It's Not Forgotten: The Tea-Based Starbucks Drink You Can Still Order

Though Starbucks is most closely associated with coffee, it also pumps out an impressive lineup of popular tea drinks too. For those moments when you're looking for something more subdued than a jolt of caffeine, tea-based recipes can offer hot and cold alternatives that are equally as delicious and comforting as lattes and iced coffee drinks. The London Fog Earl Grey latte is one of these, but we don't recommend asking for it if you're in a hurry or there's a line of bleary-eyed customers waiting behind you. 

Originally created to cure morning sickness, the London Fog is a calming beverage flavored predominantly with Earl Grey tea. The result is a recipe with a flavor profile that offers the brightness of Italian bergamot softened with lovely, calming lavender. A touch of vanilla syrup and milk sweetens this creamy order. Starbucks' London Fog latte infamously takes some time to make, though, and the recipe for this warming beverage isn't always known by either customers or Starbucks workers, which leads to confusion.

While you can still order either a hot or an iced London Fog latte from Starbucks and customize your drink with cream, syrups, and your choice of milk, as normal, you may want to wait to place this order when the barista doesn't look too frazzled and the store is light on foot traffic. When ordered iced, you can count on at least a solid five minutes of wait time before the drink finally lands in your hands. Alternatively, you can whip up one at home without the social anxiety of holding up a line of harried, caffeine-hungry customers.

Try making your drink with almond milk to add a creamy, nutty dimension, and use honey or agave syrup to sweeten your homemade London Fog more. Top with powdery sprinkles of cinnamon or cocoa powder and dollops of homemade honey whipped cream, and you'll have a treat that is guaranteed to smooth out any rough edges served at any time of the day.