1 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: Hello, and we'll come to save our prediction of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: I'm Annie Reese. 3 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 2: And I'm Lauren vocal Bum And today we have an 4 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,319 Speaker 2: episode for you about Earl Gray Tea. 5 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: Yes, oh my goodness, I miss tea for a lot 6 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: of reasons. I do really miss Earl Gray. Is really lovely. 7 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: It is one. It is one of my favorites. Yeah, yeah, 8 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: solid was there any particular reason this was on your mind? Lauren? 9 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 2: Nope. I was browsing through types of non alcoholic beverages 10 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 2: and kind of went down a tea rabbit hole, which 11 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 2: is the most appropriate kind of rabbit hole to go down, probably, 12 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 2: like thematically speaking, And uh, yeah, this one, this one 13 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 2: was relatively simple. 14 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: But also delicious both. Yes, yes, and it was very 15 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:07,959 Speaker 1: fun because there's a nerdy tangent I wasn't expecting. And Lauren, yeah, 16 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: you really came through for me. Any time to get 17 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: to it? Yes, yes, Uh. You can see our episode 18 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: we did on Tea Time, Tea Bags, Bubble Tea. 19 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 2: Sure, we have done a general Tea episode, which, like 20 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 2: our General Rice episode, is kind of too much, but 21 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 2: it's kind of it's it's it's a pretty good tea 22 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 2: one on one i'd say, yeah, sorry, any size, the 23 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 2: sigh of someone who has seen too much. Also vaguely 24 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: related orange blossom water and currousel. 25 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: Sure, yes, yes, yes, yes, which I guess brings us 26 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: to our question. Oh yeah, Earl Gray tea, what is it? 27 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 2: Well, Earl Gray tea is a beverage made up of 28 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 2: a blend of tea leaves and bergamot peel flavoring of 29 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 2: some kind, bergamot being a floral tart type of citrus, 30 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: and you steep that blend in heated water in order 31 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 2: to leach a bunch of compounds into the water, which 32 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 2: you then drink. Yeah, the type of tea leaves and 33 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: the type of bergamot flavoring can vary, but you're basically 34 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 2: looking at in result like this warming, woody, maulty like, 35 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 2: slightly to highly astringent that is sort of a mouth 36 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 2: drying feeling, bright spiced, floral, citrusy kind of beverage. It's 37 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 2: typically served hot, but can be served iced sometimes with 38 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 2: additions like sugar or honey and or lemon slice or 39 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 2: milk or a milk alternative, though people do have opinions 40 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 2: about this. However you serve it, though it could be 41 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 2: consumed alone or with snacks like cookies or small sandwiches 42 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 2: with or after meals, perhaps especially with breakfast. And it 43 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 2: is just the thing on like a crisp morning. You 44 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 2: can also use it as a flavoring for other drinks 45 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 2: or maybe like sweet baked. 46 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: Goods something like that. 47 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 2: It's like it's like a ray of sun piercing through 48 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 2: particularly dour clouds. 49 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's the feeling when you are it's raining and 50 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: you're comfortable at home with the blanket in a book. Yeah, 51 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: that's what it is. Oh yeah, I. 52 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 2: Did drink some Lady Gray a variant while writing this outline. 53 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: Good. 54 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 2: It also does taste like by itself if you haven't 55 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 2: put anything else in it, it tastes just a little 56 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: bit like fruit loop. And this is not just according 57 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 2: to me, This is according well to me and to 58 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 2: one Todd Chatterson, a former director of the tea program 59 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 2: at eleven Madison Parks. So like a fellow who knows 60 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 2: his tea. Yeah, that's citrus note, you know. But okay, 61 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 2: to explain what's going on with all of this, first, 62 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 2: let's talk about tea. Tea comes from this type of 63 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 2: evergreen shrub or small tree botanical name Camillia sinensis. There 64 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 2: are a couple like botanical varieties of this species and 65 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 2: hundreds of cultivars with various properties, but all types of 66 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 2: tea come from this one specific plant, and the differences 67 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 2: between like white, green, black, and other types of tea 68 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 2: are and how the leaves are treated after they're picked. 69 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 2: Very basically, tea leaves all start out looking a little 70 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 2: bit like rose leaves, like bright green pointed ovals with 71 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 2: these serrated edges. Traditionally they are picked by hand because 72 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 2: machines tend to bruise and damage the leaves and that'll 73 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 2: result in a lower quality tea. There's definitely like a 74 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 2: value versus bulk trade off there, and a lot of 75 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 2: tea these days is processed for bulk, not value, not 76 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 2: not quality. But let's go over the traditional method in 77 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 2: order to understand a little bit about the chemistry that's 78 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 2: happening here. Okay, So as fresh tea leaves are handled 79 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 2: and as they dry out after being picked, they'll begin oxidizing. 80 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 2: That is, molecules of oxygen in the air will start 81 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 2: mucking around with the leaves. Chemistry, it's the same process 82 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 2: by which cut fruit turns brown or rust forms and 83 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,679 Speaker 2: depending on what type of tea you're making, like green 84 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 2: tea or white tea, you might not want that to 85 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 2: happen basically at all, but with black tea, which is 86 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 2: what usually goes into earl gray, you do want some 87 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 2: controlled oxidation. In good quality, traditionally made black teas, you 88 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 2: gradually dry down the leaves, rolling them into little needles 89 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 2: to break down some of their cell walls and allow 90 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 2: the enzymes inside to oxidize, and the darker and stronger 91 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 2: you want the tea to be, the longer you leave 92 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 2: them to sit out to dry as in that needle forum, 93 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 2: letting them go from green to beige to tan to 94 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 2: like coppery brown. When they've reached the right level, the 95 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 2: oxidation will be stopped by destroying those enzymes with heat 96 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 2: from hot air dryers, and at that point the leaves 97 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 2: will be dried just about all the way down to 98 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 2: make them shelf stable, and then sorted and packaged for sale. 99 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 2: Green and white teas are made with basically no oxidation. 100 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 2: A white tea is made from leaves picked when they're immature. 101 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 2: Oolong is partially oxidized. Other teas might be smoked or 102 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 2: allowed to ferment a little bit something like that, And 103 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 2: again this is all the traditional method of producing tea, 104 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 2: sometimes called the Orthan method. Because of the time and 105 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,799 Speaker 2: labor that it requires, these teas tend to be expensive. Therefore, 106 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 2: most black teas these days are made by the CTC 107 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 2: or crush tear curl method, like eighty to ninety five 108 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 2: percent of black teas. In this method, after the leaves 109 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 2: are withered, they're passed through a machine that bruises, cuts 110 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 2: and twists them into even granules like like a fine gravel. 111 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 2: This isn't ideal for brewing loose leaf tea in a 112 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 2: cup or a pot because it also produces a bunch 113 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 2: of like dust and weird bits of debris that might 114 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 2: not sink as readily as whole tea leaves do, but 115 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 2: it's perfect for tea bags. It also brews quicker and 116 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 2: stronger than whole leaf tea. Experts say that the Orthodox 117 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 2: process creates more flavorful, lighter colored tea, while CTC produces 118 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 2: less flavorful but darker colored tea. So yeah, that's basic 119 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 2: breakdown of how the tea gets into your tea bag 120 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 2: or tin or wherever else you're getting it from. If 121 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 2: a tea is going to be flavored. Oils or other 122 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: extracts can be added during or after the drying process, 123 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 2: or pieces of ingredients like dried citrus peel or flower 124 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 2: buds can be blended into the tea leaves before packaging. 125 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 2: Speaking of flavoring, Bergamont is a type of citrus thought 126 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 2: to come from a hybrid of bitter oranges and either 127 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 2: lemons or citron or maybe lime. No one is really sure. 128 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 2: The fruit will grow to about the size of an orange, 129 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 2: but with a greenish yellow skin when it's ripe, and 130 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 2: the fruit itself is like super sour and a little 131 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 2: bit bitter. It's mostly grown for its rind, which contains 132 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 2: a lot of very fragrant oil, which has this like floral, musky, 133 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 2: citrusy scent and a slightly spiced sort of flavor. It's 134 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 2: just really pleasant. It's used in a lot of perfumery 135 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 2: and it can be extracted by various methods these days, 136 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 2: usually by cold pressing, but not all Earl Gray tea 137 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 2: contains actual bergamont oil. Some probably a lot is made 138 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 2: with more processed flavorings made up of either natural and 139 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 2: or artificial flavors. And now there's nothing you can see 140 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: our whole episode about artificial flavors for more on this. 141 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 2: But there's nothing inherently wrong with natural or artificial flavorings. 142 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 2: Natural just means that it was made from living sources, 143 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 2: including bacteria and yeasts that are grown specifically to create 144 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 2: those compounds. Artificial means that it was made via chemical 145 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 2: and or mechanical processes, and note that the resulting flavorings 146 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 2: can be molecularly identical. They're typically a lot cheaper than 147 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 2: things like real cold press Bergamont oil because they're a 148 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 2: lot easier to produce at scale. If you look at 149 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 2: the ingredients on a container of tea that the term 150 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:03,839 Speaker 2: Bergamont flavor probably means it's not real oil. But whether 151 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,079 Speaker 2: you prefer that is up to you. I can't tell 152 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 2: you what to do. I will say that the dried 153 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 2: peel of bergamont is considered an inferior vector for the 154 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 2: flavor and typically is not used. Some blends will use 155 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,680 Speaker 2: bits of cheaper orange peel for color and a little 156 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 2: bit of flavor. But yeah, whatever type or types of 157 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 2: tea and bergamont flavoring goes into it. You know, you've 158 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 2: got a cup of earl gray, which is nice hot 159 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 2: or iced And I didn't mean to rhyme that, but 160 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 2: here we are, and speaking of different flavorings, people and 161 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 2: or companies that produce tea blends will add other stuff 162 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 2: to earl gray florals like lavender, jasmine, or rose, sort 163 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 2: of rich flavors like cream or vanilla flavoring, or bright 164 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,839 Speaker 2: things like ginger or other types of citrus. And there 165 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 2: are other rifts like the aforementioned Lady Gray, which is 166 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 2: black tea with orange and lemon peel for a kind 167 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 2: of less bitter, sort of zestier flavor. You can also 168 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 2: use earl gray to make a bubble tea or a 169 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 2: London fog, which is an earl gray with vanilla syrup 170 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:14,119 Speaker 2: and steamed milk latte style, yeah, or any number of cocktails. 171 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,439 Speaker 2: Tea is excellent, particularly in non alcoholic cocktails, because it 172 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 2: adds a little bit of tannic bite. 173 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: Yeah. 174 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 2: Or you could bruce them up to help flavor cakes, chocolates, muffins, 175 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:32,959 Speaker 2: ice cream, lemon bars. Oh I love a lemon bar anyway. Also, 176 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 2: earl gray is a flavor now and you can like 177 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 2: go out and buy natural and or artificial flavors that 178 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 2: are earl gray flavored. 179 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: So I feel like several of you listeners have written 180 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: in about this about making like Earl gray favorite flavored 181 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 1: shortbread cookies. 182 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, absolutely, and that always I'm always like ooh yeah, yeah, 183 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 2: me too. 184 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: Well, I guess this is existed, should oh no? Okay, 185 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: all right? 186 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 2: So there are compounds in tea and in bergamot extracts 187 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 2: that can have potentially helpful effects in your body, but 188 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 2: like in moderation because other compounds like caffeine and tannin's 189 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 2: should not really be overdone. Also, I found an example 190 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 2: for this one, so okay, go on. So I mean, 191 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 2: you know savor motto in general, before before imbibing a 192 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 2: medicinal dose of anything, you should consult a medical professional 193 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 2: who is not us. And I'm backing it up with 194 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 2: an example today because in the early two thousands, there 195 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 2: was a medical case report published in the Landset I 196 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 2: believe about this forty something Austrian dude who had been 197 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 2: drinking about four leaders of black tea every day and 198 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 2: nothing but black tea for like twenty five years. That's 199 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 2: like just about a gallon, okay, and he found that 200 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 2: he was experiencing some stomach cake. So he switched to 201 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 2: earl gray, thinking that that would be more gentle, and 202 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 2: then started experiencing these weird muscle cramps and like pins 203 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 2: and needles in his extremities. When he cut back to 204 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 2: no more than one leader per day, he got better, 205 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 2: and after consulting with these medical providers, compromised to two 206 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:28,959 Speaker 2: leaders of plain black tea day as his sole source of. 207 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:31,239 Speaker 1: Liquids. 208 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 2: Oh, I agree with that sound, and I'm just reporting 209 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 2: the facts. But I will say that this is what 210 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 2: I'm talking about when I say a medicinal dose of anything. 211 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 2: It's also what I'm talking about when I say drink 212 00:13:55,800 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 2: some water. By that, I mean drink some water that 213 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:02,079 Speaker 2: has not been brewed into tea. 214 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: Wow. Yeah, okay, all right, Well, we do have some 215 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: other numbers for you. 216 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 2: We do, we do, all right? So I read in 217 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 2: a couple different places that the global market for earl 218 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 2: gray tea encompasses over seven million tons of tea per year, 219 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 2: which is a number that I don't really understand. However, 220 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 2: of that, the classic plane earl gray makes up about 221 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 2: forty percent, which is the largest wedge of the market share, 222 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 2: and in terms of packaging and leaf types, tea bags 223 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 2: make up about fifty five percent of that market share. 224 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 2: All of that earl gray is worth some two and 225 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 2: a half billion dollars and the major brands all hold 226 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 2: about equal parts of the market, which is interesting. Yeah, 227 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 2: I feel like a lot favorites. Yeah, oh yeah, yeah yeah, 228 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 2: and they're they're well spread out. 229 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. 230 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 2: Also, according to a Yugo survey of Europe from October 231 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 2: of twenty twenty, earl gray was indeed one of the 232 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 2: most popular types of tea around Europe. Specifically, over sixty 233 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 2: percent of people in Sweden and just about half of 234 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 2: Denmark said that they drink earl gray. Also around a 235 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 2: third of France and Germany. Only a fifth of UK 236 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 2: respondents said that they drink it. However, I will say 237 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 2: that that they were heavily skewed towards preferring English breakfast tea, 238 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 2: so that might be it. A different Yugo of survey 239 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 2: from twenty fourteen reported that over a quarter of Americans 240 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 2: drink earl gray, so actually more Americans are drinking earl 241 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 2: gray than Brits. 242 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: This is really funny because the title of our outline 243 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 1: I started, uh, spells gray the American way, and I 244 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: read in so many places, how that's just not accepted. 245 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: Oh oh, sell it the British way. But it just 246 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: cracked me up because I hadn't put too much thought 247 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: into it. But yes, okay, all right, I'll accept this. 248 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: But what a history, what a twisted, twisted history trying 249 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: to untangle this way. 250 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:41,960 Speaker 2: Absolutely, yeah, we're going to get into that as soon 251 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 2: as we get back from a quick break for a 252 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 2: word from our sponsors, and we're back. 253 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you. Okay. So, yes, the 254 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: history of tea is a long and complicated one and 255 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 1: is not what we're tackling today. Nope, nope. 256 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 2: And same for citrus because citrus was being cultivated around 257 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 2: Southeast Asia like four thousand years ago, and it's really 258 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,160 Speaker 2: difficult to trace all of its movements and mutations. 259 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: Yes see our previous citrus episodes. And yeah, a lot 260 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 1: of the history behind Earl Gray tea is foggy. Oh yes, 261 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: more on that later, and almost the stuff of legend, 262 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: especially since tea is so important to the UK, although 263 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: apparently Earl Gray not as much as I thought. According 264 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 1: to some sources, the practice of flavoring tea goes back 265 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: to ancient China. Archaeological evidence suggests that tea was being 266 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 1: brewed in China over two thousand years. 267 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 2: Ago, and that evidence briefly but because this is all 268 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 2: kind of related, okay, So around twenty fifteen, archaeologists on 269 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 2: Earth these Imperial tombs that contained fine riches, including what 270 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:04,880 Speaker 2: would today be considered high grade tea leaves, now tea, 271 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 2: the beverage that we know today might not have been 272 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 2: what was being made with this tea. It's actually more likely, 273 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 2: based on other stuff found with the tea, that it 274 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 2: was being used to make a blend of like of 275 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 2: like barley tea buds and other plants. So flavored tea 276 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 2: is the earliest evidence that we have of tea. It's 277 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 2: possibility that it was more like a soup than a 278 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 2: drink at the time, but tea as a drink was 279 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 2: being written about within like the next hundred years after 280 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 2: this stuff originated. 281 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: So yes, yes, and a lot of the early accounts 282 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: are medicinal. But sometime during the six hundreds to eight 283 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: hundred CE, drinking tea for pleasure rose to popularity in China, 284 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,440 Speaker 1: and this is also the time that tea merchants likely 285 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:59,400 Speaker 1: first oxidized green tea to make black tea, which stood 286 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: up to travel better so that they could sell these 287 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:03,960 Speaker 1: teas around the globe. 288 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:08,399 Speaker 2: Also around that time, people in China were definitely still 289 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 2: adding flavorings, but specifically such as citrus peel to tea. 290 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:17,399 Speaker 2: They were also arguing deeply about whether it was appropriate 291 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 2: to do. 292 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 1: So, arguments that continue today. By the sixteen hundreds, tea 293 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 1: was available in the UK. 294 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 2: Meanwhile, Bergamont developed, possibly in southern Italy in the early 295 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 2: fifteen hundreds or maybe earlier, possibly as a fancy ornamental. 296 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 2: It's certainly like the leaves and not imagine the flowers 297 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 2: also smell real nice. But Bergamont water as a perfume 298 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 2: element was in use by sixteen eighty six, and the 299 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 2: tree got its first good botanical description in seventeen oh eight. 300 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 2: Planting of Bergamont and oil production exploded during the latter 301 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 2: half of the seventeen high It was like very posh, 302 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 2: and oil production industrialized starting in the eighteen forties, which. 303 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: Brings us to Earl Gray and Oh my, the stories, 304 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: the stories legends. Okay, So the popular story behind the 305 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 1: name and creation is as follows. Sometime during the eighteen thirties, 306 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:27,119 Speaker 1: the second Earl of Gray and UK prime Minister at 307 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 1: the time, Charles Gray received Bergamot flavored black tea. The 308 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: gift was most likely from a foreign diplomat or dignitary, 309 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 1: most likely from China. After tasting the tea, it became 310 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,959 Speaker 1: popular amongst the English court, and soon tea merchants started 311 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 1: formulating their own blends of Earl Gray for the public 312 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: at large. Okay, that's the official government story, but there 313 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 1: are other theories behind the name. Theories abound. Oh yes, Oh. 314 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: One involves a tea enthusiast from China who somehow gets 315 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:05,880 Speaker 1: in a life threatening situation and Gray saved him. The 316 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 1: enthusiast then gifted him with his own blend of tea. 317 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,880 Speaker 1: In a variation of this story, it was the enthusiast's 318 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: sun who nearly drowned on Earl's property and was rescued 319 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:21,199 Speaker 1: by one of Earl's men. Arle of has happened in China, 320 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 1: and it was a British diplomat and not the Earl himself, 321 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: because by most accounts I read, he never actually went 322 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:31,680 Speaker 1: to China himself. Another story goes that the water at 323 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: Gray's estate was very mineral heavy, with particularly high levels 324 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 1: of limescale, and the tea was developed specifically with that 325 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: in mind to compliment that water, and was perhaps developed 326 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: by a Chinese tea master, or black tea was a 327 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 1: gift from Chinese diplomats after the Earl reformed trade with China, 328 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 1: ending the monopoly of the East India Company, and Gray 329 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 1: went on to request that it was flavored with bergamonte oil, 330 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 1: or black tea being shipped with Bergamont oranges somehow accidentally mixed. 331 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,080 Speaker 2: That doesn't sound like a but sure okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, 332 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:20,160 Speaker 2: it doesn't yeah, Or perhaps a tea merchant named William 333 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 2: Gray was the one to invent it. 334 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: Since his Earl Gray was the first known advertisement of 335 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: the product in eighteen fifty two. Okay, Bergamont oranges are 336 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: from Italy, so it's likely that while flavored Chinese teas 337 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:40,119 Speaker 1: inspired Earl Gray, perhaps even citrus flavored teas, it was 338 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:44,120 Speaker 1: blended in Europe. Most likely, the first known written mention 339 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,160 Speaker 1: of black tea with Burgamont oil dates back to eighteen 340 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: twenty four. By the eighteen thirties, Bergamont flavored teas were 341 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: looked down upon, associated with cheap teas that needed a 342 00:22:55,000 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 1: flavored oil to mask the low quality allegedly, the company 343 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: that first added Bergamont to tea was later prosecuted for 344 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: fraud for adding the oil and raising their prices under 345 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: the pretense of selling higher quality teas. Oh no, yes, 346 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:18,120 Speaker 1: all that being said, this is very fun, but there's 347 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: no real documentation or evidence behind these origin stories apart 348 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: from yes, you can look up William Gray's ad in 349 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 1: eighteen fifty two and there was an Earl Gray. There 350 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: was an Earl Gray, but most of the like saved 351 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:35,879 Speaker 1: the Sky's life and he made a tea for me. 352 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 1: There's nothing, There's nothing to back that up, and the 353 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 1: name Earl Gray didn't appear until decades after Gray's death. 354 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 1: Some suspect it was named after another family member or 355 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,679 Speaker 1: successor of his, or that tea sellers just use earl 356 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 1: to make the tea sound sophisticated, which I could see. 357 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: I could see. So those are the like. I'm sure 358 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:01,440 Speaker 1: there's even more, but these are some of the main 359 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:05,959 Speaker 1: stories people like to tell about this tea. However it 360 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: came to be, It was popular by the late eighteen 361 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:11,159 Speaker 1: hundreds in the UK, and it made its way to 362 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 1: the US around that time too. Both Twinings and the 363 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:19,439 Speaker 1: Jacksons of Piccadilly claimed to have been the first to 364 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 1: offer Earl Gray tea Big Ta Companies a nineteen twenty 365 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:28,960 Speaker 1: eight ad from Jackson's read that introduced in eighteen thirty 366 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: six to meet the wishes of the former Earl Gray, 367 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: and that quote the genuine blend can be obtained only 368 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:40,760 Speaker 1: through Jackson's of Piccadilly, so they were really claiming they 369 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: were laying down their steak there. Eventually, Twinings purchased Jackson's 370 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 1: of Piccadilly. Of notes, Jackson's also claimed to have the 371 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: original recipe after the Earl of Gray tasked them with 372 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: making it. So they're kind of like saying the story 373 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: is true, but also we've got the original rest. Twinings 374 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: introduced a spinoff on Earl Gray Lady Gray in the 375 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:10,679 Speaker 1: nineteen nineties with a lighter flavor, and that's Tea shops 376 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 1: have introduced numerous spins on Earl Gray over the years. 377 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 1: That's just one of them. Oh definitely, And this brings 378 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: us too the fun unexpected nerd tangent. I was not expecting. 379 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 2: Oh see, I knew about it, but. 380 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: Uh huh, I know, I was so happy. Okay, So 381 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty nine, Star Trek the Next Generation aired 382 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: the episode Contagion, which is the first time Captain Picard 383 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: orders tea Earl Gray Hot, and it went on to 384 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: become kind of a saying and a fave of his characters. 385 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, so this occurred relatively early on in season 386 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 2: two and right, and became sort of a whole meme 387 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,120 Speaker 2: because just the way that you have to order things 388 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 2: from replicators is so stilted and funny. Uh And you know, 389 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,239 Speaker 2: it's Patrick Stewart and he's being so serious in this 390 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 2: role of Jean le Bicard and he's tea or gray hot. 391 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: You know, it's just it's it's a whole thing. 392 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 2: It's it's easily rifted upon, right, I mean, and so 393 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 2: it continues, and you know, like by the Star Trek 394 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 2: Picard series said a couple of decades later, the character 395 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 2: switches to decaf. It's a whole thing. And by a 396 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 2: whole thing, I mean, okay, Like, for example, there's a 397 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 2: fan theory that Picard doesn't actually like Earl gray tea 398 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:42,120 Speaker 2: that much, but rather like replicates some as a sort 399 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:46,879 Speaker 2: of affectation or like soft power move when he's trying 400 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 2: to impress upon visitors that he is like this urbane 401 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 2: Earth figure. Apparently he only orders it once when he's 402 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 2: by himself in this in the history of the show, 403 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 2: So like Beverly Crusher points out that he prefers coffee 404 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:05,480 Speaker 2: with his breakfast. I don't know. 405 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: Conspiracy. 406 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 2: Beverly knows better than I do, So I don't know. 407 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 2: I don't know what to say about all of that. 408 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: But tangent into our tangent and I and I know 409 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 2: this partially because one of my I don't know, does 410 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:29,199 Speaker 2: it come as a hobby. One of the things that 411 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 2: I enjoy doing in my off time is hanging out 412 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:35,199 Speaker 2: with a dear friend of mine and just watching like 413 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 2: DS nine and Next Gen, just just just watching it. 414 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:41,199 Speaker 2: Just yeah, hanging out and doing that. 415 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 1: So yeah. 416 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:47,640 Speaker 2: The drinkwear that Card uses on Star Trek the Next 417 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,439 Speaker 2: Generation was actual commercial drink wear that was available at 418 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 2: the time. 419 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 1: It was chosen by the crew for its like modern 420 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 1: or futuristic looks. 421 00:27:55,640 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 2: And is annoyingly unavailable and or expensive now. The glass 422 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 2: cup with the minimalist black plastic handle was designed in 423 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 2: nineteen seventy four for Botom's Bestro line and discontinued in 424 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 2: twenty sixteen. You can find them on eBay are similar 425 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:17,399 Speaker 2: for varying prices. The white porcelain tea set with like 426 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:20,160 Speaker 2: the cups that nest into the sides of the teapot 427 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,120 Speaker 2: was from Singer Porcelain. I think I'm saying that right. 428 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 2: It's called the Design two set. 429 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: It is still. 430 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:29,399 Speaker 2: Available and will run you over four hundred dollars list 431 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:34,959 Speaker 2: price of four fifty. Also just saying, if the found 432 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 2: prop design of Star Trek and its cultural implications to 433 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 2: this day is a thing that interests you, oh my gosh, 434 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 2: have people written about it? 435 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:47,719 Speaker 1: Yeah? 436 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 2: I mean also there are like there are essays about 437 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 2: like the imperialist implications of Picard drinking Earl Gray tea 438 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 2: given tea's history on Earth. 439 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: M hmm. 440 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. 441 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: I mean I wasn't even looking for this and it 442 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 1: came up and I found a lot of written about it, 443 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 1: and I was like, I think Lauren will take this 444 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: for me. Done and done. Yep, Yes, so thank you 445 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Very interesting. I learned there's a Upper Card 446 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,000 Speaker 1: day where people drink all great team Oh great. 447 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. 448 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. So let us know listeners, if you have some 449 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: of these this d set. 450 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 2: Absolutely, yeah, it was really pretty. It is really pretty anyway. 451 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 1: Mm hmm. Okay, So that brings us to the London Fog, 452 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 1: which I had actually never heard of. But I recently 453 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: went to Seattle with some friends and one of the 454 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: friends was determined to get a lot of fog from 455 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: a specific place, and we did get it, and great. 456 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 1: He loved it. He loved it. So the history of 457 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 1: the Earl Gray latte or the London Fog is pretty 458 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 1: murky as well, but the story goes that it was 459 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: invented in Vancouver, Canada, at the Buckwheat Cafe by a 460 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 1: pregnant woman named Mary Loria Lauria. Named Mary Lauria Lauria 461 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: frequented the cafe with her husband and one day she 462 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: requested Earl Gray tea and steamed skim milk and mixed 463 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 1: the two together. It's often put like this was a 464 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: pregnancy craving that she had. She loved the combo and 465 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: went on to order it several more times, adding things 466 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:42,960 Speaker 1: like vanilla sugar. She liked it so much she recommended 467 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 1: it to friends and to other cafes until the London 468 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 1: Fog caught on. No one really seems to know where 469 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 1: the name comes from. Though not even hurt, because she 470 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 1: says once she saw it on the menu, she had 471 00:30:55,000 --> 00:31:01,040 Speaker 1: no idea what it was. But anyway, as the drink spread, 472 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:05,040 Speaker 1: regional variations popped up, like the Mexican Fog, which uses 473 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: the gave sweeten it, and the Halifax Fog, which uses 474 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 1: maple syrup. Some of these variations forego Earl Gray Tea altogether, 475 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 1: using a different type of tea. There are even yes 476 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 1: cocktail versions. Starbucks added a version of this to their 477 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 1: menu sometime around two thousand and seven. In twenty twenty four, 478 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: the eighth Earl of Gray endorsed Twinings as the original 479 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: blend Wow Yeah. The Twinings website includes this quote from 480 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: the seventh Earl of Gray. Twinings has been blending my 481 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 1: family tea for years. Legend has it that my ancestor, 482 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 1: the second Earl Gray, was presented with this exquisite recipe 483 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:53,959 Speaker 1: by an envoy on his return from China. He liked 484 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 1: it so much he asked Richard Twining to recreate it 485 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: for him. Generations of my family have in enjoyed Earl 486 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: Gray tea, and today I am proud to continue the 487 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 1: tradition with the tea celebrated throughout the world known as 488 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 1: Twining's earl Gray. Wow, this is fascinating to me because 489 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: there's so many stories we already went over of how 490 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 1: this might have happened. And I don't know. I wasn't 491 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 1: there not saying he's crafting a falsehood. But it is 492 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 1: interesting how even in your own family you might not 493 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 1: you might get kind of you might have sales legs and. 494 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:38,280 Speaker 2: There right absolutely, I mean also, marketing is a hell 495 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 2: of a drug. 496 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: So he is a hell of a drug. That is true. 497 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 1: That is true, And as mentioned at the top, it's 498 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,160 Speaker 1: worked for earl gray because these days, earl gray is 499 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 1: a flavoring in all kinds of things outside of drinks, 500 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:56,880 Speaker 1: mostly desserts, but it shows up all over, so it's 501 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:58,280 Speaker 1: really made it. It's made it. 502 00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, it comes and goes in waves. I feel like 503 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:07,520 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four was a heavy earl gray year, like 504 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 2: a fog. 505 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, I feel like I would love to hear 506 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,880 Speaker 1: from listeners because for me, I feel like it is 507 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 1: a kind of comfort tea, a comfort tea. So maybe 508 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:22,960 Speaker 1: in years where you're kind of stressed, you lean harder 509 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:26,560 Speaker 1: on the earl gray. But I don't know, I would 510 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 1: really love to hear from people around the world your 511 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:35,080 Speaker 1: experience drinking Earl Gray, what it means to you, What 512 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:38,120 Speaker 1: do you associate it with? Yeah, how do you make it? Yeah? 513 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 2: I personally it depends on my mood. But I personally 514 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 2: usually either like it just black or with a little 515 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:49,960 Speaker 2: bit of milk. By milk, I mean unsweetened, don't milk, 516 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 2: because that's what I roll with. But I know that 517 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,840 Speaker 2: someone is mad at me for saying all of those things, so. 518 00:33:57,040 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 1: Sorry about it. I think we have a little bit 519 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 1: that will be cut out of this where I was 520 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,719 Speaker 1: making a horrified face when Lauren was saying people have 521 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:09,600 Speaker 1: strong opinions about this, and I remembered some of those 522 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:11,959 Speaker 1: strong opinions I saw when I was in the UK. 523 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: They are quite strong. Yeah, I've read that lemon, just 524 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:21,919 Speaker 1: lemon is preferred, largely preferred in the UK for O Gray. 525 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 1: But write in listeners, give us your strong opinions. 526 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, please, please please, But that is what we have 527 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 2: to say about Earl Gray for now. We do already 528 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:36,400 Speaker 2: have some listener mail for you, though, and we are 529 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 2: going to get into that as soon as we get 530 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:41,000 Speaker 2: back from one more quick break for word from our sponsors. 531 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 1: And we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you, and 532 00:34:53,160 --> 00:35:07,640 Speaker 1: we're back with this. Oh yeah, m hmm. Okay, I 533 00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:12,600 Speaker 1: have to say when we did the SpongeBob episode, I 534 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:14,719 Speaker 1: was very excited to hear from you listeners, and you 535 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 1: have not failed. And in fact, I am so thrilled 536 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:22,360 Speaker 1: that so many of you are low key kind of 537 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: angry at me. Now I'm not mentioning certain things. Oh 538 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:32,719 Speaker 1: because listen here, I want to come back. And super 539 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:35,120 Speaker 1: producer Andrew was like, did you talk about this? And 540 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:39,359 Speaker 1: I said no, So I know there's things that got 541 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:44,279 Speaker 1: left out, and I'm really really thrilled that you all 542 00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:46,239 Speaker 1: are writing in about them. Yeah. 543 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:51,839 Speaker 2: Absolutely, I have so much story as we had, so 544 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:54,320 Speaker 2: please keep those, keep those coming. 545 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:58,759 Speaker 1: We might revisit. I would love to revisit. Oh yeah, 546 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:02,040 Speaker 1: I think we should. Why I think we should? I 547 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:09,360 Speaker 1: think we didn't even talk about the sayings like tartar sauce. Anyway. Okay, 548 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:14,040 Speaker 1: so Colleen wrote in about the SpongeBob episode, this must 549 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:16,640 Speaker 1: be my favorite episode, and I suspect you will be 550 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:19,920 Speaker 1: swamped with emails, So as a major SpongeBob fan, I 551 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 1: will just tell you one funny SpongeBob incident. There was 552 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:28,799 Speaker 1: a Nickelodeon SpongeBob Marathon Festival tenth anniversary celebration where they 553 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:32,200 Speaker 1: played every episode in a row for twenty four hours 554 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:35,880 Speaker 1: a day over three or four days, which I decided 555 00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: to watch as many as possible. After about two days, 556 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 1: my husband said, politely, could you please not play the 557 00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:48,759 Speaker 1: theme song every time? I of course began to mute 558 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 1: it for him. It had been playing in my dreams 559 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:57,800 Speaker 1: at night. He is now also a fan. Okay, yes, 560 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 1: in so many ways, because they're relatively short episodes, so 561 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:07,840 Speaker 1: the theme song comes up a while a lot. Yeah, yes, 562 00:37:08,120 --> 00:37:10,000 Speaker 1: So I've also tried to get pretty good at like 563 00:37:10,239 --> 00:37:15,320 Speaker 1: muting the theme song so that it doesn't get stuck 564 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:23,120 Speaker 1: in someone's head. Are irrecovely, but that's amazing. I remember 565 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:24,040 Speaker 1: when that happened. 566 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:29,160 Speaker 2: They do those marathons occasionally. That's not the only They've 567 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:32,080 Speaker 2: done that a few times. And I can see the 568 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:35,319 Speaker 2: propensity for just really leading in. 569 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 1: Yeah. And also, as mentioned in that episode, there are 570 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,240 Speaker 1: several that make you feel like you might be losing 571 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:46,239 Speaker 1: your mind. And I can imagine if you're watching a 572 00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:48,239 Speaker 1: lot of this that might really get to you. 573 00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 2: Oh, yeah. 574 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:53,200 Speaker 1: I also forgot to mention I have a friend whose 575 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 1: birthday as we record this as tomorrow, we used to 576 00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:59,919 Speaker 1: celebrate joint birthdays, oh, because our birthdays were so close. 577 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:04,200 Speaker 1: In one year in high school, we did a SpongeBob 578 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 1: themed birthday and we had a SpongeBob themed ice cream 579 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:13,680 Speaker 1: cake that her mother maid and her mother was an 580 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:19,640 Speaker 1: artistic design and oh wow great. So it was really good. Yeah, 581 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:22,800 Speaker 1: and it was lovely. Everybody there was having a great time. 582 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:28,960 Speaker 1: But yeah, I'm glad. I'm glad that your husband wasn't 583 00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 1: turned off by the theme song being played constantly and 584 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:35,040 Speaker 1: is now a fan. 585 00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:46,440 Speaker 2: Yes, oh yeay, Yes, SpongeBob joy is very real. Julie wrote, 586 00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:49,440 Speaker 2: I enjoyed your Hostess cupcake episode, and it brought back 587 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:53,120 Speaker 2: some childhood memories. I definitely liked them better than Twinkies 588 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:55,800 Speaker 2: and so much more than ho hos, But I didn't 589 00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 2: like the filling in either. I remember I had a 590 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:01,600 Speaker 2: method for eating the cupcakes which went like this. First, 591 00:39:01,719 --> 00:39:04,359 Speaker 2: break off the frosted top, then eat the chocolate cake 592 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 2: up to the filling, throw out the filling or give 593 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,600 Speaker 2: it to sisters who liked it, and lastly, eat the 594 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:14,600 Speaker 2: frosted top. Perhaps I was weird lol. I deconstructed oreos 595 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:17,239 Speaker 2: in a similar way, although it was actually consistent with 596 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:21,440 Speaker 2: their jingle A Kitt'll eat the middle of an oreo first. Anyway, 597 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:23,560 Speaker 2: it was a trip down memory lane for my sixty 598 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:24,600 Speaker 2: five year old self. 599 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:29,400 Speaker 1: Oh I love this. I know we've said this before, 600 00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:33,880 Speaker 1: but multiple listeners have written in about their specific ways. 601 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:35,240 Speaker 2: Of eating some different things. 602 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:40,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I love it. M hmm. It's so great. 603 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:46,120 Speaker 1: I'd be curious if you've had one recently and if 604 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,400 Speaker 1: you still maintain to this method, if you still stick 605 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 1: to this yeah, or if this was a kid only 606 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 1: kind of thing. 607 00:39:54,120 --> 00:39:56,640 Speaker 2: I feel like I feel like as a as a teenager, 608 00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:59,560 Speaker 2: like like young adult in college, which is when I 609 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:02,439 Speaker 2: was really exposed to them, I also had some kind 610 00:40:02,440 --> 00:40:05,359 Speaker 2: of method of eating them that was definitely not the 611 00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:07,719 Speaker 2: entire thing at once. It was definitely I think I 612 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:11,920 Speaker 2: didn't like the the chocolate frosting, and I feel like 613 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:13,720 Speaker 2: that's the part that I gave to other people. 614 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:18,280 Speaker 1: Mm hmm. And you've got to find your other person, 615 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:21,480 Speaker 1: you do you do? Because I don't like the icing 616 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:24,640 Speaker 1: and oreo, so I'd find that person. Yes, people really 617 00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:28,319 Speaker 1: love the icing they do, so just got you gotta. 618 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 2: It's a barter system of trees between that and Halloween 619 00:40:32,719 --> 00:40:36,919 Speaker 2: candy halls. Yeah, m work out your systems of trade. 620 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:40,279 Speaker 1: It's very important. It is very important, and we love 621 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:45,000 Speaker 1: hearing about it. So yes, thank you. Thanks to both 622 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:47,120 Speaker 1: of these listeners for writing in. If you would like 623 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:49,359 Speaker 1: to write to as, you can or emails hello at 624 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:51,960 Speaker 1: saberpod dot com. We're also on social media. 625 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:55,319 Speaker 2: You can find us on Instagram and blue Sky at 626 00:40:55,440 --> 00:40:57,239 Speaker 2: saber pod, and we do hope to hear from you. 627 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:01,360 Speaker 2: Savor is production of iHeartRadio podcasts my Heart Radio. You 628 00:41:01,400 --> 00:41:04,440 Speaker 2: can visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 629 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:07,000 Speaker 2: listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as always to our 630 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:10,000 Speaker 2: super producers Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you 631 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:11,959 Speaker 2: for listening, and we hope that lots more good things 632 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:20,640 Speaker 2: are coming your way.