Description of earl gray tea with bergamot. Earl Gray tea - a guarantee of pleasant tea drinking Famous Russian brands

Saturated black loose leaf Ceylon tea and notes bergamot create a tandem that has a fabulous name Earl Gray. This magical name reeks of good old Britain.

Earl Gray tea truly capable of taking you to the pinnacle of bliss. Bergamot gives it delicate scent, while leaving strength of black Ceylon tea. At the same time, black tea makes up the base component, and bergamot oil adds a touch of tenderness.

Earl Gray – tea, which has found a lot of fans all over the world. Especially we honor He English. And they know a lot about tea.

Interestingly, researchers still do not know exactly the history of this tea. There are many options, but they do not find unequivocal confirmation. The most famous of them says that this tea was brought as a gift to British Minister Gray from China. And it arose, like many amazing things in our reality, by accident. The ship on which it was transported tea, caught in a severe storm. Bergamot oil spilled onto tea leaves. That's how it turned out Earl Gray.

Over time, many began to call this tea the “gray earl.” Obviously drawing an analogy with the word gray, which translates as grey. Apparently people decided that Mr. Gray was a gray-haired man.

Whatever this tea is called, it has amazing properties. This - natural antidepressant. Indeed, its deep and indescribable aroma will drive away all negative emotions and restore joy to life. Troubles and troubles will simply disappear into thin air. Bergamot will envelop your home calmness and tranquility.

Earl Gray tea flavor

Brewed tea is colored warm golden color, shimmering with sun and amber. A taste represents indescribable bouquet, consisting of bergamot, black tea and bright citrus splashes that fill cheerfulness from the inside.

Milk and lemon go well with Earl Gray. This will in no way negatively affect its taste. Pour tea into beautiful cups, place cakes and cookies on the table! A aroma of freshly brewed tea will spread throughout all the rooms. Your friends and family will not remain indifferent.

There are a huge number of tea companies operating on the world market, offering the buyer drinks under different brands, but almost each of them has in its assortment the classic Earl Gray, which is especially loved and popular in the UK.

History of creation

Tea has been drunk for several millennia, but it has only been a little over 200 years since it became a widespread global commodity. Before this, the so-called Chinese herb was known, which was expensive, had an incomprehensible taste and caused mistrust, like everything new. The beginning of the conquest of the world by tea is considered to be the period when Europeans mastered the coffee business in Ceylon, which, having failed, gave way to tea plantations. Among the favorite types of drink today, Earl Gray tea stands out, which is already considered a classic and the best among flavored products of its kind.

Despite its short history of existence, this drink has acquired a huge number of myths and legends, most of which are just fiction. Some talk about the miraculous rescue of one of the courtiers of the Chinese government by close associates of Sir Charles Gray, the earl and then British Foreign Secretary. As a token of gratitude, the Chinese citizen presented the count with a box of incredibly aromatic black tea with a description of how it was produced.

The same Charles Gray

At that time, and this was in the first half of the 19th century, the count was the owner of tea plantations in Ceylon, so the information about the new product was correctly perceived and implemented by him.

According to another version, tea from the count’s plantations was transported to the continent on a ship, which, along with tea bags, contained bergamot oil, which was expensive at that time. During a strong storm, oil was poured onto the tea, from which it acquired amazing aromatic and taste properties. It is difficult to find out exactly how black tea with bergamot began to be produced, but its name comes from the name of a famous politician and titled person of the United Kingdom.

History is silent about the exact facts of the appearance of Earl Gray. It is believed that the Chinese learned how to flavor black tea with orange peel, but the tradition of adding oil to tea appeared in Ceylon. Be that as it may, today this product is in demand on the market and loved all over the world.

Description

Earl Gray Bergamot Tea is a loose leaf, granular or bagged product consisting of black tea flavored with bergamot oil. At the market you can find Earl Gray with the zest of this aromatic fruit. The product may contain only the tea leaves itself and oil or pieces of bergamot zest. In China, there is a tradition of flavoring tea with a close relative of bergamot - bitter orange.

Bergamot is a hybrid obtained by crossing two representatives of citrus fruits - orange and citron. The fruit itself has a pronounced bitter taste, but the oil from its zest has a unique aroma and beneficial properties. To obtain bergamot tea, its leaves are soaked in oil and allowed to dry. The aroma of the finished drink can be described in two words – light citrus with freshness and bitterness.

Earl Gray black tea is produced on the basis of Chinese, Indian, Ceylon leaves, including long varieties. Not so long ago, green and even elite white tea with bergamot appeared on the market.

Bergamot oil is today produced in one region of Italy; the fruit is grown slightly in Africa

The oil of the tropical fruit, which is grown in the largest volumes in Italy, as it was hundreds of years ago, is considered beneficial to health. It is used in cosmetology, food and perfume industries. When a tea leaf is aromatized, it is covered with an easily weathered film of bergamot esters, which give it its characteristic aroma and taste.

This product should be stored in sealed containers:

it is ideal to first put the tea in a linen bag, and then place it in a glass or tin jar;
Do not store it near strong-smelling foods, especially coffee and spices;
This type of tea is stored less than regular tea, as it tends to lose its aroma.

Many tea brands produce a drink with bergamot. On the Russian market it is represented by such brands as:

Dilmah;
Greenfield;
Ahmad;
Lipton;
Twining;
Newby;
Wriston;
Haleys et al.

The leaders among packaged drinks are Lipton, offering Earl Gray in pyramids, and among loose drinks, Greenfield, offering Ceylon loose leaf tea with Fantasy bergamot.

Earl Gray is not only a tasty and aromatic drink. It combines two amazing properties. On the one hand, it tones and stimulates the functioning of the brain and nervous system as a whole. On the other hand, it relaxes and helps you fully relax after a working day.

Classic Earl Gray tea is especially popular in the UK. But it is also in demand among Russian connoisseurs. Literally translated, its name sounds like “Count Grey,” which explains the interesting history of the drink.

Earl Gray black tea became widely available about 200 years ago. Then he became famous all over the world.

In the first half of the 19th century, Earl Charles Gray owned a large tea plantation in Ceylon. During the next sea transportation of the collected product, the ship was caught in a severe storm. Rare and expensive for that time bergamot oil was transported next to the tea bags. The bottles broke and it spilled onto the tea.

The sailors felt sorry to throw away the “spoiled” product. They dried the tea and brewed it according to the classic recipe. The new aromatic and taste qualities of the drink pleasantly surprised everyone present on the ship. This is how natural flavored black tea with bergamot appeared on sale. It was presented to buyers as a new variety of tea, which was developed by the count himself. Subsequently, the tea leaves were deliberately soaked in essential oil. To this day, the product is in demand on the market.

In addition to this popular story of the appearance of bergamot tea, there are others. For example, that the count received a sample of the product from the high-ranking father of the prince he saved. The lid of the tea box also contained his recipe. True, there are several rescue stories. Either Charles Gray pulled the guy out of the water during a strong storm and shipwreck (we are talking about the son of a Chinese minister), or he protected him from an angry tiger (in this case, we are talking about the heir of an Indian rajah). Today it is unlikely that we will be able to find out the truth.

Composition and calorie content of the drink

Earl Gray tea contains two main components - high-quality black tea leaves and bergamot essential oil. Tea can be either Ceylon, Indian or Chinese. Sometimes three varieties are combined in one product in equal proportions.

Bergamot is a hybrid of citron and orange that has a surprisingly subtle citrus aroma. Immediately after brewing, it quickly spreads throughout the room and has a calming effect on tea drinkers.

Some manufacturers use bergamot zest to flavor the drink, but this is a more economical option that cannot be considered a classic.

It is the oil that makes tea beneficial to the human body. When consumed regularly, this supplement strengthens the body’s defenses, saturates a person with energy and vigor.

And, besides:

increases concentration and memory;
improves the functioning of the heart and blood vessels;
normalizes the functioning of the central nervous system;
cleanses the liver;
brings blood pressure back to normal;
has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin (including fighting pigment spots and freckles).

The calorie content of the product per 100 g is 15.05 kcal. But this indicator is only relevant for classic Earl Gray without additional additives.

Recently, manufacturers have begun to actively experiment and mix bergamot not only with black, but also with white, green and even red tea. Such drinks are also often sold under the name Earl Grey. In some versions, in addition to bergamot, jasmine, mint and other aromatic additives are used.

Taste and aroma of Earl Gray tea

The unique taste and aroma of the drink under discussion is what made it so popular among connoisseurs all over the world. Properly brewed tea with bergamot turns into a pleasant golden color, shimmering with amber. The taste of the drink is a whole bouquet with the tartness of black tea and bright citrus splashes of bergamot.

Freshly brewed Earl Gray smells like lemon and orange at the same time. It is citrus notes that dominate its aroma.

It is allowed to supplement the drink with slices of fresh citrus fruits and milk. Such additives do not spoil its taste and aroma.

Popular tea brands

Earl Gray tea is considered British. For a very long time it was produced exclusively by two English companies. One of them even stated that she received the recipe for the drink from the count himself back in the mid-19th century (this is “Jacksons from Piccadilly”).

Today you can find such tea on sale, produced under a variety of brands. For example, "Twinings". The company has created a version of the drink specifically for beautiful ladies. It was called "Lady Gray". This tea contains orange and lemon zest. The taste of the drink turned out to be more delicate than that of the classic Earl Grey.

Of the American manufacturers, Stash Tea produces the tea under discussion, and of the French – Grand Jardin.

You can also find cheap Chinese counterfeits of Earl Gray in stores. Instead of oil and bergamot zest, they add flavoring.

How to brew correctly

To brew this tea, it is better to choose filtered water. As for dishes, both the teapot and cups should be made of clay or porcelain. The container in which the drink will be brewed is first treated with freshly boiled water.

If black tea is brewed, then the optimal water temperature for it is 90 - 100 degrees. Brewing time – from 2 to 6 minutes.

It is believed that sugar does not combine well with bergamot as a sweetener in such a drink. It is better to use natural bee honey for this purpose. Both liquid and candied products are suitable.

You should only drink freshly brewed Earl Grey. If the drink sits for more than 4 hours, it is better to throw it away. Otherwise, tea will do more harm than good.

You are allowed to consume no more than 4 cups of Earl Gray per day. You can drink it even before bed. This drink has a calming effect.

History of creation

The same Charles Gray

Description

Earl Gray black tea is produced on the basis of Chinese, Indian, Ceylon leaves, including long varieties. Not so long ago, green and even elite white tea with bergamot appeared on the market.

Bergamot oil is today produced in one region of Italy; the fruit is grown slightly in Africa

This product should be stored in sealed containers:

it is ideal to first put the tea in a linen bag, and then place it in a glass or tin jar;
Do not store it near strong-smelling foods, especially coffee and spices;
This type of tea is stored less than regular tea, as it tends to lose its aroma.

Many tea brands produce a drink with bergamot. On the Russian market it is represented by such brands as:

Dilmah;
Greenfield;
Ahmad;
Lipton;
Twining;
Newby;
Wriston;
Haleys et al.

The leaders among packaged drinks are Lipton, offering Earl Gray in pyramids, and among loose drinks, Greenfield, offering Ceylon loose leaf tea with Fantasy bergamot.

We know hundreds of different drinks. And tea, of course, is the most popular of all. There has been a tradition of drinking this drink for 3000 years, and it is difficult for modern people to imagine their life without it. Earl Gray tea is considered the most beloved and popular.

Legend

The drink is a mixture of several types of tea and flavored with bergamot oils. The first mentions of it are found in China; local residents prepared a delicate-tasting drink, mixing it with rose and jasmine petals. It is believed that it got its name from Count Charles Gray. According to one of the many versions, tea was a gift from one famous Chinese mandarin as a reward for saving his son after a shipwreck. According to another version, it was not the Chinese rake who was saved, but the Indian, the son of a rajah, and not from a shipwreck, but on land in the jungle. Letters and others also indicate that Earl Gray tea with bergamot was simply introduced to Earl II and subsequently became associated with him.

The first mention of the drink, according to research, was in 1824. In later times, bergamot oil was used to improve the taste of poor quality tea. Therefore it is unlikely that I would recommend it.

Earl Gray tea: composition and properties

The two main ingredients of the drink are bergamot oil and leaves. In many cases, the drink is flavored with oil, and sometimes bergamot zest is used for this purpose. Using oil is considered more correct. It improves immunity, activates vitality and energy, awakens and improves memory concentration. Just one cup a day has a calming effect, but Earl Gray tea also increases mental alertness. It helps to concentrate during times of stress, stimulates focus and attentiveness. With regular consumption of the drink, the functioning of the cardiovascular system improves. The liver is cleansed, blood pressure is normalized, and the walls of blood vessels are strengthened. The drink is also notable for its positive properties for facial skin - it removes freckles, pimples, and age spots. Smoothes wrinkles, rejuvenates.

Tea blends

Black tea "Earl Gray" is a blend of three varieties - Indian, Chinese, Ceylon. But the taste and pleasant aroma do not change much. Everyone can choose their own type of tea. Some people prefer a mixture of Ceylon and Indian tea with bergamot oil, while others prefer Chinese tea with fruit zest.

The Lady Gray drink is very popular, especially among the female half; it is a variation of Earl Grey. It has a light citrus taste, perfectly refreshing and relaxing. Fragrant, black or light with the addition of lemon and orange zest. It is good to drink in the morning or after lunch.

The most expensive varieties of tea are collected on plantations and grown high in the mountains. They are collected in early spring; the very first harvest of tea is considered the most valuable. The natural drink has a high price, since a lot of labor is spent on its cultivation, the technology is very labor-intensive and complex. This is how various Earl Gray blends are grown. Tea, the description and composition of which were mentioned above, is produced not only on plantations in China and India, but there are also worthy American companies that produce their own Earl Gray. They are Bigelow Tea Company and Stash Tea. France also produces its own varieties of tea - the Grand Jardin company occupies a leading position.

How to brew correctly?

Regardless of the type of tea, the preparation rules are very simple. It is best to use bottled water, and choose porcelain or clay containers for the drink. The kettle must first be doused with boiling water. Each type of drink has its own water temperature; for black varieties, the ideal temperature is 90-100 degrees. The proportion is one teaspoon per glass of water. When brewed correctly, Earl Gray tea turns out to be very aromatic, tart, without bitterness and clear. Brewing time is from 1 to 7 minutes. Honey will go well with bergamot as a sweetener. Earl Gray retains its rich flavor for 3-5 brews.

You should only drink fresh tea; if it sits for more than 4 hours, it will do more harm than good. But don’t think that because this drink is so healthy, you should drink it in large quantities. It is recommended to drink 3-4 cups per day.