Fair Trade Earl Grey
Arguably the world's most famous tea blend, our organic Earl Grey black tea comes to us from the base of the Himalayas in Dooars, Northern India. Coupled with organic Italian bergamot rind (a fragrant citrus fruit), this fairtrade and organic Earl Grey loose leaf tea is the perfect balance of slightly-malty black tea and lively, aromatic citrus.
Origins of Earl Grey Tea
The origins of Earl Grey tea are a bit muddied and no one really knows for sure how this tea blend of black tea and bergamot came to bear its iconic name. What we do know is that references to Earl Grey tea began in the 1820s, making Charles, 2nd Earl Grey and Prime Minister of England from 1830-1834 the likely namesake.
Some theories are easily debunked (like the idea that Charles Grey, who never travelled to China, saved a tea blender's son... in China). Other origin stories are more plausible. At some point Grey may have been gifted high quality Chinese tea (like Keemun) that he then asked London tea blenders to mimic, as such high quality tea was rare and very expensive at the time. To account for this, adding bergamot oil to lower quality teas was a common way to improve flavor in teas that had suffered for the long trade routes. Another theory is that Grey's tea blender added the bergamot at the Earl's request to counteract the lime in the water at his ancestral estate. Or, it could have just been an extremely forward-thinking and effective marketing tactic to put the politician's name on a blend of tea!
Whatever the reasons for the original naming, Earl Grey tea has stood the test of time because this bold and refreshing tea appeals to many palates, pairs well with food, and is delicious both hot and iced. (Plus drinking it makes us feel fancy - remember, when in doubt, pinky out!)
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What is Tea?
Did you know all tea comes from the same plant?!
Learn what makes green tea different from black tea, why herbal tea isn't really tea at all, and how tea goes from the fields to your cup.
How to Brew Tea
While every palate is slightly different, there are a few basic concepts that will help you brew the perfect pot of tea, every time! Explore our in-depth guide to brewing tea at home to discover everything you need to know about how to brew each of your favorite teas and herbal tisanes.
Our passion for teas...
We are delighted to be able to share one of the largest and most varied collections of single origin traditional teas on the East Coast with our communi·tea. Personally curated by owner Hayley, these teas come to us from small farms and collectives and represent the best of their terroirs and production styles. While wondering our shelves in-person or online, you will discover familiar favorites like English Breakfast and Long Jing (Dragonwell) alongside rare teas like Shan Lin Xi and herbal tisanes blended for mindfulness, inflammation, and much more.
& bees...
Raw honey is one of nature's most marvelous gifts. Not only is honey a marvel of energy-giving carbohydrates fortified with antioxidants, minerals and beneficial enzymes - making it the healthiest natural sugar - honey comes in a rainbow of flavors and varieties with something for everyone to appreciate and enjoy. From dark, robust honeys like Buckwheat and Chestnut to light or amber honeys like Tupelo or Orange Blossom, the subtle and sometimes not so subtle flavor differences between varietal honeys lend themselves to extraordinary flavor combinations and experimentation in the kitchen, on the charcuterie board, or in your favorite cup of tea.
all started with our Queen Bee!
A trained chef, Hayley's vision for Saratoga Tea & Honey Co. has been her entire lifetime in the making. Though she was still drinking espresso at the time, the Tea & Honey seeds were planted in the kitchens of Michelin-starred restaurants with training and appreciation for food and beverage as not just sustenance, but experience and hospitality. Her time spent as a chef-instructor at Jacques Pépin's French Culinary Institute introduced her first to matcha (and its ability to enhance sustained and steady focus), then to the subtleties of single-origin traditional teas like high mountain Taiwanese oolong. As a celebrated and awarded taster and master of culinary arts, in 2015 Hayley opened the doors to Saratoga Tea & Honey Co. Since then, she has cultivated a communi·tea for discovering rare and exciting teas, extraordinary raw honeys & unique gifts produced by small farmers and artisans from around the world.