Tis the season to be tasty! There are plenty of things to love about the holiday season and here's one of my favorites:
Holiday Drinks at coffee shops!
Starbucks is the king of this, as they transform their stores into holiday gift shops for two months. Who doesn't love the RED CUPS? But the other shops - coffee bean, peet's, etc. - have all followed suit and they each offer their own variations of nutmeg-infused, noggy, cinammon-spiced holiday drinks and baked goods.
Let me just say that I love the entire scene.
For me, it starts in October because I'm a big fan of the PUMPKIN LATTES. This one is outstanding b/c it's so special. It's almost impossible to make at home because you can't find that secret pumpkin spice syrup anywhere in retail stores.
Then, when you've grown a little tired of all the pumpkin lattes, the holiday trifecta charges in from the bullpen for the home stretch:
The PEPPERMINT MOCHA, the EGGNOG LATTE and the GINGERBREAD LATTE.
Again, the gingerbread latte is unique because it's very hard to replicate on your own, making it a true special treat worth the stop in at the 'bucks. But you definitely need to be in the right mood for that one.
The eggnog latte is fun to make at home, if you have a good espresso machine - it's basically a regular latte, but just replacing the steamed milk with steamed eggnog. But be careful on the temperature of the eggnog, you can't steam it quite as hot as milk b/c you run the risk of actually cooking some of the egg (which would be gross).
Finally, the Peppermint Mocha is a favorite for many. It's a cafe mocha with peppermint syrup - easy to make at home too.
If you want a real secret treat, go into Starbucks and order off the menu by asking for a "Peppermint White Mocha" - a divine treat that needs no explanation. Or even fancier, try asking for a "Peppermint Marble Mocha" - the marble represents half white mocha and half chocolate mocha. Personally, I like white a little more but sometimes like a little touch of chocolate, so I like to really challenge the barista with something like this:
"Decaf Grande Nonfat Peppermint Bleached Marble Mocha with Whip"
The bleached part designates that there's a little more white than chocolate syrup. So if you get a grande, which normally has 4 pumps of syrup in it, you would get 3 pumps of white and 1 pump of chocolate. Many baristas will have no idea what you're talking about and you may have to explain to them what you want. But if you're not in a hurry, it's fun to test them with an order like this to see if you can find a really seasoned barista who can nail it on the fly.
Happy holidays and happy sipping!
