Blue Lady's cup is built on bright citrus and soft flowers laid over a malty black tea base — grapefruit and bergamot up front, then a perfumed lift from mallow and cornflower blossoms as it cools. The black tea comes from China, blended with grapefruit peel, mallow flowers, and marigold petals; the floral pieces also give the dry leaf its colour, streaked with blue and gold rather than plain brown. On the tongue expect malt and honey first, citrus and grapefruit through the middle, and a lingering floral, slightly sweet finish. Bergamot in particular gives it the perfumed edge people associate with Earl Grey, though the mallow and marigold push it toward something softer.
Steep one teaspoon of loose leaf per cup in freshly boiled water and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes — closer to 5 for more malt and citrus punch, shorter for a lighter cup. Strain before drinking; it stands on its own, though a spoonful of honey or a squeeze of lemon plays well with the citrus notes already in the blend. It also takes well to ice: brew it a bit stronger than usual, let it cool, then pour over ice with a sprig of mint or a lemon slice. Black tea supplies the natural caffeine here, so treat it as a milder, more aromatic alternative to coffee if you want something to sip through the morning or after a meal — the citrus oils are traditionally thought to sit well on the stomach post-meal, though that's a mild, folk-remedy kind of claim rather than anything to lean on.
