London Fog Latte

Did anyone catch the season premiere of Downton Abbey on Sunday? I must admit, I’m a fan of the series, not just for its clever allusions to tea culture (milk in first or milk in last?) but also for its gorgeous countryside scenery and period costumes. And of course, there’s that adorable tail-wagging golden lab who starts off every episode on a cheery note of anticipation.
This London Fog Latte is my go-to treat whenever I settle in to watch an episode of Downton Abbey. It’s elegant, easy to whip up, and tremendously satisfying even after seeing all those scrumptious servings of tea and cake shown on the series. This luxurious latte has a thick layer of frothy vanilla soy milk laying atop best quality, strongly brewed Earl Grey tea. Vanilla and a touch of raw sugar make it decadent without being too rich. Trust me, Starbucks has nothing on this one.

If you can find some vanilla bean paste, this is the perfect time to use it. This dark syrup is flecked with tons of vanilla seeds, which add a caramel-like richness to the brew, pure and fragrant. Many tea experts believe that the proper way to drink tea is with the milk in last, so that you can assess the tea’s color, aroma, and strength before making any changes. If you end up enjoying these London Fog Lattes as often as I do, then you can put that refined custom into practice. London Fog Lattes..brew them strong, brew them classy!

London Fog Latte

Makes 1 latte.

Ingredients:

1 cup boiling water

2 rounded tsp best quality Earl Grey tea (I used Fortnum & Mason’s Earl Grey Classic)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

raw cane sugar cubes or Demerara sugar, to taste (I used 4 cubes of La Perruche for 1 latte)

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk, or slightly more to taste

1 tsp vanilla bean paste, for drizzling on top (optional)

Equipment:

kettle or water boiler

teapot and strainer

large glass mason jar with lid

spoon

mug

Directions:

1.)  Pour a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract into the mug.

2.)  Brew the tea for 5 minutes. While the tea is brewing, pour milk into the mason jar, then cover with lid and shake vigorously until the milk is frothy and bubbly, almost doubled in volume. Remove the lid and set it aside. Place the uncovered jar of milk to heat in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.

3.)  Pour and strain the tea into the mug until it is half full. Mix sugar into the hot tea to taste, remembering that the milk is following. Top the cup off with the frothy milk, then drizzle the top of the latte with vanilla bean paste and serve immediately.

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Ashley

I love Fortnum and Mason! Their Royal Blend is my favourite. And thank you for sharing a tea latte recipe (London fog and Downton Abbey are two of my favourite things too. I finished streaming the entire season 5 already, it’s so good!) that doesn’t require a milk frother! I was so close to buying one earlier this week and now I know the trick of using maison jar, problem solved! 🙂

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Bonnie Eng

Ahh I’m so jealous! They only aired episode 3 here in the US tonight…I hate waiting! That being said, this is a cozy, easy recipe to make. The jar frothing method yields good results, and it’s always a good idea to minimize kitchen gadgets if at all possible.:)

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Diane

I love that the new season of Downton Abbey has finally started! This looks like the perfect drink to enjoy while watching.

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Lan | morestomach

i still have not gotten into downton abbey. it’s not showing on netflix streaming. i feel like it’s a club i can’t seem to get in but i can certainly fake it with this cup of tea!

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Bonnie Eng

Ya, I have to be honest, sometimes I watch it half paying attention, purely for the costumes and scenery. No club, but for some reason you have to be in just the right mood to watch it. 🙂 Regardless, hope you make time to enjoy one of these lattes Lan! 😉

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Chaya

I’ve wanted to start watching Downtown Abbey for a while now. I just need to find the time to start! Either way, I’m definitely down for this latte. I love foamed soy milk- it’s sweeter than milk, and lighter too. And with vanilla bean paste? Divine!

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Buri-chan

It’s not Earl Grey (yum), but I’ve got another red tea I might try this with over the weekend. : ) It’s so nice to know that frothing milk requires no expensive equipment!

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Bonnie Eng

Ooo….what kind of red tea? This method of frothing will make you feel like a bartender for a bit, but it’s a great way to forgo having to buy yet another kitchen contraption. Hope it turns out great for you BuriChan! 🙂

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Buri-chan

Late reply, sorry! ^^; It was an English Breakfast I received as a gift. I think it would have been nicer with Earl Grey. The little shop by my place was out of soy milk so I went with regular milk, and I ran out of vanilla as I was making it so it wasn’t as sweet as I hoped. That said, frothing the milk was still a lot of fun!

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Frugal Hausfrau

Yes, I love Downton Abbey and it first came on my radar when a friend told me about it – she said she’d watched the best show and that I’d love it because there was a labrador! 🙂 I often have a cup of tea when I watch it, and next episode, I think I will have this brew! 🙂

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Catherine Dream

This is EXACTLY the way I enjoy my London Fog – adore extra frothy foamy soy milk and bergamote woven into vanilla. Yes please.

This trick with a mason jar is all sorts of brilliant, I’m trying it today!

PS I used to think earl grey with milk was a blasphemy, since bergamot is a citrus : D Oh silly old me.

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Bonnie Eng

Yes, it all starts with a good quality tea. And the soy milk is much more flavorful than regular milk, don’t you think?

I love mason jars…so versatile and easy to work with!

And yes, I can see what you mean about the citrus and milk combination. I guess, ultimately, our taste buds make all the decisions! 🙂

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