What is Bergamot Orange Tea Used For?
Bergamot orange tea, also known as earl grey tea, is a black tea flavored by bergamot orange oil. It is extremely popular in the Western world. Bergamot orange tea is most commonly simply consumed as a beverage, however, it is also used in flavoring various desserts, including chocolate, ice cream, cakes and puddings. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Earl grey tea was first invented in the early 1800s. It is said to have been made in honor of Charles, the Second Earl Grey, by a Chinese mandarin with whom he became friends during a British diplomatic mission to China. Once introduced to England, the tea rapidly gained popularity, and is arguably still the most popular flavored tea among Westerners. The oil of the bergamot, an Asian citrus plant, gives earl grey tea its distinctive flavor.
Uses
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Bergamot orange tea is most often enjoyed in hot tea form. To make bergamot orange tea, simply employ the same method you would use to make any other hot tea--heat water to the boiling point, pour it into a pre-heated tea pot, add high-quality loose-leaf tea to the pot and let it steep for two to three minutes. Pour it into a tea cup, being careful to strain the leaves, then add milk or sugar.
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Benefits
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Earl grey tea is said to be helpful in alleviating anxiety. Because bergamot essential oil has antiseptic and germicidal properties, Earl grey tea can assist in fighting oral wounds and infections. Additionally, black tea contains catechin and fluoride, which can help prevent tooth decay as well as combat halitosis.
Desserts
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Recently, a number of chefs, chocolatiers and confectioners have begun adding bergamot orange tea to desserts. Bergamot orange tea's crisp, clean flavor makes it a wonderful foil for chocolate, rich creamy desserts, lemony cakes, vanilla-heavy recipes and fruit-based delicacies. Earl grey chocolate, cookies and ice cream are widely available. Earl grey crème brulee, fruit tarts and cakes are rapidly becoming menu mainstays, perhaps because earl grey tea can be counted upon to give old recipes a new twist. Some adventurous cooks have even begun using earl grey to smoke meats, such as duck.
Bergamot Oranges
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Bergamot oranges (citrus aurantium ssp. bergamia) are a small citrus fruit originating in Asia. Bergamot oranges are used to make marmalade, candy and other confections. Bergamot essential oil is often used in aromatherapy massage products, as well as in skincare products. It is also a universal perfume additive, as it blends well with a wide variety of scents. Because its warm, spicy citrus scent is gender-neutral, bergamot essential oil is used in both men's and women's perfumes and colognes. Most bergamot grown today is cultivated in Calabria, Italy, but it is also produced in Argentina, Brazil and the U.S. state of Georgia.
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