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Store fits your tastes to a tea

Teas & Weaves in Penticton offers a selection of premium teas from around the world as well as beautiful hand-knotted carpets
Claire Keys harvesting in the Ceylon Tea Trails in Sri Lanka this past January.
Claire Keys harvesting in the Ceylon Tea Trails in Sri Lanka this past January.

Penticton is chock full of delicious little secrets and recently I had the good fortune to discover Teas & Weaves on Main Street. What a delightful little shop.

More than just a fabulous tea store offering a selection of premium loose-leaf teas and blends from around the world, they also have an amazing collection of “weaves”, meaning beautiful imported hand-knotted carpets. Teas, rugs, jewelry, tea lover’s paraphernalia, gift ideas and so much more — this is a place to delve into.

What makes Teas & Weaves even more interesting is shop co-owner Claire Keys. Raised in Zimbabwe, Claire’s exotic tastes and international influence are evident. Recently back from a tea-buying journey to Zambia, her tales of travel and tea investigations are fascinating.

As worldly as she is local, Claire and her husband/co-owner Fritz Hollenbach are also vineyard owners and operators in Penticton, supplying our thriving wine industry with grapes.

Claire’s local history includes many tie-ins with our wine world, giving her a great knowledge of all things vinological. Claire says that the tea industry is very similar to the wine industry. Tea growers also offer unique terroir, blends and tasting is a similar art as well.

As their website describes, “Teas & Weaves is the product of two passions”: Claire’s love of everything tea and Fritz’s love of handmade textiles. This in conjunction with their shared love of travel, adventure and primitive art has been realized through their shop.

Brew up a batch of delicious Honey Bush Tea and chill into the perfect summer iced tea quencher. Aromatic and nutritious, Honey Bush is grown in South Africa and is a caffeine-free herbal tea similar to that of rooibos but a little sweeter. Full of vitamin C and other nutrients, Honey Bush has many healing qualities. Claire has a few blends to choose from.

Check out Claire’s fabulous adventures on her Facebook page and website: www.teasandweaves.com.

 

 

 

Jennifer Schell is the editor of B.C. Food and Wine Trails magazine.