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Velvety smooth with a brisk undertone, the London Fog has been a sleeper hit in cafes since the late 1990s. This delightful drink, essentially a black tea latte, combines the aromatic infusion of Earl Grey tea with steamed milk and a hint of sweetness. It strikes a delicate balance between a chai latte and a traditional cup of tea, offering a unique, comforting experience.
In an age where credit for creations often goes unclaimed, it’s refreshing to trace the London Fog back to a specific individual: Mary Loria, a ceramicist from Victoria, BC. In the 1990s, Mary lived in Vancouver and, despite being an avid coffee lover, found herself needing an alternative during pregnancy due to stomach sickness triggered by her favorite brews.
“I could not drink coffee at all,” Loria shared with Sprudge. “I wanted something creamier, creamy like a latte, but I needed it to be not coffee.”
She found that she could tolerate tea, so she began experimenting. At her local Buckwheat Cafe, she asked baristas to brew her a latte with steamed milk and a bag of Earl Grey, sweetened with vanilla sugar. Her creation soon spread, appearing on menus across the Pacific Northwest and eventually becoming a staple in cafes throughout North America. Starbucks even introduced their own Teavana® London Fog Latte in 2009, made with tea, 2% milk, and vanilla syrup.
Despite her contribution to coffee culture, Loria never set out to invent a new drink. “It was literally me thinking, oh you know what would be good?” she said, reflecting on how necessity drove her to create what is now a beloved beverage.
While Mary Loria’s role in the drink’s creation is well-documented, the story of how the London Fog got its name remains a bit of a mystery. Loria herself doesn’t know who first credited her or how the drink’s name came about. At some point, she was informed of a Wikipedia citation naming her as the originator, but the details of who made the connection are still unclear.
The London Fog’s popularity isn’t confined to North America. It’s found on cafe menus from Calgary to New York to Kansas City. Some online resources even claim the drink is known in various parts of the UK as the “Vancouver Fog,” although this remains unconfirmed.
Ironically, the London Fog isn’t widely recognized in its namesake city. When Sprudge investigated, they found that many London cafes had no idea what the drink was. One local source was “appalled at the idea of a lot of milk with Earl Grey,” adding that they had “never seen it on a menu… never seen anyone drink one,” and “had no idea it existed.”
Making a London Fog at home is simple and can be tailored to your taste. Here’s a basic recipe to get you started:
Ingredients:
1 bag of Earl Grey tea
1 cup of milk or milk substitute
1-2 teaspoons of vanilla syrup or vanilla extract
Sweetener to taste (sugar, honey, etc.)
Instructions:
Steep the Tea: Start by steeping the Earl Grey tea bag in a small amount of hot water (about 1/4 cup) for 3-5 minutes to make a concentrated brew.
Steam the Milk: Heat your milk or milk substitute. If you have a milk steamer, use it to create a frothy texture. If not, you can heat the milk in a saucepan until it’s hot but not boiling.
Combine: Pour the steamed milk over the concentrated tea.
Add Sweetness: Stir in the vanilla syrup or extract and sweeten to taste with your preferred sweetener.
Optional Enhancements: For a twist, some people like to add a hint of lavender. This can be done by steeping a small amount of dried lavender with the tea.
Enjoy your homemade London Fog while imagining yourself on the misty shores of London or Vancouver.
The London Fog is more than just a drink; it’s a testament to how necessity and creativity can lead to delightful innovations in our everyday lives. Whether you enjoy it at a cafe or make it at home, this creamy, aromatic tea latte is sure to provide comfort and pleasure.
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Here’s to many cozy cups of London Fog and endless coffee adventures,
The TCB Team
