It's About (Tea) Time

Years ago, Julia Matson's two greatest escapes - Austen and Afternoon Tea Time - merged while she was studying about tea. Leading her to becoming the owner & creator of Bingley's Teas, original character teas based-off Austen's novels.

"I was taking classes & describing the cup experience," begins Matson. Recalling how, instead of standard taste profiles, she added personality like wine descriptors (bold, forward, etc). "And that began my process of matching the tea to personality traits of those in Austen’s novels," she explains. 

Matson elaborates how, "at the time, there weren’t character tea blends, so it seemed a fun way to put them together & share the love of tea & Jane Austen." 

The most popular character has been Lizzie Bennet, shares  Matson. "However, as people come to know the different character blends, it seems one character is more in & out-of-favor depending on the time of year," she says. 

Matson posits that she's only made one "villain” tea, because it takes a fair amount of persuading to get people to try it. "But it's currently our best-seller from those who've had the chance to try it,"she reveals.  

For Matson, most of those she meets who read Austen's novels tend to be tea sippers too. "A great book & tea just go together," she explains. Adding how both lift your spirits, provide an escape from daily stresses, & maybe help us take refuge. "Or possibly we just feel at least in that moment," of drinking tea she says, "we're living a more civilized life than we actually do." 

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Learn more about Bingley's Teas clicking here + the Jane Austen Tea Series here. Plus, check out her feature in Zine It over on my Instagram (click here).