Cream of Earl Grey (Organic)

Trying this one again, I so want to love it. But I just can’t. I started with my usual 1 tsp of sugar. I took one sip and had to add another tsp and a dollop of soy milk. I haven’t added milk to my tea in months. I only let it steep two minutes. I guess it’s just stronger than I care for. I love the cream…I could do without the Earl Grey.

drumroll please………
I WENT SKIING FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON TODAY!!!!! I love to ski but I haven’t been able to go as I had hernia surgery at the beginning of February and that sort of wiped out my options of skiing because I didn’t go in January. But I got to go and it was nice and powdery and lovely and I am so sore right now but it was worth it.

Anyways, I’ve noticed that when I’m sore I have a craving for Earl Grey. That sounds really awkward but it’s true-after I work out (something else that’s been put on hold :( ) or run or anything that makes me sore, I crave Earl Grey. So I dug this out from the samples that Bonnie sent me and brewed it up.

It’s honestly a sip down. Not because I’m in a hurry but because it’s so easy to drink. I’m not picky about my Earl Grey’s-as long as I can definitely taste that there’s bergamont in there, I don’t care. And this is pretty good. I added milk and sugar (pretty much the only way I drink black Earl’s) and it’s now almost gone. Not amazing, but not at all bad.

Thank you Bonnie!

So i screwed up this tea again, this time it was because I was in a frantic hurry this morning, was running on like three hours’ sleep, and was generally a bit disgruntled (and of course I arrived at my doctor’s office without my health card, because I’m just irresponsible like that). Anyway, as I tilted the carton of cream over the mug (it was David’s perfect tea mug, actually!), a whole stream of it kind of came gushing out. I just swore and tossed in some sugar and let the tea steep as I paced about the kitchen, cursing at the fact that I would have to chug my tea in a hurry (I’ve always thought that tea evokes calmness and a sense of serenity an peace, whereas coffee is a bit more harried and frantic in its reputation), so it bothered me that I had to chug my tea at all—that’s not how tea is supposed to be enjoyed!
So yes, because my cream of earl grey was like three quarters cream this morning, it was far too creamy (even for me), but it did temper the sharpness of the bergamot down a fair bit, which was nice. A bit more tinkering and I may even want more at some point. It still seems like a cold or rainy weather tee, though.

Oh, and while i’m here writing, can I just say that it makes me a bit sad to read the discussions where people “diss” various tea companies because “they can find better tea elsewhere/this tea is just for newbies/true tea can only be acquired by personally going to the mountains and foraging around with your nose, etc”. Of course people have preferences; that’s a good thing. But we also like what we like, beginner, connoisseur or otherwise, and, I don’t know—I often think that if something exists, there’s probably a place for it somewhere in this world. It kind of reminds me of some hardcore perfumistas who downright refuse to even sniff the latest offerings at major department stores, because “only niche fragrance will do” and it’s just unfortunate, I think, to limit yourself arbitrarily like that, or to judge people who embark on a different journey of discovery from your own. Wow, that was deep. I’ll stop talking now haha.

I seem to have fallen in love with Earl Grey Creams. I adore the two I have in stock always (Upton’s Vanilla Cream and Culinary’s White EGC), and I really enjoyed the one I tried from the Tea Table. I was kind of addicted to the ice cream I made out of it…

Anyway, I realized I’ve had this gem of a sample sitting around for some time untouched. Well, time to change that! The smell is heavenly, just what you’d expect from an EGC. Rich, smooth, creamy and dessert-like. The flavor is strong too, very vanilla-y, like pudding or a cupcake. It reminds me of their vanilla oolong (probably because I also had it today) but the flavor doesn’t mask the base. I think black teas can take a LOT of flavoring and still stand out, and you can definitely taste the black here.

However, what I am not getting is a whole lot of bergamot. It’s fainter than the Tea Table version, and is kind of downplayed by all the creaminess. Usually I find that citrus bite and vanilla smoothness and interesting counterpoint, but here it’s just smooth cream and a strong black base with maybe a tiny hint of bergamot. It’s more a lightly citrus-y cream tea than an EGC but it’s still delicious!

I have been trying different steeping parameters with my favourite earl greys and have found that steeping at 4 minutes or less really cuts the bitterness.
Then I remembered that I had some of this tea left and thought hey I should give this another try. Boy, now this tea is just a delight. Slightly sweet and not so much creamy as a smooth quality I found. I really like vanilla.
So watch out, this tea can be very bitter. But if you steep properly, you are in for a treat.
Significantly increasing this rating!

1 microwavable glass jar with a lid
4 0z of 1% milk
1 16oz mug
1.5 tsp Cream of Earl Grey
12oz of hot water

Pour milk into jar, place in microwave (in my micro) set timer to 1:20 minutes and hit start. Steep tea as usual. Take Jar out of microwave screw lid on tightly and shake. Pour over steeped tea including the froth and enjoy.

I will admit that Lucerne Milk (Safeway, Tom Thumb, ect) does not foam as nicely as I would like, but it still makes enough foam for a “Poor Mans London Fog”.

There is enough vanilla in this tea that I did not need to add anymore to it to get that London Fog quality you get at a coffee shop. I will admit that I thoroughly enjoy how sweet the milk gets when it is heated and shaken! Mmmmmm

Today is my brothers birthday! He’s far away these days, but I can drink a cup of Earl Grey, his favorite, in his honor before I call him and tell him that he’s old.
I like this more than the first time I tried it. It seems creamier. Still is not a favorite of mine, I never really connect with the good Earl of Grey, but the addition of vanilla will induce me to try just about anything.
Thanks again to Fuzzy_Peachkin, who is is the giver of this.
And sipdown!
Happy birthday, little bro.

I received more of this in my swap with MirandaGou. Thank you!

I did an Earl Grey Cream-off today if there is such a word. I compared this with Zen Tea’s EGC which I have been drinking for the past week and which now sadly is all gone. They are both delicious. My notes about the differences would be that this is much more vanilla-y and the Zen Tea’s EGC has a bit stronger bergamot. Today I found myself wanting more and more bergamot. Maybe I need to go on a perfect EG hunt?

i haven’t tasted this yet because i’m still waiting for it to cool.
but it has been brewed in my brand new black timolino.
!!!
now i have a black timolino for black tea and a green one for green and white tea.
(i just need to do a good cleaning on the green one is all)
i feel very satisfied with this arrangement. i use my timolino always. even when i’m not traveling. because it keeps the tea good and hot and i’m a slow sipper.

Oh my, is this ever lovely! So deliciously creamy and the vanilla isn’t fake or cloying. The bergamot gives it a delicious musky taste, unlike others I’ve had before. It ties together very beautifully.

I can see myself getting sick of the taste though, so I’ll be having this one sparingly. This is a very rich tea and one you definitely have to be in the mood in to have.