A friend of mine introduced me to this specialty tea drink several weeks ago, and I was hooked instantly. I’ve never been that much of a fan of Earl Grey tea, as the bergamot has a strong, dry flavour that curled my tongue a little bit. But once I tried it with a sweet dash of Vanilla in it, the bergamot became a light accent rather than the overpowering taste, and it was suddenly delicious. Throw in some steamed milk, and that alluring foam on the top, the kind that stays just long enough to sprinkle some cinnamon or nutmeg on, and the only word for the concoction is “addictive.” Well, thats not strictly true, there is another word, and thats “expensive.” These beauties go for between $2 and $4 a pop depending on the size and establishment you patronize, and an addiction like that can quickly eat away at your pocket change and into your lunch money. I decided to investigate the recipe to see if I could concoct it myself at home for less, and like most over-priced commerically-hyped food products, its fairly easy! Of course, nothing beats the luxury of ordering one from an upscale tea store, sitting down at a high table by the window and relaxing with a book or just people-watching for a few minutes, and in that case you just have to know that what you’re really paying for is the atmosphere. But if you just want a pick-me-up treat before work in the morning, or an exquisite Sunday morning indulgence in your bathrobe, here is a recipe you can follow at home for a nice Starbucks-esque London Fog latte.

1 Earl Grey teabag
1/2 a mug of boiling water
1/2 a mug of steamed milk
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Now, there are different variations you can put in these ingredients, as well. This is the simplest recipe I could come up with that still approximates the taste, but you have to be careful with the vanilla extract. Only get the real kind, not the artificial, as its flavour straight is somewhat lacking, AND it is after all, made with a pure-alcohol base. In baking the alcohol evaporates with the heat leaving just the flavour behind, and that usually works if you let your London Fog steep long enough, but if you just drop in a half teaspoon or something and drink it straight-away, you will quickly feel a buzz. A friend of mine cautioned me on this based on experience! One or two drops should suffice.

Also, if you feel you want to go barista in your own kitchen, there are Vanilla liqueurs made for the purpose, that you can buy in full bottles, just like they have in the coffeeshops. This has the sweetness and the vanilla flavour together, so you don’t necessarily need the brown sugar as well. You can find them at some gourmet food markets and the like, but they run a little pricey for what they are. Alternatively, you can steep your own vanilla flavour from a vanilla pod, and keep the essence on hand for mixing in tea as you desire… this is really getting to the heart of the matter, and can be fun to try for the full experience.

Of course, the milk is the subject of much variation as well. Steamed milk can mean skim, 1% or 2%, and this of course is the main source of calories in this delectable drink… what, you didn’t think it was fat-free, did you? I’ve heard some say that its best to use skim, to keep your figure trim, but then others argue that skim doesn’t give enough body to the drink to be satisfying, especially in the foam department, so another alternative offered was to put a dollop of whipped cream on the top, but dollops always lead to bigger dollops, so that is dangerous too. You will just have to find your own middle ground in this department. Not to be forgotten is a variation with Soy Milk, termed a Manchester Fog, of course, since all the vegans are from Manchester.

Now the accents. Personally I like a little cinnamon with mine, and this can come in the form of powder dashed atop the foam, or, which I enthusiastically recommend, in a cinnamon stick left to steep in the pot or mug along with the tea bag. This has elegance (and the London Fog is all about elegance) as well as a fuller taste, growing stronger the longer it is steeped. You will not be sorry.

So, there is your London Fog guide. Go forth, gather ingredients, come home and relax!