There’s nothing like the scent of the Alamitos Bay Farmers Market, the aromas of hummus and fresh fruit all combining in a sort of swirl that always seems to add on more to your appetite. But I wasn’t there for the produce alone, so after filling up on fruit samples, feta cheese and tomatoes, I headed over to the crafts area. There, sharing space with dream catchers, henna stands and Rastaware, was the Tiki Island Tea stand. Manning the station was Christopher Cude, a massage therapist at Dr. Dwayne Acoba’s chiropractic office. According to Cude, the origins of this “surf’s up”-themed Hawaiian tea date to the end of last year, when Dr. Acoba began selling it locally (it can also be found at the downtown Promenade Farmers Market). All of Dr. Acoba’s $8 boxed teas (one box lasts a while—definitely worth the bucks) are organic, with herbs ordered from a farm in Oregon and, soon, from Hawaii. The most popular tea is the Aloha Daily, which is said to improve your hair, skin and immune system with long-term use. Insanely fresh with hints of mint, the Aloha Daily is mellower than green tea, but delivers a similar life-force boosting kick to your well-being.

AVAILABLE AT THE TIKI ISLAND TEA STAND AT THE ALAMITOS BAY FARMERS MARKET ALAMITOS BAY MARINA | E MARINA DR SOUTH OF E SECOND ST | LONG BEACH 90803 | HARBORAREAFARMERSMARKETS.ORG | SUN 9AM-2PM

Tags: drinks, farmers market, Food, Long Beach, SIDES, tiki island tea