London Fog

The London Fog didn't come from London at all. A Vancouver barista invented it in the late 1990s, christening it with a name that evokes misty British mornings and the comfort of teatime. The name stuck because it captures the drink's soul: the sophisticated warmth of Earl Grey tea wrapped in fog-like milk foam.

This is a drink for people who find coffee too aggressive but want more ceremony than a simple cup of tea. The bergamot in Earl Grey, that distinctive citrus note derived from Italian orange oil, marries beautifully with vanilla. Together they create something floral and cozy, complex but not demanding.

The technique matters more than the ingredients. Steep your tea too briefly and milk will drown it. Overheat your milk and you'll taste scalded protein instead of sweet cream. Get it right, and you've made a drink that rivals any coffeehouse version at a fraction of the cost. This is honest comfort in a mug, the kind of thing worth learning to do properly.