Earl Grey is the West’s most popular tea, most popular black tea, and most popular scented tea, in that order. Named after the 1830’s British Prime Minister, Earl Grey is traditionally any tea scented with oil of Bergamot, a citrus fruit found in Mediterranean climes. Corfu was the center of the Bergamot trade. During the same decades it was headquarters for the British Mediterranean fleet, commanded by Lord Grey in London.
Successive generations of heirs to the tea firms of Twining and Jacksons of Piccadilly accused one another’s ancestors of having stolen Milord’s recipe, which seems originally to have been entrusted to Jacksons.
The Tea Emporium offers many imaginative variations and classic versions of this best seller using many different teas and herbs as a base. For example, we use Keemun China Black tea in our Grand Earl Grey, Bai Mu Dan white tea in the White Blossom Earl Grey, and Formosa Oolong in the Oolong Earl Grey. Variations of this wonderful tea are used in iced teas, cooking and baking – a wonderful treat..