Slow Down and Sip the Tea
food, harbour tea house, national registry of historic places, tea,
As a child living in the Appalachian region of Virginia, Cotrisha Aycock had sassafras tea every afternoon with her grandmother. That ritual taught her the value of tea time and forged a passion for the beverage that is brewed daily at her Harbour Tea House.
“I just decided that this is what I needed to do,” says Aycock. “It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t something I longed for. I always say the idea was a divine intervention. It was just dropped right into my head and it wouldn’t go away.”
After participating in a tea seminar in Dallas, Aycock, who was formerly a court reporter, took a chance and opened the teahouse in early 2008 with her husband, Tommy.
The Harbour Tea House is located on South Poindexter Street in a building listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
The teahouse features multiple tearooms, including a Tea Loft, that are used as gathering places for small groups. The spaces also play host to a variety of special events, ranging from book club meetings to small weddings, with Aycock adjusting the menu to accommodate each event.
“I cook for them like I am having a special party at my home,” says Aycock. “Because that is what tea time is – a special time.”
The daily lunch menu, which includes sandwiches, soup, salad, scones and desserts, has also made the teahouse into a lunch destination.
Aycock imports tea from all over the world, including Sri Lanka, Japan, Madagascar, South America and India. Although a myriad of teas are available, the Harbour Tea House’s signature drink is the Coconut Pou Chong, a 2007 Tea Expo Award Winner.
Aycock also sells tea in bulk by the 4-ounce pack to some customers who insist on having a sip before bed.
Story by Brandon Lowe
Photo by Todd Bennett
