Secret To The Best London Fog Tea Latte

The secret to making an amazing London Fog tea latte is in the bergamot. Earl Grey tea is the main ingredient in the London Fog tea latte and using the best Earl Grey tea you can find makes a magnificent latte.

You can make easily the popular London Fog drink at home with four simple ingredients: Earl Grey tea, milk, vanilla extract, and sugar.

Earl Grey is one of the most popular flavored teas in the West. I wasn’t always a fan of the international bestseller until I came across an exceptional Earl Grey tea. What made this Earl Grey tea so extraordinary?

Two Secrets to Outstanding Earl Grey Tea

The distinctive flavor of Earl Grey comes from bergamot oil. Bergamot is a Mediterranean citrus fruit. The bergamot fruit has a very generous rind and is prized for its fragrant essential oil by perfumeries and tea blenders. The black tea used as a base for Earl Grey is a blend and often comes from China, India or Sri Lanka.

1. Some tea blenders use natural bergamot oil while others use artificial oil. Unfortunately, most are artificially flavored. When a natural oil is used it will say ‘oil of bergamot’ or ‘bergamot essential oil’. Natural bergamot has a subtle but intense flavor. And it’s not easy to find.

If the tea is artificially flavored it will read ‘bergamot flavoring’ or ‘bergamot flavor’. It’s definitely not the same as essential bergamot oil.

2. Since Earl Grey is a blended, flavored black tea, the exact blend of black tea used, as well as the choice and amount of bergamot oil will greatly affect its flavor. Here is where the craft of the tea blender is so very important.

About Bergamot Oranges

Bergamot oranges are a beloved specialty citrus fruit. They’re a small orange originating from Italy’s Calabria region and thought to be a cross between a lime and a sour orange. Italy is still the largest producer of Bergamot Oranges today.

In Italy, the peels are pressed to yield a high-quality essential oil, which can be used for a variety of purposes from perfume to aromatherapy. Pure Calabrian Bergamot essential oil can be very expensive.

The Bergamot orange is primarily used for its rind, or zest, for its abundance of wonderful aromatic oils. Its essence is used to flavor Earl Grey tea and is also used in baked goods and marmalades. I received this Earl Grey Tea jelly from L’Epicurien as a gift one time and it was amazing.

That’s the beauty of Earl Grey tea, it can be used in so many recipes, from cupcakes to cocktails.

You may not find the bergamot orange so readily in your local supermarket but you can buy Bergamot Oranges online from Melissa’s World Variety Produce. They are grown in Southern California.

Origins of Earl Grey and London Fog Tea

A quintessentially British tea, Earl Grey originated in the United Kingdom and was named after Prime Minister Charles Grey, second Earl Grey in 1830. The London Fog tea latte, however, is said to have originated in Vancouver around 10 years ago.

An Earl Grey Tea Latte is the same thing as a London Fog Tea Latte, the names are used interchangeably.

Related: 10 Best Online Tea Shops

How to Make The Best London Fog Tea Drink

Pro Tips:

1. Always use the best Earl Grey tea you can find.
2. Replace warmed cows milk with almond milk. Almond milk adds a rich sweetness to the latte.
3. Replace sugar with a teaspoon of Earl Grey Tea Jelly or a good quality orange marmalade.
4. Use real vanilla extract. None of the artificial stuff here.
5. Use a handheld Aerolatte to froth milk. They work beautifully.

THE BEST LONDON FOG TEA LATTE

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: London Fog Tea

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes

Servings: 1 serving

Calories: 88 kcal

Author: Mary Ann Rollano

The secret to making an amazing London Fog tea latte is in the bergamot. Earl Grey tea is the main ingredient in the London Fog tea latte and using the best Earl Grey tea you can find makes a magnificent latte.

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Ingredients

• 4 ounces filtered water
• 4 ounces milk can use almond milk
• 2 tsp earl grey tea
• 1 tsp sugar can use orange marmalade
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil.

2. Add tea leaves and steep for 5 minutes.

3. Remove tea leaves and stir in sweetener and vanilla extract.

4. While tea is steeping add milk to a separate saucepan and warm over medium-low heat.

5. Remove from heat and froth warmed milk with a handheld frother.

6. Pour hot tea into an 8-ounce glass or mug and add milk. Stir to incorporate.

7. Spoon out remaining frothed milk to top off the latte.

Nutrition Facts

THE BEST LONDON FOG TEA LATTE

Amount Per Serving (8 ounces)

Calories 88 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 54mg2%

Potassium 149mg4%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 185IU4%

Calcium 128mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

WHERE TO BUY THE BEST EARL GREY TEA

Since my discovery of premium Earl Grey tea with real oil of bergamot, I’ve found a few other brands that make an excellent Earl Grey tea blend. You may want to try some of them out too.

ADAGIO:

I’ve only tried their London Earl Grey, but they have a variety of teas flavored with bergamot.  The London Earl Grey is premium black tea from China flavored with oil of bergamot, a citrus fruit. It comes as a full-leaf tea in individually wrapped bags.

FORTNUM & MASON:

They offer many varieties of Earl Grey tea both loose and bagged. Its flavor is made up of simple black tea flavored with oil of bergamot.

KUSMI TEA:

The White Anastasia Tea is a blend of white tea, orange blossom, bergamot, and lemon producing a lovely delicate tea. It reminds me of an oolong. The Anastasia tea is a blend of black China and Ceylon teas with scents of bergamot, lemon, lime, and orange blossom. They use essential oil of bergamot to scent their tea.

Rishi Tea & Botanicals

I have not tried this specific tea, but I have had many Rishi teas and they have excellent quality. The combination blend of the robust and fruity Thai black tea with mellow, caramel sweet Yunnan Dian Hong sounds interesting. It’s an original Rishi blend earl grey that uses the first-pressing of bergamot essential oil.

TEABOX:

Makes a the traditional Earl Grey blend made with premium Assam black tea and pure bergamot extract, which lends a citrusy twist to the tea. This is a full-bodied and robust tea, with a rich amber-colored infusion. They have a variety of teas flavored with oil of bergamot.

SMITH TEAMAKER:

Makes curated tea blends and loose leaf varietals crafted in small batches in Portland, Oregon. The black tea base for the Smith Teamaker Earl Grey is a blend of Assam tea from India and Sri Lanka tea from the Dimbula and Uva regions. You won’t find Smith Teamaker Earl Grey in most stores. But you can buy Smith Teamaker Lord Bergamot on Amazon.

Palais Des Thes:

They make a variety of blends of Earl Grey. I’ve enjoyed their Earl Grey Bio, an organic blend of black tea from India and Sri Lanka. They use a natural essence of organic bergamot.

VAHDAM TEAS:

The Earl Grey Citrus Black Tea is a blend of black teas from India with the natural oil of bergamot fruit, a pear-shaped sour orange originally found in Italy. The dry leaf is delightfully fragrant. The tea is characteristic of a bright liquoring cup of tea. The fruity and fragrant citrus flavor of this tea also makes a great iced tea.

Your Own Starbucks London Fog Tea Latte

Now you can make your very own London Fog tea drink at home without spending five dollars at Starbucks. You can use that savings to buy better tea.