By: Kirby Conda Tello Photos by: Rachel Benavides
Neo-soul pumps through speakers as flower petals float around the kitchen, landing gently in their scattered nesting places. Scribbled notes containing the plant magic that combines various tea blends for proprietary recipes are dancing with prose that resembles love notes. The mad fairy scientist is at work.
Coryn Wenger, the founder of a new local tea company named Petal to the Kettle, is a lifelong ally of Mother Nature. Wenger has always been entranced with the healing properties that have been embedded in nature’s bounty since the beginning of time. Having spent her childhood growing up around her parents’ local cafe, Wenger said she is accustomed to experimenting in the kitchen and “throwing spices together and learning the subtle poetry of flavor.”
“What has inspired me to create Petal to the Kettle is my genuine care for others,” says Wenger. It is easy to absorb the chaos, noise, and stress that buzzes all around just being a human presence in this world, she explained. On the surface, one could easily connect the dots – she creates calming tea blends to counteract the effects the everyday rat race has on us. But ending the story there would be painfully shortsighted. Yes, Wenger’s approach to botanics is rooted in a slow and sensual process meant to help ground her tea-lovers and realign their souls. However, her primary fascination is in Eastern homeopathic remedies and Ayurvedic practices as a holistic approach to medicine dating back more than 5,000 years. “What [these] ancient traditions have already discovered of plants’ sacred power, modern science can now prove.”
Studying these teachings and incorporating their knowledge into everyday life has provided the momentum on which the business thrives. Wenger explained that creating a tea product naturally packed with benefits ranging from anxiety relief to hormone balance and vitality to energetic syncing is where she finds herself the most content.
Petal to the Kettle brings accessibility to healthy living and approachable health education – something that hasn’t always been easy to find in our city. “One of my heart’s goals is to open up conversations about wellness in a gentle and understanding way,” says Wenger. “As my holistic knowledge grows, I want to share accessible healing tips and what has personally helped me to enrich my days.”
If Wenger’s approach to healing sounds like it’s from someone who has “been there done that,” it’s because she has. As a person who is not shy about her personal journey with mental health and wellness, Wenger knows firsthand that conversations like these are necessary. Her goal is to infuse our community with a unique take on loose-leaf teas and ultimately inspire others to let their passions free to make their mark on the Bend.
Petal to the Kettle is arriving on the pop-up market scene more frequently these days, serving up tons of tea and elixir creations – and soon, unique merchandise, photoshoots, and recipe videos. “I am enhancing my pop-up setup and menu concepts for a more memorable experience for the consumer,” Wenger says. And as her passion projects continue to soar from ideas on a drawing board to endless mugs of steaming plant magic, Wenger has only just leapt down the rabbit hole of the healing alchemy of nature’s petals.
Contact:
@petal.to.the.kettle
