Our Lady in Grey

A personal favorite tea of ours is the good o’l tried and true Earl Grey. The first every recorded mention of Earl Grey tea was in 1824 and was likely named after the English Prime Minister at the time, Charles Grey. Although there are several stories about how the tea blend came to be, they all make the point apparent that it’s not Earl Grey unless it includes the district, aromatic oil of bergamot oranges.

Earl Grey is a simple blend that starts with your classic black tea, a touch of vanilla, and dosage of bergamot orange oil for its trademark smell. But what’s so special about bergamot oranges? You’ll find that these rare little fruits look a lot less like oranges and bit more like lemons, given their yellow rinds and most are grown in the Reggio province of southern Italy.

However, Bergamot isn’t just a pretty name. These little fruits are packed with flavonoids that can help reduce inflammation and lower blood sugar levels and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Paired with the energy boosting, but also soothing properties of black tea, a cuppa’ Earl Grey in the morning can be a powerful pick me up to start your day!