Hi, everyone! For this month’s article, I thought I would talk about something near and dear to my heart: Starbucks drinks. Established in 1971 in Seattle Washington, Starbucks began by selling high-quality coffee beans and coffee-making equipment. Now, there are over 80,000 possible drink combinations the baristas can make with the store’s ingredients. In this article, I’m going to be looking at some of the most popular drinks and say how I really feel about them. (Update: in order to comply with the state-ordered social distancing rules, please use a food delivery app to get your coffee fix)
Caramel Macchiato
On the Starbucks website, the caramel macchiato is described as “freshly steamed milk with vanilla-flavored syrup marked with espresso and topped with a caramel drizzle for an oh-so-sweet finish.” This definitely used to be my go-to drink (I especially loved its iced counterpart), but Starbucks is not kidding about the “oh-so-sweet finish.” I’m never able to finish this drink because I am eventually drinking pure caramel sauce at the bottom. If you want to order it, I’d recommend adding an extra shot of espresso and asking for a light caramel drizzle. That way, the drink still has the sweetness of the vanilla syrup and some caramel, but you can actually finish the drink you paid for.
Vanilla Latte
The Vanilla Latte is the perfect drink with which to start your morning. It’s not too sweet or complicated, but it still tastes good and will wake you up. However, if you want a treat or dessert, I wouldn’t go with this option. I order this pretty much any time of year: usually iced in the summer and hot in the winter. Again, I add an extra shot of espresso most of the time to balance out the vanilla, but it just depends on your personal preference. If you don’t want too much caffeine but still think there’s too much vanilla, you can just ask for one fewer pump of vanilla.
White Chocolate Mocha
Starbucks calls this drink a “supreme white chocolate delight,” and I have to agree. The White Chocolate Mocha, my current favorite, has the taste of a White Hot Chocolate and the caffeine of a black coffee, making it perfect for a morning treat. I don’t find it too rich or sweet, and I’m always able to finish it. I’ve been getting this drink semi-often for a few months and still haven’t gotten bored of it. Sometimes, to feel healthier, I’ll get it without whipped cream, but I usually just order it as-is from the menu.
Pink Drink
Moving on to non-coffee beverages, we have the Pink Drink. This drink is not good. If someone offered me money to drink this beverage, I would not take it. While it looks great on a Snapchat story, the pink drink tastes like cough syrup. Now, this is all just my opinion, but I really don’t get why so many people look at Starbucks’s endless options and choose this. Surprisingly, the pink drink is one of the most ordered items on the menu. That means, if you do like this drink, you are not alone.
All photos and information courtesy of Starbucks