CityView Magazine

36 | April 2020 ingredients and studying how the palate operates," he said. "You want very complimentary pairings. e cocktails are an extension of what we're continuing to do and allowing us to appeal to a broader demographic. It's really helping us showcase what we can do on a broader spectrum." e Florist, for example, starts with jasmine and rose tea. Choi adds elderflower liqueur, peach and orange blossom vodka and chartreuse, another liqueur. "Chartreuse has over 130 botanicals in there," he said. "So, it felt very fitting to call this e Florist." e absinthe-spiked Hemingway, which starts with jasmine green tea and peppermint, is named aer the famed author Ernest Hemingway. When he teamed up with neighboring Blue Moon Café for a collaborative event in early March, he came up with his own take on the Algonquin cocktail named for the famed Manhattan hotel. is one, however, paid tribute to Fayetteville's own iconic hotel. "We have a very tropical tea," he said. "It's papaya, peach, pineapple, pear mango. We make that into a concentrate and put it together with dry vermouth, limoncello and some bitters. We called it the Prince Charles cocktail. We wanted our hotel to get some recognition. "We're trying to keep it local," he said. "We really want to put a stamp on Fayetteville. Not just on our personal success, but on citywide success." Even those who usually saddle up to the bar for a Jack and Coke or gin and tonic – neither of which is available – have largely approved. "If you come in and we didn't have whatever your go-to is, that's our opportunity to say, 'Hey, you're here, so why don't you try this?" Choi said. Choi is required by state law to charge a membership fee to anyone wishing to order a cocktail. He donated the first $500 he collected from his $1 per person annual fee to e Capitol Encore Academy on Hay Street. e cocktails have added to Winterbloom's welcoming vibe, enhanced by the vintage feel of the 1914 structure that once housed Central Café and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Winterbloom offers comfortable chairs and sofas, as well as tables for two or four and a table that can accommodate larger parties. "We started with tea, and then we started roasting our own beans for coffee," Choi said, "Now we have cocktails. Our goal is to make the best beverage possible through whichever process. Our next goal is to enhance that even more." At Winterbloom Tea, there is still the trademark friendly vibe and the offer of a cup of comfort. Stop by or call in an order and Josh Choi, along with assistants Annie Patrick and Ariel Matthews, will get busy concocting something special for you.

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