Part three of a three-part series about what you may find in Provence after the “big supper” (otherwise known as the “Gros Souper”) on Christmas Eve. There’s simply nothing like a cup of tea to slow down the frantic pace of the holidays, soothe the harried nerves, and warm the seasonal spirit. We have been thoroughly enjoying Palais des Thés’ No 25 limited edition collection of four blends of tea—black, green, rooibos, and white—each flavored with orange peels, red rose petals, almonds, cloves, vanilla pods, and cardamom and a fifth tea, chai, a blend of black tea with those No 25 spices as well as cinnamon, ginger, pink pepper and blue safflower petals. Thé des Lords tea. Photo: W.T. Manfull Whether paired with calissons, croquettes, chocolates, poached pears, or gingerbread—or all alone—these French teas are delicious. Any one of them would be welcome with the Thirteen Desserts of Christmas—Les Treize Desserts de Noël —at the close of the Gros Souper on Christmas Eve. It was in Lourmarin, my favorite village in Provence, that I was introduced to these exquisite teas from Palais des Thés. Muriel Schott, who at the time owned Thé dans l’Encrier, a tea salon and book shop just a few doors down [...]