Fog

We got a few requests last week for London Fogs, and a few more for tea lattes in general, so I thought I'd write a little bit about the drink.


I) Tea Lattes


To use an analogy:  Tea latte : "regular" latte :: tea : espresso.

That is to say, a tea latte is strong tea with steamed milk. We brew our tea in Finum filters, let them steep, then steam the milk and pour it over the tea. You can do this with any kind of tea, though some teas work better than others. Fruity teas, for example, have a tendency to curdle the milk.

Nope, not that one.

II) London Fog

A London Fog is a variety of tea latte that has acquired its own name (Wikipedia has the whole story). It is an Earl Grey tea latte with vanilla syrup. There are other variations, for Atlantic City (rose tea), Dublin (Irish breakfast tea), and Bombay (a redundant name for a chai latte). Inspired, we came up with Harrisburg's signature tea latte.


III) Capital City Fog

After making and sampling London and Atlantic City fogs, we wondered which of our many teas would adequately represent Harrisburg. Of course, we decided, it would have to have some smoky notes, to evoke the failed incinerator, and maybe be a green tea, both to represent Harrisburg's natural beauty, and to symbolically draw "the green" back to this bankrupt town. We settled on Rishi's Green Mint, a savory tea that Rishi's website describes as "mellow and toasty with the distinctive aroma of chocolate mint cookies and buckwheat." It combines nicely with the vanilla and the steamed milk, making a worthy signature beverage for the Capital City.

new teas!

Two new teas just arrived from Rishi.  So new in fact, they have yet to be added to the tea menu board! 

First up is a new black tea called Ceylon Single Estate.  This tea is from Sri Lanka and has a really nice and smooth taste.  This tea dried has an earthy smell and when brewed the taste turns to a very nice medium strength with a small hint of cocoa. 

Rishi has this to say about this tea on their website: This classic black tea from the mountainous interior of Sri Lanka has a smooth flavor, medium body and a slightly fruity finish.  Ceylon black tea is a traditional favorite among black tea lovers. 

Next up is a new caffeine free addition, Hibiscus Berry.  This is a blended tea featuring dried currants and schizandra berries. The tea is light and fruity with a hint of citrus.  If you're a fan of the Scarlet tea we currently offer, give Hibiscus Berry a try.  It's not quite as strong and tart, but it definitely is a nice and fruity, strong bodied tea.

From Rishi's website: Luscious currants and delicious forest berries complement this fruity and balanced blend with a wonderful scarlet red infusion that refreshes and rejuvenates.