If Earl Grey has only ever shown up in your cup, Christmas is a good time to let it do a little more work. Earl Grey is a flavoured black tea made by adding bergamot oil, extracted from the peel of a citrus fruit, to black tea leaves. The base tea can vary, often Assam or Ceylon, but the defining feature is always that citrus note sitting over a firm tea backbone. It is this balance that makes Earl Grey useful in the kitchen, not just pleasant to drink. The tea takes its name from Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey, and has been widely consumed since the nineteenth century. Over time, cooks realised that it behaved particularly well with dairy, sugar, eggs, chocolate, and alcohol. In practical terms, that means it works with many of the ingredients already present on a Christmas table, it just needs to be used with a light hand. If you are planning a menu or just looking to add one unexpected element to your spread, these ideas are a good place to start.
Dining and Cooking