# The Earl Grey Horror **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl-grey-horror/551207 "2010-08-23T21:13:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl-grey-horror/551207/81 "2010-08-29T05:54:03Z")
> [@seanchai](#): > > One time, lo these many moons ago, I ran into an Indonesian poster on another board. > Somehow I found myself being severely lectured on what was “tea” and what was, > apparently, not-tea, e.g. peppermint tea, rose hip tea - basically anything not beginning > its life on a tea bush, and remaining forever unblended with, say, oil of bergamot. I was so annoyed that I disconnected from that lecture and never returned for more ‘education’. > > However, on the loose topic of hot beverages: how do you all feel on the subject of what > constitutes “tea”? > > an seanchai The word “tea” is derived from the word describing the specific plant; “cha” is another root, [as described here](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=tea): > [@](#): > > 1655, earlier chaa (1598, from Port. cha), from Malay teh and directly from Chinese (Amoy dialect) t’e, in Mandarin ch’a. The distribution of the different forms of the word reflects the spread of use of the beverage. The modern Eng. form, along with Fr. thé, Sp. te, Ger. Tee, etc., derive via Du. thee from the Amoy form, reflecting the role of the Dutch as the chief importers of the leaves (through the Dutch East India Company, from 1610). First known in Paris 1635, the practice of drinking tea was first introduced to England 1644. The Port. word (attested from 1559) came via Macao; and Rus. chai, Pers. cha, Gk. tsai, Arabic shay, and Turk. çay all came overland from the Mandarin form. In English, the correct word for an infusion prepared from another plant is “tisane.” However, “herb tea” is coming to be the common term–upsetting those sticklers who still insist that “decimate” means killing 10%, rather than killing just about everybody. (Stickler here!) I prefer plain black tea–Irish Breakfast in the morning & Darjeeling in the afternoon. I’m not really a purist, because most of the tea I consume is Luzianne, “made to be iced.” Lapsang Souchang is interesting–but I, too, went through a Laphroig phase. Flavored teas can have their place–especially over ice. But I’ve never been fond of Earl Grey. Oh, I was looking for information & found[some sticklers here](http://blog.englishteastore.com/types-of-tea/tisanes/): > [@](#): > > The French have adapted a word from the Greeks to classify this separate kind of brewed treat: tisane. Technically speaking, if hot water isn’t poured over a tea leaf, it isn’t tea, and so using the term “herbal tea” is one of those amusing little oxymorons such as “assistant supervisor,” or “targeted spam.” However, those sticklers sell Double Bergamot Early Grey. _(shudder)_ ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl-grey-horror/551207/82 "2010-08-29T08:38:00Z")
> [@AnnaKareninja](#): > > I always thought it was Earl Grey and lemon, milk to me, doesn’t go very well with bergamot. I’ve heard that too, and so I’ve tried it both ways and I prefer with milk. Or better yet, half and half. I also add sugar. Aside from plain water there are NO unsweetened beverages that I don’t hate. Unsweetened beverage would be like unsweetened ice cream or something. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl-grey-horror/551207/83 "2010-08-29T19:38:00Z")
I tend to alternate among breakfast teas, afternoon teas, and Earl Grey (all Twinings, usually). I steep them all far longer than I should (at least 5 minutes) and use sugar. I haven’t tried Earl Grey with milk, but I’ll give it a go. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl-grey-horror/551207/84 "2010-08-29T22:14:31Z")
**Earl Grey Tea Song** Is it perfume? Is it tea? Whatever it is, it does nothing for me Should I drink it? Or dab it on? Can I swap it for a coffee or has all the water gone? It is hot it is wet. It is eau de toilette Is it from the House of Lipton or Chanel? I only want a cup of tea, not this stuff you’ve given me If you think I’m going to drink it go to hel …p me someone! Call a doctor, call a nurse! Call an ambulance, I’m poisoned And I think it’s getting worse I only wanted a cup of tea But I fear that my last mouthful will be the death of me. It is hot it is wet It is eau de toilette. To my mind it is more toilette than eau. If you want to spoil your day Add the oil of Earl Grey. I’m reliably informed it’s bergamo …h what a mouthful. Is it perfume? Is it wee? Whatever it’s supposed to be it doesn’t taste like tea. Should I drink it or dab it on? Can I swap it for a coffee or has all the water gone? It is hot it is wet It is eau de toilette Is it Twinings? Is it Tetley? Let me see Go ahead make my day But please don’t make me drink Earl Grey All I want is a proper cup of tea ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl-grey-horror/551207/85 "2010-08-30T14:54:13Z")
More like Earl Old Sock. Am I right? I stick to Darjeeling & “English Breakfast Tea” if the Darjeeling box is empty here at the office. Someone drinks the Earl Grey around here…I’m not sure who, but obviously they must be brain-damaged. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl-grey-horror/551207/86 "2010-08-30T15:46:25Z")
Am I the only one that thinks Earl Grey smells like pepper? Maybe it was just the stuff I got once but I don’t like it. I much prefer mint teas and breakfast teas. I’ll have to look and see what types of black tea I have around the house. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl-grey-horror/551207/87 "2010-08-30T16:19:13Z")
Earl Grey is quite unpleasant. I think that all the scent does is hide the fact that the base tea is not bery good, its like putting on lots of tomato sauce to obscure an indifferant dish. When I drink tea, then tea is what I want, and I want to taste tea and not some false camouflage. I like some blends, such as Irish morning or Assam but I fins the Twinnings stuff tends to be rather thin and insipid. Over the last couple of years one or two companies have offered blends that were in more common use around 1910 era, and I have found that these are very much more substantial than most of the more modern teas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl-grey-horror/551207.md?page=4)