A long day of readings and workshops calls for something warm to hold. Alchemy of the Earth, run by Kelly and Nathan, is the stand to head for: a retailer of speciality teas and cacao-style treats, there to sample and buy.
It is a small, friendly break in the middle of a busy hall, and the sort of stall where you can try before you decide.
What’s on the table
Alchemy of the Earth sells speciality teas, including sea moss and chai blends, alongside speciality chocolates. It is a nice mix of the comforting and the curious: a familiar spiced chai next to blends you may not have come across before. The stand is set up for sampling, so you can taste your way around rather than guess from a label.
Sea moss, chai and cacao
If sea moss is new to you, it is a seaweed that has become popular in blends and treats, and the stall is a low-key way to try it without committing to a big tub. The chai is the more familiar end of the range, warm and spiced, and the cacao-style chocolates round things off for anyone who fancies something sweet. Best treated as a nice thing to enjoy rather than anything medicinal.
A good stop for a break
Practical reasons to visit: a warm drink between sessions, a bag of tea to take home, or a couple of chocolates as an easy gift. The people on the stand are happy to talk you through what is what, so it is an easy, no-pressure browse.
Something to try this week
Make your afternoon cup a proper pause. Once this week, instead of drinking your tea at your desk or on the move, sit with it and do nothing else for the few minutes it takes to drink: no phone, no screen, just the warmth of the cup. It is a small reset, and it costs you nothing but the habit of stopping.