This smooth, luxurious black tea blend brings together notes of chocolate, cinnamon, and orange. Its aroma is both comforting and indulgent, evoking the warmth of a cozy Christmas evening. It is a very mild tea.

For the best pairing, you can serve this tea with a rich chocolate dessert such as Banana Nutella Bread (recipe included below). Although I’m usually careful about what I eat and drink, I still enjoy an occasional rich and delicious treat.

Velvet Aristocrat tea blend is an ideal tea for slow afternoons when you want to relax, read, and savor something sweet. This blend pairs especially well with novels about aristocratic life, such as Nancy Mitford’s books: Love in a Cold Climate and The Pursuit of Love. These witty satires of the English aristocracy offer the perfect companion to a cup of Velvet Aristocrat tea.

Banana Nutella Bread

2 large ripe bananas
2/3 cup of sugar
2 eggs
3 Tbs of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1/4 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of Nutella

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Mash the bananas, then add the sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
2. Add the salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground hazelnuts, and flour. Stir until combined.
3. Add the melted butter and mix again until the batter is smooth.
4. Pour half of the batter into a well-greased loaf pan.
5. Warm the Nutella briefly in the microwave until it softens and is easier to spread. Spoon half of it over the batter, then use a chopstick to swirl it gently into the mixture.
6. Add the remaining batter, then top with the rest of the Nutella.
7. Bake for 30–40 minutes.

Notes:

For a lighter version of this banana bread, replace the butter with 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.

If you prefer a gluten-free version of the bread, King Arthur’s GF Measure for Measure Flour (https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/gluten-free-measure-for-measure-flour).

Ingredients in Velvet Aristocrat tea blend: Earl Grey black tea, Cacao nibs, Orange peel, Cinnamon sticks (crushed), Red rose petals

Origins of the ingredients

All ingredients are organic:

• Earl Grey black tea in this blend is a combination of black teas from three regions: Keemun, Yunnan, and Assam, along with bergamot peel and bergamot oil.
• Cacao nibs are grown in Peru.
• Orange peel comes from Spain and Peru.
• Cassia cinnamon sticks, known for their strong flavor, come from Indonesia and Vietnam.
• Red rose petals come from India.

*This tea blend contains caffeine