Though the mythos behind coffee’s origin is fascinating and murky, humans have valued it for centuries. In the last several decades, we’ve transformed this delightfully bitter beverage from a mere breakfast accompaniment to a versatile, customizable work of art — and, honestly, it’s a vibe. From the classic black drip coffee to lavender macchiatos with cold foam, people love expressing themselves through espresso. If you’re also a tea connoisseur, this trend allows you to combine your two loves so you don’t have to choose between them.
Anyone who’s ever tasted earl grey tea might think it’s an odd choice to blend with coffee. Characterized by the floral, astringent flavor and aroma of bergamot (a fragrant fruit in the citrus family), earl grey tea wavers between delightfully refreshing and weirdly soapy. But if you balance the flavors just right, the soft earthiness of the black tea tames the bergamot just enough to give you something reminiscent of an upscale Arnold Palmer.
Mingled with a shot of espresso in a “dirty” earl grey latte or London fog, the tea and intense coffee flavors work double-time to soften bergamot’s lemony acidity, allowing it to melt into the caffeinated beverages’ warm notes. Further enhanced with a dash of sugar and steamed milk, the drink takes on the flavors of citrus-infused chocolate sans the cloying sweetness. If you don’t have an espresso maker or just aren’t a fan, you can also recreate this drink with regular coffee and a dollop of ordinary creamer, just note the overall flavor will be less bold.
Creating a clean-tasting dirty London fog
If a velvety, citrusy latte sounds like the perfect morning pick me up but you’re low on time, don’t worry. Though some versions of dirty London fog call for steeping earl grey tea in water, pulling espresso shots, and steaming milk or creamer separately, you can still enjoy these flavors without all the fuss. All you have to do is dedicate a little time to directly infusing your favorite coffee milk or creamer with lots of lemony earl grey goodness — after that, it’s just a matter of splashing some into your to-go mug on the way out the door. You can even use any leftover earl grey tea to make better banana bread for an easy, homemade artisanal breakfast.
To make your infused milk or creamer, you can either warm your liquid of choice lightly and add a few teaspoons of loose earl grey leaves, or steep the leaves in cold liquid overnight. The hot infusion method is faster — it takes just a few minutes for the flavors to blend, but steeping too long may create a bitter aftertaste. The cold infusion method may take longer, but it practically guarantees a clean, intense flavor with much less risk of over-steeping.
Once infused, you can simply add the earl grey-infused milk or creamer to your coffee, or steam it if you have a little extra time. To further enhance your homemade dirty London fog, you can also make your own flavored simple syrups for pennies on the dollar. Vanilla and citrus pair beautifully, so it’s a popular companion to earl grey tea.
