O Starbucks what did you do!!!???

This is one of my favorite places in town, or rather it used to be up 'till last Sunday.  I love to stroll round the Sunday markets in Ghent then go and sit at the upstairs window and watch the World go by whilst enjoying my cup of Earl Grey tea.  Hot!

Last Sunday I was told they would be serving a new brand of tea and would I like to taste it?  Sure.  being an Earl Grey addict I am always willing to try a new brand.

Ugh, what a mistake that was.  Dear Starbucks - Lavender Earl Grey is Lavender Earl Grey and not Earl Grey tea.  And you do not put a 3 gram teabag in a 'Tall' mug.
It tasted NOT NICE.

So for my refill I asked the old brand again, which they no longer had.

Next time I'll go for the Green tea.

We dwaalden door Brugge

Het is al weer 4 jaar geleden dat ik hier een laatste post geplaatst heb.  Maar gisteren had in zin om dit weer nieuw leven te geven.

Waarom hoor ik je denken?

Omdat ik gisteren meer dan een uur door Brugge heb lopen dwalen op zoek naar een te room met lekkere thee.  Het enige wat we na een half uur rondlopen vonden was een café waarik dr keuze had uit ... gewoon, linde, kamille of rozebottel - gruis.

Nee bedankt!

Weer een kwartier later zijn we half verkleumd in een restaurantje beland waar ik gelukkig een kop Earl Grey thee kreeg... in een glas (o grote gruwel) met water dat niet eens deftig gekookt was.

Kopje thee met arome van de vaatwas ... heerlijk is anders. 

Dus tijd om dit blog weer leven in te blazen.

Waar o waar zijn de echt tea-rooms in Brugge?

Earl Grey tea

Any Star Trek fan knows that Captain Picard drinks Earl Grey tea (hot!). Well, lots of other people drink Earl Grey too. It's one of the most popular and best known kinds of tea in the Western world.

First of all, Earl Grey tea was indeed named after the second Earl Charles Grey of Britain back in the 1830s. Though proof is scarce, he is traditionally credited with the creation of this blended tea. Charles Grey was prime minister from 1830-1834, during which time the act was passed to abolish slavery in the British Empire. Seems like quite an accomplishment, yet most people know him for his wonderful tea instead.

Contrary to popular belief, Earl Grey is not a kind of tea at all. It's actually plain black tea, infused with the citrus flavour of bergamot (similar to orange blossoms). This gives a bright, tart and refreshing tea that is unlike other black teas.

While the term 'orange pekoe' is all about the quality and grade of a tea, Earl Grey tea is not necessarily a high quality tea. Since the taste of bergamot is quite strong, it is often used to mask the lack of flavour from poor quality black tea. When shopping for Earl Grey, make sure to double-check the grade of the tea before making your choice.

Earl Grey tea is a favorite in Britain and in North America, and you can be sure to find it on the menu at any tea room, or in any supermarket.

Chocolate Earl Grey Cake

Ingredients:
6 Earl Grey tea bags or
2 tbsp Earl Grey loose leaf tea
125ml sunflower oil
3 eggs
225g sugar
125g dark chocolate
225g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
125ml plain yogurt

Directions:
Heat oven to 180° C.
Grease and line the bottom of a 20cm springform tin.
Brew the tea and orange zest in 250ml boiling water for 3minutes.
Beat the eggs, sugar and oil until thick and combined, now whisk in the chocolate.
Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and fold in.
Now beat in the yoghurt followed by the tea.
You will end up with a
very liquid batter, transfer to the cake tin and bake for about 50mins until a cake skewer comes out clean.
Serve dusted with icing sugar and a cup of earl grey.