Many of you may have noticed that I was somewhat absent from the internet during the month of October. I had a few tweets here and there, but I was largely offline compared to my usual routine. I have a blog post about all that half written, but it’s just a heavy topic and I think I want to make my comeback to the blog a little more lighthearted. So, I’m treating y’all to a “what’s Sara’s current favorite writing drink?” recipe blog instead!
No breakroom mochas or faux pumpkin spice lattes here, I’m afraid. Lately I’ve really been digging a nice, hot cup of tea instead. So, without further ado, here’s my at-home definitely-not-authentic take on a London Fog (the tea latte, not the outerwear/handbag/luggage company).
You Will Need
- 1 bag of good Earl Grey tea (or loose leaf equivalent).
- Vanilla Extract (Imitation is fine)
- Honey
- Half and half
- Lavender (optional)
- A teaspoon (not the measuring spoon, the smaller spoon from the silverware drawer)
So a quick note here: a traditional London Fog doesn’t have lavender according to the recipes I Googled ages ago, but the Starbucks version does, apparently. What I do is use a lavender infused honey from a honey farm local to me. You can leave the lavender out entirely, order yourself some of their honey on Etsy, or use dried lavender. It’s up to you!
Also, while I’m using Numi Aged Earl Grey in the picture below (because it’s what Walmart had yesterday) I think the less expensive Twinings Extra Bold Earl Grey is way better for this application. You get a lot more of that bergamot flavor. I use the bags, but it apparently comes in a K-cup as well. If you have a favorite brand of Earl Grey, let me know in the comments!
What to do with the stuff
- Heat yourself up a mug of hot water. I’m a chaos gremlin, so I just run it through my Keurig unless I’m making a whole pot. (Are my British friends screaming at the screen yet?)
- Steep your Earl Grey. Personally, I like it pretty strong, but you do you. If you are using dried lavender, steep it with your tea.
- Add your vanilla extract. I like quite a bit, maybe 1/8 of a teaspoon? I duhno, I just measure it with my mixing spoon and my heart.
- Add 1 heaping spoon of honey (or however much you like).
- Add 1 spoon of half and half (or however much you like).
- Stir and enjoy!
And that is my definitely-not-authentic at-home take on a London Fog. Yes, I know I didn’t froth milk or make it into a latte. That’s too much work and it taste totally delicious without doing any of that.
