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Eat & Drink

Charleston Tea Plantation: The Heart of the Lowcountry

Featured Image: Charleston Tea Plantation

Charleston is known for both its natural beauty and its rich history. Combining beauty and history on one of Charleston’s most unspoiled islands – the historic Wadmalaw Island – is the Charleston Tea Plantation. Wadmalaw Island provides the perfect environment for propagating tea, allowing the Charleston Tea Plantation to grow and produce nine special flavors of tea, including American Classic Tea – the only brand of tea in the world made exclusively with 100% American-grown tea.

The history of the charming island dates back to the mid-17th-century when a British captain and the crew of Berkeley Bay landed on the shores of what is today known as Rockville, South Carolina. It was not until the late 1800s that tea growers were able to turn American-grown tea into a reality, just up the road in Summerville, SC. In 1963, after the passing of that first South Carolina tea farmer, the tea plants from Pinehurst Tea Plantation in Summerville were transplanted to the farm on Wadmalaw Island.

 

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A post shared by Charleston Tea Plantation (@charleston_tea) on Jul 25, 2019 at 11:00am PDT

William Barclay Hall purchased the land in 1987 and converted the farm into a commercial tea plantation. The Charleston Tea Plantation was founded, leading to the development of Hall’s original “American Classic” tea, which was the first brand of tea to be made with 100% tea grown in America. This America-grown tea has been popular with tea lovers in the Carolinas for almost three decades and was made even more successful when Hall brought in the Bigelow Tea Company for a partnership.

Today, visitors from near and far visit the plantation every day, taking advantage of trolley tours of the 127 acres of tea bushes ($14/person, $6/child) and free factory tours of America’s only tea factory to learn all about how tea is made. For avid tea drinkers, expert tea master William Barclay (“Bill”) Hall offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour into the plantation and production of the famous Charleston Tea Plantation tea.

 

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A post shared by Charleston Tea Plantation (@charleston_tea) on Aug 12, 2019 at 7:00am PDT

Visit the plantation – located along Maybank Highway and open 7 days a week – and be sure to check out the gift shop, where you can take home thousands of tea-related items, including a large selection of specialty teas grown on the property. If you can’t decide which tea to purchase, sample teas at the Tea Bar to find out what best fits your taste.

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Featured

Here’s The Reason Behind The Blue Porch Ceilings

Featured Image: Today

Ever wonder why so many roofs in Charleston are a light, blue color? It’s not a coincidence. You can find “haint blue” all over Charleston, whether on some of the most historic houses or just your traditional single-family homes throughout the Peninsula. While it does have a charming appeal, there’s more to the iconic color than many people would realize.

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Now mimicked by paint companies, the first-ever “haint blue” is said to have originated in Gullah Culture in the Carolinas hundreds of years ago. The Gullah Geechee people painted their doors, window frames, shutters, and their porch ceilings as a means of protection. The light blue is believed to have the power to protect homeowners by chasing away evil spirits or ghosts. While many hear this and are quick to judge, no one should be so certain in a city known for its historic, haunted streets.

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Even for those that don’t believe in the spirits, the light blue also brings a charming touch to any porch. It is also said that blue paint is believed to keep bugs and birds from nesting. The blue resembles the color of the sky, a place bugs and birds wouldn’t naturally settle or nest.

Whether or not you believe in the evil spirits that may be roaming around the cobble-stone streets of Charleston, the shade known as “haint blue” can add a charming and peaceful accent to any porch, even outside of the Lowcountry. The next time you’re wandering around Downtown Charleston, remember to look up at the porch ceilings to witness true Lowcountry culture.

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Eat & Drink

culinary tours

Explore Charleston And Unleash Your Inner Foodie On These Culinary Tours

Image: Charleston Culinary Tours/FB

If you identify as a proud foodie- Charleston is the place to be. The southern city is home to hundreds of restaurants that definitely know their way around a kitchen. Serving delicious dishes from southern staples to dry-aged steaks or high-end Mexican cuisine, Charleston has a restaurant for every mood and occasion.

The only issue with having so many great choices is that it’s almost impossible to try them all, which is exactly why Charleston Culinary Tours has made an effort to feature the best restaurants in Charleston. Find a tour that explores the area you wish to discover the most or plan to try them all.

Upper King St. Culinary Tour

Duration: 2.5 hours

When: Monday thru Saturday at 3 pm

This tour showcases the culinary innovations and experimental designs of the top restaurants located on Upper King Street. The up and coming neighboorhood is filled with energy and vibrancy. It is the perfect area to gain insight into Charleston’s ever-changing culinary scene.

Charleston Dinner Tour

Duration: 2.5 hours

When: Wednesday at 4:30 pm

This tour showcases four restaurants on Upper King Street and the surrounding area who demonstrate exquisite cooking in what is known as the New South. If you’re in search of a more adventurous dinner experience this is the perfect tour for you.

Downtown Charleston Culinary Tour

Duration: 2.5 hours

When: Monday through Sunday at 2pm-3pm

This tour explores Charleston’s French Quarter and visits four restaurants that serve some of the most flavorful food found in Charleston. Make your way through the historic area while walking on some of the oldest streets in the city.

Farm to Table Experience

Duration: 3 hours

When: Saturdays from mid-April to mid-December at 9:30 am

This tour allows guests to experience a true farm to table experience, showcasing some of the best chefs in the city and the award-winning farmer’s market. The daily participating chef helps you pick fresh ingredients from the market for your meal. Then, the guide takes you on a 45-minute walking tour while the chef prepares a meal using all of the different ingredients.

Sustainable Seafood Tour

Duration: 2.5 hours

When: the 3rd Thursday of every month at 5 pm

This tour showcases some of Charleston’s most reputable restaurants who serve locally sourced and responsibly harvested seafood. On this tour, you not only become part of the movement to protect our oceans but also get to enjoy freshly caught seafood right from our waters.

Which tour would you be most interested in taking?

 

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