Earl Green Organic
Earl Grey is a style, not a fixed recipe: bergamot is the one constant, and the rest is the blender's to play with. So here is the version I make for green tea drinkers, a green Earl Grey. Instead of a black tea base, this loose-leaf blend starts with an organic green tea, then takes the traditional bergamot of an Earl Grey and adds a little orange oil on top.
The result is lighter and fresher than any black Earl Grey. The green tea brings a soft, grassy, clean character, and the bergamot and orange lift it with a bright, citrusy fragrance; the two suit each other beautifully. If you love green tea and have always found Earl Grey a bit too dark and tannic, or if you love Earl Grey and fancy something lighter, this is the one that bridges the two.
One thing does matter here: because it is a green tea, it wants cooler water. Boiling water scorches green tea and turns it bitter, so let the kettle sit for a minute and brew this at 80°C for just two minutes. It is best without milk, which would only mask all that fresh citrus; a slice of lemon, on the other hand, suits it well. It is a green tea, so there is caffeine in it.
Ingredients || Organic Green Tea, Organic Bergamot Oil, Organic Orange Oil
Warning, packed in an environment that contains nuts
Caffeine || Yes
Tasting Notes || Light and fresh, with soft green tea and a bright, citrusy bergamot
Brewing Notes || 1 teaspoon per cup, 80ºC, brew for 2 minutes