We all know the famous Early Grey, but have you ever heard of Lady Grey? This variety of tea is a “relative” of the early gray although it differs in preparation and flavor. Would you like to discover it?
If you know a little English, her name will have caught your attention: Lady Grey. Although it currently sounds like the famous Fifty Shades of Grey, of course it has nothing to do with the steamy novel/film.
In fact, if we go back in time, we will find a curious story behind its name and you know well that at Infusionism we love curiosities.
Lady Gray is a flavored black tea that many people may describe as sensual and feminine due to its delicacy. Legend has it that, for this reason, it was named after her: in homage to María Elizabeth Grey, the wife of Prime Minister Charles Grey. Is the story true? Like everything in the teapot world, it’s hard to tell.
What is Lady Grey?
As we already told you, it is a flavored black tea that was invented in the early nineties by the famous Twinings brand and that later became, it could be said, a classic.
If we think specifically about its preparation, it is worth noting the inclusion of bergamot essential oil, as well as orange and lemon peel; three ingredients that give this tea a really particular flavor and aroma.
The taste of Lady Gray
Perhaps the first question that comes to mind is whether it is a tea other than Early Grey. The answer cannot be conclusive: it is a different tea but not completely different, but a variant of it.
Like the Early Grey, it is flavored with bergamot. However, if the Early Gray is too intense and strong for you, you should not miss out on trying the Lady Gray whose more delicate flavor may be what your palate needs.
Twinings opted for organic black tea leaves that were mixed with the peels of bitter oranges, lemon and bergamot oil. In addition, to improve the appearance, she incorporated cornflower, a herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family whose blue flowers are edible and of great beauty.
Why is there talk of Blue Lady Grey?
This is another of the curiosities that we like so much. Don’t worry, we haven’t gone crazy. We know that we have told you that it is a black tea and it really is. The term blue (blue) is added to the name of this infusion due to the presence of cornflower flowers that, as we already told you, have a penetrating blue color.
A perfect cup of Lady Gray tea
The preparation of Lady Gray tea has no major problems other than following the instructions. When treating a black tea it has greater tolerance to hotter water; however, we recommend that you do not boil the water.
About 95ºC is usually recommended to make black tea; so we recommend this temperature.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Lady Gray
- 1 cup of water
Elaboration :
- Heat the water to 95º. Be careful not to bring it to a boil.
- Add a heaping teaspoon of Lady Gray tea for every cup of water.
- Let stand 4 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Some people incorporate sugar, honey or lemon. The truth is that the delicate flavor of Lady Gray is better appreciated without adding any of these ingredients. In England, it is also usual to add milk. In that case, it is recommended to use warm milk so as not to cool the infusion.
Iced tea with Lady Gray
Another quite common use of this flavored black tea is to prepare iced tea. Its aroma and citrus flavor combine very well with ice and give it a refreshing touch, perfect to drink on the hottest days of summer.
To prepare it, you can choose to steep the tea, chill it in the fridge for at least an hour, then add ice, or simply cold brew . This process takes much longer but will allow you to enjoy a new teapot experience. In the link, we tell you everything about it.
An option for those with a sweet tooth? You can cool the Lady Gray in the fridge and, once cold, add cream ice cream. It is simply delicious!
Have we convinced you to try this new variety of flavored black tea? You will fall in love with its sweet and refreshing taste. In addition, you can also opt for the decaffeinated version, that is, with less theine.