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 created 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 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 lies somewhere between that of an orange and a lime.
At present, 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. The Rose petals added to our recipe add color to the leaves and give the tea a subtle floral aftertaste.
HOW TO SERVE:
1 TEASPOON (2 TO 3 grams)
ADD 6 FL. OZ. HOT WATER (200°F 210°F).
BREW FOR 2 TO 3 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS: BLACK TEA, BERGAMOT ESSENTIAL OIL, ROSE PETALS
- Non-GMO
- Gluten Free
- Vegan
