I was arranging some of my more decorative tea tins in a secretary tonight and noticed that this one still had the deal around the top. Oh my! How in the world did this happen? I was sure I had added it to my cupboard on here long ago but it wasn’t there. My daughter, Superanna, bought this for me on her last trip to London.
To make it up to this Earl, I decided to open the tin and treat myself tonight since I have been really good and…well, I haven’t really done anything but eat peanut M&Ms and make a pitcher of iced tea for tomorrow so I guess I haven’t been all that good. Still, I want tea.
I was afraid from the dry aroma that I was in for a HUGE blast of bergamot. I wasn’t sure of the base so I used water a little below the boil and only gave it a three minute steep.
What I have is a very civilized cup of Earl Grey. Contrary to the aroma upon opening the tin, the bergamot is at a very moderate level. Perhaps I would change my mind if I made this with boiling water and gave it a longer steep, but this is a wonderful afternoon or evening treat to me, not a bracing, kick you out the door, breakfast tea, which I think of as being more along the lines of a builder’s tea. This is more genteel.
The Ceylon contributes a tiny lemon tang, the Assam rounds it, and the Kenyan tea is what puts the breakfast bit in.
