Earl Grey Supreme

This is my tea of the morning. I’ve been up for two hours now on and Sunday and I’m not happy about it. But I am happy to have a whole tin of this tea in my cupboard! It’s funny it still smells like Fruity Pebbles to me – which is not a bad thing…just different! It certainly is a nice relaxing cup of tea to ease me into a day when all I want to do is head back to bed!

But I’ve got to pack up a nice flat rate mailer for TeaEqualsBliss of samples! Suppose I should go see what she’s got so as not to duplicate! :)

My favorite Earl!!!! Treated myself to the big 7oz tin over the holidays. I love the tea base, and the bergamot is fresh, zingy, and delicious. My cup was gone outrageously fast! Must make another!

Yesterday we went to Chanticleer:

http://www.chanticleergarden.org/

and I wanted to make a special picnic to take along. I’ve been wanting to make Earl Grey Supreme as a hot brewed iced tea for so long, but my frugal angel (I have a frugal angel and a decadent devil on my shoulders – at war!!!) balked at using all those leaves. Well, the decadent devil won and I made it. The frugal angel has her 2 cents in there, and I did two steeps of the leaves thinking I do that when I have it hot.

So – that was 4 tablespoons of leaves (!!!), 4 cups of water, 5 min, then 2 cups of water 5 min.

A few tablespoons of sugar thrown in, let it sit out a few hours to cool, then refrigerated. When I took it on the picnic I got my container and filled it half with ice, then poured the tea over and put it in the cooler. Some of the ice melted, but not all.

The angels and devils were all happy because it was the most delicious iced tea I’ve ever had! Not too sweet, the pithy citrus gave that pleasantly bitter taste sort of like Campari which is soooooo refreshing when it’s hot (the heat went to 101 yesterday!). Not the least bit perfumey or overwhelming. The tea tasted of quality and was of the perfect strength. The leaves were just fine being brewed twice.

And I didn’t really need to get all upset because even this special picnic divine decadence winds up being under 35 cents an 8 oz glass including the sugar. No biggie!!!

The one thing that bugged me, though, is my iced tea got cloudy! I know it has something to do with the tannins and cold, and that it happens even more with a better quality tea because it has more tannins, and I also know it’s just an aesthetic thing, but does anyone have a way they avoid this? I’ve heard a pinch of baking soda, a few drops of boiling water before serving (impossible at a picnic but maybe at home I can do this if we had company). Any others? Thanks!

I just finished three languorous steeps of this delight. A good tea base will do that for you :) :) :) I love that sort of roasty fine tea flavor with the bright citrus. I really could drink this every day.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! My last teaspoon of leaves. I’m devastated!

Once again, fantastic. Beautiful subtle bergamot, excellent tea. I get a little roasty chocolate! So, so, so, so, so good. The minute I have a few pennies to rub together, I’m going to buy a BIG BIG BAG!!!!

It works! A pinch of baking soda after you pour the water over the tea leaves will take care of cloudy iced tea! Thank you ashmanra!

This one, iced. As satisfying as usual :) Now prettier!

I found out because I was so very crazybusy today that Earl Grey Supreme makes a great cold brewed iced tea (my kettle water cooled before I could pour, then I left the cool water in my cup for hours before I realized it!). This is a mixed blessing, because now I’ll bet you anything that I will cold brew some Earl Grey Melange at home and say “Ach! This isn’t as good as Earl Grey Supreme iced!!!!! There is no going back!” and be a brat about it!

Seriously though – this is so smooth and delicious cold, and that little tart citrus peel edge works so well cold. I will be a semi brat, and finish my big tin of Earl Grey mixtures for iced tea, but then lead the luxe life and only use Earl Grey Supreme after that :)

I am absolutely lovesick with this Earl Grey!!! That excellent tea base makes me swoon. Round and full of flavor – today it was just the slightest bit chocolatey, and that flavor mixed with the subtle bergamot!!!??? Oh boy, it’s GOOD! I also love the fact that you can get two excellent steeps from it. That tea base!!! Did I mention the tea base? ;)

Day Two of Daylight Savings Time Hit by a Truck-edness! It’s like jet lag, only I’m not anywhere exciting, or just back from anywhere exciting. Eugh.

Anyway – I really wanted something lovely to help a bit, and this came to mind when I was on the train. The delicious roasty tea base, paired with the zingy citrus is striking the right balance for me today. I feel…less awful :)

The only nice thing about my day today was this tea. Citrusy, zingy, and that absolutely gorgeous tea base!

As per usual, whenever I have Earl Grey tea, I want MORE of the Earl the next day! I chose this one because I thought it would go well with the pumpkin muffins I made for the office today. Good call :) The excellent tea base and subtle, fresh bergamot was a really nice foil for the muffins. Let me mention the tea base again – it’s SO nice. I got even more silver tips in my portion today and the taste is just bowl me over delicious!

I’m so very devastated that I have a mere sample of this, and I don’t even think I can wait til my Winter Break Visit to Harney SoHo to have more. I think I need to place another Harney order – this is definitely one of my Holy Grail Teas, and another of my HG teas, Golden Monkey, is back in stock!

EDIT – I know I am really, really tea crazy when I turn down an offer of coffee with Bailey’s Irish Cream (coworker brought it in – shhhhh! I know we are not supposed to have alcohol at work shhhhhh!) because I am so loving my Earl Grey Supreme!

Today is rainy and a bit muggy. My tastes did a complete 360 and now I’m craving Earl Grey! I decided to pull this one out since I haven’t had it hot for quite awhile (it was my go-to iced Earl of the summer!)!

Good choice! The pleasantly piquant and pithy citrus flavor was exactly what I was in the mood for. I have a ton of serious writing to do today for work, and this Earl is setting the tone for Getting! Things! Done! That tiny bit of sour on the end of the sip makes me feel very serious and in command.

I have another Earl in my possession that I am crazy for, but I think there is room for two Earls in my life (!). My sweetie pie Earl, and this one. He is a little sour but I love him for it!

We chose a very hot stretch for our little holiday from work, which has turned from many adventures planned to sitting at home in our pajamas in the air conditioning (for me, knitting and reading, which is really great, but we were supposed to go to NYC and our local art museum and and and!!!). I even prepared a picnic for today’s adventures because it was “only” supposed to be 90 (!!!) but sigh – the forecast changed to 97. Way too hot to be out and about enjoyably.

So! We have a beautiful pitcher of Earl Grey Supreme to enjoy at home. I brewed it much the same way as I did last time, but did the first steep at 4 minutes and second at 5 minutes. That little tweak made it even more delicious. You can taste the subtle differences in the blended tea base better. It’s just as refreshing, but even more elegant. I’m officially done playing around with the brewing parameters on this one – it’s perfectly suited to my tastes!

For posterity:

4 tablespoons Earl Grey Supreme
4 cups of water, boiled
steep for 4 minutes, strain into pitcher.

Boil 2 more cups of water, and steep that in the original leaves for 5 minutes, strain into pitcher.

Add sugar to taste (about 1/4 cup for me).

Let cool as long as you can, refrigerate before bed. Serve over a glass of ice. If taking on a picnic, fill your bottle up with ice, then pour iced tea over and seal.

Off to knit some more!!! xoxoo

P.S. My comments aren’t working, so if you said something and I haven’t written back, I apologize!

P.P.S I have another guest post at Unputdownables :) This one about Virginia Woolf :) :) :) http://unputdownables.net/2011/07/22/seven-reasons-why-i-love-virginia-woolf/

I am egg-zausted today, and was all set to have some Yunnan tea until I walked into the office. It’s hot and humid like a sauna! I wanted something a bit refreshing that would still wake me up, and my mind went immediately to my beloved Earl Grey Supreme. The citrus is making all the difference. Refreshing and invigorating and that beautiful tea base…mmmm!

Hate to sound like a broken record, but sheesh! This tea base!!! It tastes roasty, almost chocolatey, and I love the way it combines with the citrus. Lovely.

Another pitcher, iced. This one by request of my husband. Yes, my Earl Grey hating, this is perfume, husband! He adores it iced, and even craves it with his cigars. He says the distinctive flavor goes so well with one, much like a good Scotch or Port.

My pitcher of Earl Grey Supreme Iced Tea of the Gods is now gone. Sob! I loved every sip of it, and can’t wait for another picnic or having guests or whatnot so I can make it again (it’s definitely a special occasion iced tea, imo :) Love!

Just as fine and elegant as ever! Really hitting the spot this morning – love that zesty bergamot. Adore that fantastic tea base!

Absolutely lovely on a near 100 degree day! Even though I’m at work in the air conditioning – I KNOW that it is steaming out – and that lovely citrus makes all the difference. Yum.

Feeling throat scratchy – hope it’s just allergies! I thought Earl Grey Supreme would help me out of my doldrums, and it did – to a point. I was craving something sweeter after a cup, so I added a pinch of Rosy Earl Grey and mmmmm! I think I’m going to drink this alllllllll day :)

I needed this today. I love this tea so much that I am drinking the cold dregs of a third steep this afternoon – quite happily! The slightly roasty, rich tea base with that zingy bergamot has my number, alright!

Feeling better today, and enjoying my zingy, roasty friend! Four steeps, including one cold one. No one can say I don’t wring every last drop from each teaspoon of tea :)

I just wanted to swoon a bit: Rainy day + Earl Grey Supreme = perfect, perfect, perfect.

How did I get to the bottom of the tin so quickly?! I seriously tore through this stuff. There are two bags left for tomorrow. I have been on an Earl Grey binge, brewing a strong iced cup almost every morning for my commute/first shift. It’s been a ritual. And luckily I bought a little more EG from KeenTeaThyme on Teatra.de, so all is not lost. In the meantime, I can give the rest of my collection more attention.

Also, one of my coworkers said it smelled like Froot Loops. Just thought I’d throw that in there.

Ahh, I had been missing a good Earl Grey. I got this as a birthday gift from Kaliskaa and had it for my commute and first shift. As I’ve been doing lately, I brewed it strong and put it over ice with a little sugar. It was almost overpoweringly strong before the ice had time to melt, but I had only used 2 sachets for about 14 ounces of water! This stuff doesn’t play around!

Once I got to work, I dropped a lemon slice into the cup and gave it a good stir. Over time, it became a beautiful lemonade-like drink with the bitter bite of Ceylon. It tasted so clean, and yet so dark. I will be doing this a lot this summer.

You know you have become a true tea drinker when………

…you are sitting on the porch in 80 degree weather drinking hot Earl Grey Supreme. And you are usually hot in this kind of weather. Still, this is a nice relaxing cup, and it is now on my shopping list for the next order to Harney’s, even though I have about an once and a half left. Resteep at 6 minutes.

How did you know you had become a true tea drinker?

Second tea of the morning…..

Yes. It has happened. I am in a phase where I am drinking tea more for the caffeine than tea itself. I am so hoping Fall arrives soon. I know my cravings will switch to cinnamon teas and chai. I actually brewed a pot of Golden Monkey from another vendor, drank half, and then dumped the rest. The last ounce of my GM has been filed into the Franken-Breakfast blending bin as it does not appeal…I caught a tastebud-disagreeable astringency that I had not noticed before. This is a new low for me……dissing Golden Monkey.

And why is the high for today still in the 80s? I was hoping for a reprieve in the heat for marching band tonight. I am the WMIT (Wardrobe Mom In Training!) and I go out to the edge of the field in case there is a lost button, etc., because I can do a quick repair during the breaks. (Why, oh why, do the uniforms have 14 buttons plus various hooks and snaps times 120+ kids?…. ;) )

After the dump out, I knew I needed an old reliable. This is my warmer weather old reliable. Whenever I brew a pot of this, I can guarantee it will be consumed. That is a perfect tea for me……one that keeps me coming back for more, and frowning when it is gone.

I do find this to be a subtle Earl. Really, it translates to great tea for me.

Usual teapot method.

(Sorry this is so ranty…..I feel better and need to finish off the rest of the pot!)

Tea of the afternoon…..

….along with a big dose of the London Olympic Games. The tea is a solid Earl Grey with an exquisite tea base. Life is good.

Usual teapot method.

I have been craving this tea for a few days now. Something about this one just keeps me going, even on my blah days. There are several teas in my stash that simply make me happy. And this is definitely one of them.

Edit to add: Aha! Earl Grey Supreme wanted to be my 300th tasting note…… :D Celebrating! Cheers, my tea friends!

My afternoon tea….

I have to say, this tea has pretty much nudged its way to the forefront of my list when I am thinking of a relaxing afternoon tea. There are a few that come to mind, but this one is definitely in the top 3. I keep thinking I am crazy to love my Earl Grey, hot, even in the summer!

Tea of the late morning……

More rounds with ‘old friends’. I know I had been through a short spot where Earl Grey did not appeal, but it was so short lived. I now seem to have come around again. I think it is seasonal in that I don’t drink much Earl grey in the Winter.

I do see again what I loved in this one. First of all, it is great tea. The base blend is really smooth and well rounded. The bergamot is definitely low on the ‘bergamotometer’ scale, but it works well for the base. It is more for the days when I just want great tea as opposed to a bright and strong Earl Grey. I am certainly reminded why I must always have some in the cupboard.

Usual teapot method.

My first brew in my new little 24 oz lime green teapot. It is the beginning of a long and wonderful relationship. Love it! And it is now time for a rebrew!

I finally gave in and tried this one iced. Very good! I love how the light bergamot makes this an incredibly refreshing iced tea. I do think slighly sweetening would brink out the flavors more, but I kind of like it plain.

Disc pitcher (about 50 oz), 9 actual tsp tea (I like my iced a little weaker than my hot), 4 minutes, freshly boiled water. Cooled to room temp and served with ice. No additions.

My afternoon selection. It has been quite a day. I decided I needed a good relaxing tea, but actually, I should have chosen something with a little more “bang” to represent this day more accurately. I do know that my Earl Grey Supreme is always good, and hits the spot, so I went with the easiest choice.

We had one poweful lightning storm go through this morning. So powerful, that after a flash, and a boom as loud as an explosive, I was pretty sure there was a lightning stike somewhere right across the street. Luckily, I live across from a cul-de-sac, and it was just a tree that got hit. ….one right across the street at the end of my driveway. I am feeling very fortunate at this point. Another 20 yards in any direction, and it could have been someone’s house, including ours.

My afternoon pick me up….and I need serious picking up. The noise level from my roof replacement is ever present, and this tea is still relaxing me. I will be so glad when the hammering is over!

I’m finishing up the last of this delicious Earl Grey today – but I think I should have saved it to drink while watching Star Trek! Either way, this tea is great as a tea latte with the citrusy bergamot gently announcing his presence while not overpowering the beautiful tea base. This Earl will be missed!

After a very nice mid-day nap, I wanted something smooth and light. This tea was the first thing that came to mind. I made this into a tea latte and it is really great like this. This is definitely a sophisticated, reflective sipping tea.

Mmm….delicious cup of cold brewed Earl Grey Supreme complete with a bit of vanilla coconut milk! Perfect way to start a hot, hot day!

I haven’t had this one for awhile so I thought it might be a nice breakfast tea. I was right! The tangy bergamot paired beautifully with my breakfast of waffles with natural chocolate peanut butter and strawberry jam. I think the tea really helped the breakfast to not become overly sweet and cloying. Mmmm!

Okay, I definitely should know by now that caffeine this late at night is not the best idea ever…but I wanted an Earl Grey Supreme latte!! As I drink this tea, all I can think of is smooth, bright, and rich. Definitely worth any insomnia tonight!

Mmm! I made some iced Earl Grey Supreme using the hot brew method, then I added a bit of simple syrup and chilled it! So, so good! JacquelineM was right about this one. I took it up a notch by now having a glass of iced Earl Grey Supreme topped off with a bit of vanilla coconut milk. Definitely the way to go on this hot, miserable day!

Another day, another delicious Earl Grey Supreme tea latte – I think a rating increase is in order!

After spending my day sipping on the lovely Organic Black with Coconut, I didn’t want to end my day of fine, delicious tea. I decided to pull this out because I feel that it is a very sophisticated tea. It is definitely not a “wake up” tea but more of a “quiet night with a good book” tea. I made this as a tea latte, which I didn’t think would work, and it is just so good and welcome tonight.