We’ve had a couple days relaxing in Winchester, catching up with friends and family. It’s been a luscious midweek break, filled with the things that I rarely get time for: morning run, cafe brunch, book browsing, and local shopping. We stopped in at Char today, a tiny shop dedicated to fabulous teas of every variety.
You might pop in planning only to restock your builder’s tea tin, but you’ll leave with visions of first blossoms on Himalayan mountains, treasured hand-picked leaves, and stories of tea varieties passed down generations. If you think wine-tasting has a rich vocabulary, you’re in for a treat. You can nose around, sniffing all of the sample pots, but you’re better off bending the owner’s ear. His passion for his subject is infectious, as he gives you a picture of tea complexities you could never have imagined. You’ll never think of your afternoon cup in quite the same way, and you’ll leave with plenty of new additions to fill your pot.