Legend goes that in 1803, Lord Greys retinue rescued a boy from drowning in a Chinese river. The boy was the son of a prominent tea merchant who, to show his gratitude, sent the Earl a special blend of tea. When the Earl was running out of tea, he asked Twinings to replicate it. The company composed a tea using black tea leaves and bergamot oil and named it Earl Grey in his honor.
It is very unlikely that the tea received by the Earl Grey contained bergamot oil since there is no such fruit in China. However, there is an exquisite Chinese tea called Ju Pu Cha that contains tea leaves inside a fruit similar to a little orange. The bergamot is a citrus with a pear shape and its flavor is something in between an orange and a lime.
Earl Grey is the most famous scented tea in Europe and America. Each company has its own recipe, from the mass produced tea bags that contains synthetic bergamot flavor to the more sophisticated that use fine tea leaves and bergamot essential oil. Pantenger Earl Grey is one of the finest examples of its class.
HOW TO SERVE:
1 TEASPOON (2 to 3 grams)
ADD 6 FL. OZ. HOT WATER (200F 210F).
BREW FOR 2 TO 3 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS: ORGANIC BLACK TEA, ORGANIC BERGAMOT ESSENTIAL OIL
USDA Organic certified by OTCO
Non-GMO
Gluten Free
Vegan
