London Fog

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Electric kettle with temperature control (or standard kettle with thermometer)
• •Tea infuser or strainer for loose leaf
• •Milk frother, steam wand, or French press for frothing
• •Large ceramic mug (12-14 ounce capacity)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the water properly

   Bring fresh water to 200°F, just below boiling. You'll see small bubbles forming on the bottom of the kettle and steam rising steadily, but no rolling boil. Boiling water scorches Earl Grey and turns its delicate bergamot oils bitter. If you've overshot, let the water rest thirty seconds off heat.

   An electric kettle with temperature control makes this effortless. Without one, bring water to a boil and wait one minute before pouring.
2. 2

   Steep the Earl Grey

   Place loose tea in an infuser or use your tea bag in a warmed mug. Pour the hot water directly over the leaves and steep for four minutes. No less. The London Fog demands a bold tea base that can stand up to milk without disappearing. After steeping, remove the leaves immediately. Oversteeping creates astringency that no amount of vanilla can rescue.

3. 3

   Add vanilla and sweetener

   Stir in the vanilla extract and honey while the tea is hot. The heat blooms the vanilla's fragrance and dissolves the sweetener completely. Taste now. The tea should seem slightly too sweet, too vanilla-forward. The milk will temper everything into balance.

4. 4

   Steam or froth the milk

   Heat the milk until steaming but not simmering, around 150°F. Froth vigorously using a steam wand, French press, or handheld frother until you've created a layer of microfoam with tiny uniform bubbles. The foam should be silky and pourable, not stiff like shaving cream. Tap the vessel on the counter to pop any large bubbles.

   No frother? Heat milk in a small saucepan while whisking vigorously, or shake hot milk in a sealed jar until frothy. Both methods work.
5. 5

   Combine and serve

   Pour the steamed milk into the tea, holding back the foam with a spoon. Then spoon the foam generously on top, allowing it to float like a cloud above the pale amber liquid. The first sip should deliver warmth, floral bergamot, sweet vanilla, and creamy foam all at once. Serve immediately in a generous mug that invites both hands to wrap around it.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out quality Earl Grey with real bergamot oil, not artificial flavoring. Twinings, Harney & Sons, and any reputable tea purveyor will serve you well. Loose leaf brews cleaner, but a good bag works respectably.
• •Whole milk froths best because of its fat and protein content. Oat milk is the best non-dairy substitute for foam quality. Skim milk produces hollow, insubstantial bubbles.
• •For a richer version, replace vanilla extract with half a vanilla bean. Split it lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the hot tea, and let the pod steep alongside the Earl Grey.
• •The drink reheats poorly. Make only what you'll drink immediately. The foam collapses and the tea grows bitter as it cools.
• •To batch for a gathering: steep a large pot of strong Earl Grey and keep it warm. Steam milk in batches to order. The tea base can hold for twenty minutes; the foam cannot.

Advance Preparation

• •The tea base can be steeped and sweetened up to twenty minutes ahead if kept warm. Add freshly frothed milk just before serving.
• •For entertaining, measure vanilla and sweetener into mugs beforehand. Steep tea and froth milk to order in small batches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 320g)