The Earl of My Heart

I've always been a big fan of Earl Grey tea.

When I was a very young tea drinker, I found the flavor very sophisticated, maybe because I couldn't fathom what made it different from the Lipton black tea I usually drank. Sort of smoky, sort of bitter.

One day I bought Twinings Earl Grey tea, the yellow box having caught my eye as I was choosing which tea to sample next. When I got home I put the water on and waited. During this time I didn't know it was a HUGE no-no to boil water for tea, so I waited for my little friend, the kettle, to whistle me back into the kitchen. I opened up the pouch and inhaled the aroma...

It was love at first scent. It was definitely Earl Grey tea, the same notes were still there, but Twinings Earl Grey had a decidedly more fruity aroma. It was just lovely.

The fragrance and flavor so inspired me that I checked out the facts behind Earl Grey tea. It's flavor comes from bergamot, a citrus fruit that grows in Southeast Asia. Only in Twinings could I really get that fruit flavor. I'm not sure if they use real fruit rind or chemicals to make that delicious scent, but it's by far my favorite tea to drink with milk.

My favorite Earl Grey beverage? The London Fog. I was going through a trying time a few years ago, both physically and emotionally. I'd moved into a new neighborhood, quit my job, and was taking time sorting things out for myself. There was a coffeehouse down the street, the 1369 Cafe in Inman Square, with easily the strongest coffee in town, and a quiet, dark atmosphere, befitting to my mood and the early spring/late winter weather here in Boston. The London Fog is a great drink when you're in need of a little comforting luxury. It is Earl Grey tea with steamed milk and vanilla syrup. Perfect, yes?