In Search of the "Real" Earl Grey Tea

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Chris_Hartpence]Chris Hartpence   So you want a cup of Earl Grey tea, do you? Looking for "the one, true" Earl Grey blend? Good luck with that! You see, not only does a cloud of mystery hang over the creation and development of the blend, but also, there are a number of varieties of the blend itself, each produced by different companies.  For instance, where the creation and development of the blend is concerned, there's a general (but not absolute) consensus that a Chinese Mandarin was its creator. True, there are some interesting and colorful divergent stories about how this Mandarin came to develop the tea, and why (some say it was as a gift to Lord Grey, and some of these stories point to some act of heroism on the part of Lord Grey or one of his functionaries), while others contend that the Mandarin was specifically requested to create a blend that would counteract the taste of the high lime content in the area surrounding the Grey family ancestral home, but the waters are muddy where the origin of the tea is concerned.  That's nothing though, compared to the muddy waters you encounter when trying to find the "one, true Earl Grey."  Is it the blend sold by Jacksons of Picadilly, or is it the one sold by Twinings? Or maybe Twinings' Lady Grey is the "real" Earl Grey tea (after all, one of the creation stories surrounding the blend was that the tea was developed at Lady Grey's direction). Or maybe the Russian blend sold by the Lipton company?  And even if you could settle on one of these as being the "true" Earl Grey tea, then there's the matter of preparation. Drink it straight? With milk, or without? As part of a drink like "London Fog," or something else besides?  My personal recommendation is simply this: All the various blends and their close cousins are excellent, so don't over think it! Try one, or try them all, brew a cup, sit back, close your eyes and take a sip, and most of all, enjoy!  Find out what ELSE you may not know about   Earl Grey Tea and related blends, by visiting us on our website: http://britishshoppe.net/teas/100-earl-grey-tea-50-bags.html  Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?In-Search-of-the-Real-Earl-Grey-Tea&id=6624931] In Search of the "Real" Earl Grey Tea