Birthday Cake

My trip last week into the city included a stop at Davids Tea. It was the stores birthday, and if I spent $20 I got to pick out a sample pack of teas in celebration. Well, needless to say I easily spent the requisit dough, so I could pick one. I picked the “Happy” pack, as it had teas that I hadnt tried, and that sounded interesting.
This is one from that box. Boy, this smells like that cheap bakery sheet cake, with the icing an inch thick. This is not a criticism, as I love some of that stuff. Its like a funfetti tea.
The taste isnt as intensly sugar and vanilla as it smells, but its pretty nice, actually.
The sample of this was very generous, so I have some cups of this in my future. Dont mind a bit. Maybe a restock in the future, too.

I’m actually logging my teas out of order a bit, but that’s only because I just finished this one and so it’s on my mind and it’s making me grumpy. But I needed something without caffeine and sort of reached for this with equal parts hoping and begrudging.
Long story short: I used to like this tea, but there was always an element to it that tasted like very fake vanilla, or maybe it isn’t even that. Of course, DT’s concept of a birthday cake doesn’t even necessarily have to be a vanilla one, so maybe it’s just a matter of interpretation, but I think if this tea did anything for me, it was to introduce me to the world of loose leaf, and also told me that I am still 100% still on the hunt for a great vanilla tea. This simply isn’t it. There’s something very…jarring about how it tastes—something that doesn’t quite fit nicely with the birthday cake-ness part of it. I will likely finish the tin somehow, although I’d be happy to have an excuse to part with it sooner.

So the Easter bunny came to my house last night and brought not only a GIANT stuffed penguin, but he ALSO brought me a tin of this! Oh, I love this tea. I crave cake quite often, but then we end up with an entire cake because I only wanted a taste of it…and then we eat an entire cake >.<. I am very much looking forward to this helping with some of those cravings.

It’s my birthday today! Actually, the time I was born at was about an hour ago…so I’ve been 28 for an hour now, heh.

So I thought I’d dip into this one. I think I have two cups left; may as well drink them today.

I originally was not interested in this one out of DAVIDs’ “cake” teas. Mainly because I was informed that it tasted a bit like Oh Canada, and I truly did not like Oh Canada at all. I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I just plain don’t like maple teas at all. Despite the fact that I like maple syrup (what kind of Canadian would I be if I didn’t like maple syrup?), maple flavoured teas make me feel pretty ill.

Then I heard some conflicting reports about how it tastes. Maybe not so maple after all…? I ended up picked up 10g to decide for myself.

I’m a bit stuffed up, so I cannot comment on the smell of anything much, but it does smell a bit like Oh Canada. It has sprinkles rather than the little maple candies though, which is an improvement.

And…I genuinely don’t know what in sam hell this actually tastes like. I can totally see where people are getting “gentler version of Oh Canada” from, but it doesn’t truly taste like maple. It doesn’t taste like vanilla, either…not really. It’s like the love child of vanilla and maple, really. Kind of creamy, but mostly just sweet. Not overbearingly sweet though (which I think is actually my biggest problem with most maple teas).

It’s really a comfort tea…not one that will blow your mind, but nice to have when you’re down or need something a bit celebratory that also isn’t too fancy or over-the-top.

So happy birthday to me! And to anyone else who has a birthday on the 13th of the most awesome month of the year.

P.S. Although it’s not a good birthday present to find out that your Red Leaf matcha order was apparently “delivered” to MINNEAPOLIS. (It normally takes about 10 business days to deliver here, and it’s been 11, so I finally checked the tracking number. Apparently it was “delivered” last week.) YOO-HOO, USPS, Canada is UP HERE!

Is there nothing I can do, guys? I haven’t had this ever happen before. :( At least it was cheap…

Sipdown! Finally having a cup of this without having to throw it out because my boyfriend can’t stand the smell lol, he’s out of town for the weekend hehe so I could finish off this bag! This is a super mapley smelling tea, which he dislikes because it’s just too cloying and sweet, but I don’t mind it. This tea used to do more for me, it’s very sweet now, but if I ever get a sweet craving, this hit the spot, especially at certain times of the month lol. Now I have Candy Corn tea though haha, and I think it will replace this one because the way it’s blended seems more natural. Anyways, this 25g bag served me well, when I actually got to drink it. I added a bit of milk today and it is very creamy and cakelike. Maybe not as sweet with the milk addition, which I’m ok with :) I am having salty chips to balance the sweetness as it is haha. Happy to finish this one off though. Farewell, birthday cake rooibos, it was a slice (no pun intended haha).

Backlog: I had a cup of this last night, thanks to DaisyChubb!

This is REALLY GOOD. This just may be my favorite rooibos blend yet. It tastes like a cupcake. So yum… This is definitely one I have to order and keep on hand. Love it.

It’s 11:50… my last chance to drink this on my actual birthday! I’m finally 21… although here in Canada that means much less. Luckily I am flying to the states tomorrow to see my friend! Good timing!
I steeped it for a minute less than last time, and any trace of overpowering sweetness was gone, leaving only cakey amazingness.
My exam today went really well too! And my friend took me for a steak dinner. And my other friend got me a new tea tin with an owl print! EXCELLENT BIRTHDAY.

Sipdown!

I am trying to curb the amount of sweets I eat. I will likely get more of this next time I am in Davids as it is a great way to tame the sweet tooth.

IT tastes like warm liquid cakebatter. I got some apple notes and some creamy notes along with the maple.

Yum!

Went out with a girlfriend tonight and I forgot it was SantaCon in San Francisco – where people get dressed up in Santa costumes and get really drunk at a pub crawl. Evidently we were right on the main drag in Polk Street, and needless to say my days of getting wasted are behind me, so I went home early!

So anyway we walked right by David’s Tea and of course I had to go in, I wanted something chocolate-y but without caffeine so they suggested this. It definitely smells a lot like birthday cake but I was not wild about the flavor even though there were sprinkles in it. To me it tasted like maple and honeybush. I did tell them to add some soymilk. Later I realized it has dairy in it too… uck. I should have asked about that!

Anyway I found it to be acceptable but not something I would buy again. I did pick up some more banana oolong while I was there, which is one of my favorite’s from DT so far. There are so many to try though, if I keep going back I might find a new favorite. :)

This wasn’t bad!! it reminds me of Oh Canada in a way. Maple seems to be a strong note here even though I don’t see it in the ingredients. As for the “cake” part, well I get a faint hint of that when the tea is bare… but with milk that part peeks out more, mostly in the aftertaste. Though I am getting more batter than I am cake.
What I find odd is that the batter isn’t present in every sip, nor is it always in the same place. One moment I find it at the beginning… and the next, nothing at all! then it’s in the swallow?!
Anyhow, I’m glad to have tried it.
The tea itself is a bit sickly sweet for my liking. If I didn’t already have a bunch of other rooibos teas that I love in my cupboard I might pick some more up, and it’d likely get a higher rating to. Maybe I should keep some on hand for guests…