Dulce & Banana

Backlog from last night! Feel Good ‘Tea’!

When I’m practicing good sleep hygiene this is the tisane I have before bed. I don’t know if it actually helps me fall asleep or if it is simply a necessary part of some sleeping ritual. I should drink this more often, although the fact that this is only available online makes me reluctant to use it up.

I don’t know if this is extremely “banana-y”; Its more chamomile, lavender, and coconut to me. I can’t distinguish the rooibos or lemongrass too well. Depending on what gets into the bag strainer it tastes more like some of those ingredients than others. I try not to use metal strainers with chamomile as it can make quite the mess. When I do get banana notes it is a hot caramelized dry kind of sweetness. It’s not perfect but has a comforting quality and contains some of my favourite ingredients.

Last night this tasted strongly of coconut and chamomile and I fell asleep quickly after finishing my cup. Magic! I wish this touch of the flu could be as easily solved. I just want to curl up, read Storm of Swords, and never leave the house. I could sleep all day, but I should go to my Ethnography class and watch those old videos on the Sami people until 9 o’clock. I should!

my own special version, which is where i take the chamomile stems and flowers out of the tea.
cuz i don’t like chamomile very much and this improves the flavor greatly in my opinion.
RIDICULOUS i know!
but i do like it this way. and it’s yellow warm and yummy nana flavor goes nicely with today’s overcast sky.

http://instagram.com/p/SoTu3Aoc0e/

who cares about this tea. i don’t wanna talk about this tea.

what i wanna talk about is that i have a davids tea order coming soon and i can’t wait!!!
it includes Movie Night, Vata Ayurvedic, The Chocolate Collection*, The Winter Collection**, the 24 Days Of Tea*** box, AND a new forlife Asian Style Tea Cup!! this means i can have a super rad tea sampling party with my sister over thanksgiving! (and obviously any duplicate teas procured will be included in the guest’s party bag) OMG YAY!

‘* Chocolate Orange, Mint Chocolate Rooibos, Red Velvet Cake
’** Cookie Dough, Banana Dream Pie, Chocolate Chili Chai, Alpine Punch, Cocomint Cream
’*** Buttered rum, Chocolate Rocket, Coco Chai Rooibos, Salted Caramel, Cream of Earl Grey, Glitter and Gold, Crème Brûlée, David’s Organic Breakfast, Hot Lips, Detox, Kiwi’s Big Adventure, Forever Nuts, Green & Fruity, Goji Pop, Japanese Sencha, North African Mint, Checkmate, Toasted Walnut, Read My Lips, Santa’s Secret, Sleigh Ride, Sweet Dreams, The Skinny, Vanilla Oolong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yei3ClP2U8
Hiccup – Buke and Gase (as covered by Anna B Savage)

Thank you Krystaleyn for this sample! Well okay so you can’t really mess this up. I totally TOTALLY over steeped it. My mother came (without warning) and so I spaced this off. It steeped probably 15 minutes and was still good! I didn’t care for it too much before adding sugar and milk but I’m not a huge fan of chamomile. I don’t hate it – I just can live without it. The banana did wake up – fully – when the sugar and milk were added.
I doubt I would ever reorder this but again – its not MY cup of tea – but for what it is – it is a very good tea! David’s got this one right!

Oh my goodness. I am SO EXCITED RIGHT NOW! My order from Verdant Tea arrived!! Roomie and I to have a fabulous tea tasting evening…. as soon as I actually do some homework. I’m so lazy…

Anyways, onto the tea that this note is actually for – Dulce & Banana! Of course, after enjoying the Banana Oolong so much, I started to get curious about other banana teas, and this one sounded delicious. Until I read that it contained chamomile. Big red flag – I hate chamomile! So I held off buying a test sample in-store while it was still there, but my curiousity could not be tamed, so I ended up requesting a sample in my last online order, and thank-you DavidsTea – they sent one! A nice big one too (probably because this tea is so light?) So now we’ll see whether the chamomile is too much to handle or not.

The dry tea smells mostly like caramelly banana. I’m hardly getting any chamomile, in spite of the fact that I can see the flowers. But that’s ok, the less the better.

Brewed, it smells like chamomile and not much else, at which I am disappointed. Please please please have some other flavour too…

And it does! Yes, I’m getting chamomile, but I’m getting a caramelly flavour weaving in and out, which is lovely. No banana, per se, but that’s alright.

Um, guys? I actually like this one. This chamomile-loaded tea. Is good. I’m actually questioning whether I really do dislike chamomile, or whether it has simply been in mixtures that I disliked before for other reasons. I greatly dislike Celestial Seasoning’s ‘Sleepytime’ and DT’s Sweet Dreams wasn’t good either… I wonder if those both have peppermint or something? Because I definitely do not care for peppermint in teas unless it’s mixed with, say, chocolate.

So I’m not sure if my palate is changing with all this tea tasting I’m doing, or whether this is just a pleasing mixture, but… I’m considering purchasing this one. Still have to use up the rest of my sample and make sure this isn’t a fluke, but… wow. Makes a strong case for trying ALL THE TEAS, even if they don’t sound appealing, because you never know…

ETA: Second infusion of this (steeped for 5+ minutes) is a lovely, sweet chamomile. I think I might be getting some lavender in the sip, which is quite enjoyable as well. I really am stunned at how much I like this. I am definitely making yet another online order from DavidsTea in the near future to make sure I have a supply of this one, barring strange flavours appearing in subsequent cups.

Also, I must say that this seems like a really great evening dessert tea for those evenings when one wants something sweet (because this is genuinely SWEET), but doesn’t want fruity, or rooibos (although this one does have some in it, it’s definitely not a dominant flavour).

ETA again: Third infusion tastes… like pineapple!? Wha?! It tastes very tropical, and truly, like pineapple. I’m getting chamomile too, but… pineapple?! Very interesting. This is as far as I took it though.

I got a bit of this from charchar when she came over for a visit on Thursday, thanks! :) My first banana tea!

The dry smell is predominately chamomile, but with a caramel sweetness added to it. The wet leaves continue this trend, and as they finished steeping, it mostly smells of chamomile and honey, with a faint hint of caramel. I think there’s a tiny bit of banana present in the smell, not getting very much lavender or lemongrass, but we’ll have to see how it tastes. I steeped for about 5.5 minutes with boiling water in my Brewt steeper. Note to self: chamomile is very difficult to clean out of fine strainers, use metal one next time! :)

Mmmm this tastes like a caramel chamomile blend. Yummy! I get a hint of banana right at the end of the sip, which is quite nice. I might add some brown sugar to the latter part of the cup to see what it does for the flavor, but for now, it is very sweet and soothing. Not getting much lavender or lemongrass, but that’s ok with me in this blend. I don’t think I’ve actually had a tea that tastes like caramel either! This is quite desserty and decadent for being caffeine free. Whenever I’m craving something sweet, this will definitely hit the spot.

Overall, this is pretty good. Not sure if I would order a big bag of it because it would probably last forever with me! This is a tea that I think will have to be drank in moderation as it’s soo sweet. Yum though, I will definitely finish off my sample without complaint. Thanks charchar!!

ETA: I added a little bit of brown sugar in, this seemed to make the banana into more of a caramel banana, heavy on the caramel. Mmmm, I’m actually not sure what way I prefer though, both are really good!

Thanks to tattoed_tea for sending me some of this!

I decided to try it iced first, and I think that was a good decision! The dry smell is lovely, I get a hint of chamomile, some rich, dark caramel notes, and a light fresh herbal scent that I’m guessing can be attributed to the lavender. Speaking of which, the lavender was an unexpected surprise! I love it in teas and it really adds something wonderful to this one.

I added just a dash of agave while steeping, and then put it into the fridge to chill. I really love the complex flavours going on in this! The rooibos/chamomile blend is lovely, and there is a sort of caramel sweetness to the blend, but not as strong as I would have liked. The lavender is so subtle and really just adds a little something extra and unexpected. So nice! I don’t really taste any banana though, which is a bit of a disappointment. This is still such a lovely herbal though, and I can’t wait to try it hot in the evening.

I opened up the pouch of this tea and was really very surprised to see lots of tiny, whole chamomile flowers. I thought that they would be more broken up, but they’re small and absolutely adorable! The scent of the leaf is, of course, chamomile. Sipping, I can’t taste much of anything beyond the chamomile.. no banana or anything creamy. I suppose I was expecting more flavor. Maybe I might get more flavor if I dig around in the bag and search for other things besides chamomile flowers. Despite the one-note element of the tea, I do very much enjoy this cup. I’m looking forward to having more of this before bedtime! Thank you so much laney for letting me try this tea!

I don’t think I got any of the caramel banana bits at all. This pretty much tastes like chamomile to me, and my bag does not smell as sweet as the sample at the store. I might empty the bag into another vessel and see if I have any banana bits at all. As a chamomile tea, it is fine, but as a banana caramel tea, not so much. Adding milk added a creamy note, and the rooibos was strong enough to do so, though I pretty much can’t taste the rooibos either. It’s pretty much chamomile and a little something as an aftertaste that is not too strong or descriptive. I’m rating it higher than I probably should, because as a tea it tastes fine, and I’m not sure I want to dock points because it isn’t carrying the flavour I was expecting/hoping for. I docked some for that, but it is still drinkable and tasty enough. Not sure if I will exchange this one or not.

Camomile is the predominant flavour with lavender definitely present in the background. The banana taste is strong on the after taste. Coconut flavour fills in what I think would other wise be a thin taste as the sip blooms. I can detect a slight creaminess throughout. A mild sweetness is present throughout. Quite a smooth drink.

The lingering aftertaste is absolutely delightful. It has a soft sweetness with remnants of camomile and banana.

The second infusion retains some creaminess and a little bit of the camomile taste. I do not, however, feel that there is enough flavour for me to enjoy it.

This tea has to be one of my favourites before bed. So calming and relaxing.
After steeping it smells mostly like chamomile with a hint of honey and maybe even a bit of lavender. At first it tastes like very creamy banana and chamomile. As you swallow tastes of lavender and banana. Then an after taste of lemongrass and honey? Mmmm yummy. This tea is a bit sweet but for me it’s just the right amount to compliment the banana. The rooibos is very mild, the chamomile seems to have overpowered it. I do get a hint of it in the after taste. Overall very yummy, and helps calm me and stomach.

You can really taste the chamomile! I find that the other flavours in this tea are a bit overpowered by it. There is a hint of rooibos, and a sweetness that I’m assuming is the caramelized banana, but for a tea with banana in the title, it’s a bit underwhelming.

It’s a very nice tisane, however, as a sweetened chamomile, and I did quite enjoy the cup I had. I just don’t feel it’s really a ‘banana’ tea!

I really shouldn’t be writing this note at work, but I’ll be doing overtime today anyways so here goes.

I really like this tea! I got it iced in my $1 mug today. The sample with no sweetener was really nice and smooth, but I got a little agave in it on a whim. I usually don’t sweeten my iced teas but with a name like Dolce & Banana, it was just asking for it haha.

I have to say, I hate bananas. But carmelized bananas I can go for – which is exactly what this has hints of. They must have steeped it just right because I’m not overwhelmed with chamomile – it’s just a great compliment!

Not something I would steep myself or drink hot, but super refreshing and lovely as an iced tea! I reccomend a little sweetener to help bring out the carmel/banana b^_^

EDIT: Plus, “Dulce & Banana”, how clever is that name?! haha I’m such a sucker for things with awesome names

I usually don’t go for chamomile because it’s one of my go to fixes when I’m feeling anxious… so I try not to overuse it. However, I’ve had a real craving for it lately and decided to just have some- It is one of my favourites after all :)
This tea is very light, but sweet. The caramelized banana brings out something in the chamomile so that I’m not quite sure where chamomile ends and the banana part finishes… partially because the banana flavour isn’t strong enough. I wish I could taste it more. That said, the tea is amazing, giving me that super satisfied calm sensation I love from looseleaf chamomile. Bagged? UGH! that stuff is ick- I always thought I hated the stuff, until I tried it loose and well… it changed everything about the flavour. In fact you could have told me it was an entirely different type of tea and I would have believed it.
Anyhow, I digress….
The aftertaste is the best part… the floral and sweet notes lingering for longer than with most teas.
Interesting… hmm. As the tea cools down, it looses the tartness. I hadn’t really noticed any tartness at all until I noticed it was gone. I think as the tea cools, the caramel is coming out more? who knows. I love it either way!
I’m super glad for my extra large mug now. With some teas it is too much but not this one :)

I must say, these types of dessert teas have really started to grow on me.

I’m not a huge banana fan so I was a little apprehensive about trying this. I tried it without milk the first time. Not bad, but the chamomile is a bit too strong for my tastes but I still liked it.

I then tried it with sweetener. Pleasant surprise. Really brings out the banana.

Then I tried adding milk AND sweetener. I liked this combo the best. I really tasted like I was eating some sort of banana dessert without tasting artificial.

The caramel taste brings out some nice creamy notes. The banana complements the chamomile really well.

I am pretty much out of this one and I definitely plan on getting more. It’s similar to creme brulee and creme caramel, but with that interesting banana spin to it. I like.

Hello, Friday Afternoon Delicious Tea!
This is not my first time to the Dulce & Banana dance, but I’m going to try it just with milk today; no sugar.
I usually add the sugar and milk BEFORE I steep, because I’m crazy-lazy and it saves me from having to stir it.
Yeah…
But today I steeped it with nothing in there and BOY, can you ever smell the chamomile! Milk really deadens that smell, but now that I’ve smelled it, it pops a lot more. It reminds me of the enormous patch of chamomile growing in my parents’ parking pad. Gravel + chamomile + driving over the gravel & chamomile = such a sense memory!
This tea adds a beautiful banana sweetness to the smell, though. It makes me think of little banana cakes and afternoon tea as a little girl. (I was allowed to have chamomile because it’s herbal.)
The taste is really lovely, too. Reminds me of afternoon sun. It has that unfortunate chamomile side-effect, though, of stimulating the parts of my tongue that make me turn the corners of my mouth down. It isn’t the flavour itself, it’s just like pursing your lips when you taste something sour. But other than making me LOOK sad, this is a lovely, happy tea.
Something I want to share with my little girl with some freshly made tiny banana cakes in the afternoon.

Not bad.

I bought this because it smelled like banana nut bread in the bag, mmmm… perfect for winter!

It somewhat loses it’s smell after steeping though.

Nice color looks like caramel, I get more Chamomile than anything else, not even the slightest bit sweet…ok gonna try and sweeten it with agave nectar and see what happens.

hmmm still mostly chamomile but now slightly sweet, with a barely there banana taste…disapointing, but great if you’re trying to sleep

The scent of this was amazing. I was a little worried because of all the chamomile, but I was pleasantly suprised with the taste. The sweetness & caramel, although I was really missing the banana.
Now to find a tea that tastes a lot like bananas!

Day 35 of my 101 days of DAVIDsTEA.

There was a rather sweet, floal taste to this tea — sometimes a little cloying, but still enjoyable. However, I found that the chamomile was a little too prominent, and the banana was not as visible as I’d like it. However, the chamomile, nor any of the flavours, rose to an unpleasant level. This is partially because of the fact that it’s an herbal tea — I purposely chose one today because I knew I’d be drinking it on and off for hours.

It was very nice when it cooled to a lukewarm temperature (which is unfortunately the only temperature at which I seemed to be able to drink the tea). I’d like to try more of this at a hotter temperature (ie: before it’s cooled down that much) sometime.

Still, I really wish that for a tea with banana in the name, said flavour was stronger.

I think this tea may have been a miss-purchase, but I will find out when I taste it if it is the Banana tea I had iced one of the times I walked into Davids Tea