey teas vary based on two main parameters: the type of black tea used as a base and the amount of bergamot oil used. Additionally, many vendors add extra elements to their Earl Grey blends.
Will the real Earl Grey please stand up?
Walk into any half-decent café and you’ll find it on their menu: Earl Grey tea, that wonderful blend of tea made by scenting black tea with the oil of bergamot, a citrus fruit. Short of English Breakfast and Jasmine tea, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find another tea as ubiquitous as our bergamot-infused friend.
But who was Earl Grey, and who did he bribe, maim or kill to have one of the world’s most popular teas named after him?
Tea and Memories: Experiencing Du Yun Mao Jian (aka Guizhou Fuzzy Tip)
When I was twelve, I lived with my parents in Kapingamarangi, a remote atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Besides fish, bananas and papaws, one of the most common sources of food was taro, a yam-like plant grown in swamps.
I don’t often spend time thinking of Kapingamarangi, but today’s tea experience brought back pleasant memories.
Kilinoe Green Tea: Hawaiian Grown Tea
I was surprised a few months ago when Billy from Narien Teas told me where he was going on his latest tea finding mission: Hawaii.
Apparently the island state known for brilliant beaches, great surf and volcanoes is now dipping into the gourmet tea market. Kilinoe Green Tea is a hand-harvested, hand-rolled and hand-fired tea grown on a small eco-organic tea estate on Big Island, Hawaii. According to Narien Teas, it’s “a mildly-sweet and fragrant tea that never over-steeps.”
How does your mood affect your choice of tea?
My tea collection is a dominant force in our pantry. Off the top of my head, I’d guess I have over 50 teas to choose from. Yet every morning, I find myself gravitating towards three teas in particular:
- Yunnan Golden Monkey (Tea Leaves, an Australian tea shop)
- Keemum (McIvers Coffee and Tea, another Australian establishment)
- Kagoshima Shincha Yutaka Midori (from O-Cha)
25% off for new Mighty Leaf Tea customers
While browsing through Mighty Leaf’s website in preparation for the review I just posted, I noticed that they have a great offer on for people who haven’t tried their tea pouches before: Buy your first tea pouches from Mighty Leaf and get 25% off.
There are actually three separate offers – one for herbal tea, another for black tea
and a third for green tea
.
Darjeeling First Flush 2009 from Mighty Leaf Tea
I have just now enjoyed my first taste of 2009’s first flush Darjeelings, courtesy of Mighty Leaf Tea. This year, Mighty Leaf have chosen Mim Estate for their single-estate Darjeeling offering. It’s a great choice: Mim Estate’s first flush serves admirably as a well-rounded black tea and a great example of that quintessential Darjeeling flavour.
