All posts filed under: Coffee Treats

Mocha Valencia

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When I was a Starbucks barista, I loved making mocha Valencias because of the chocolate-y, orange-y, espresso-y aroma that would waft up from the cup when I swirled all those components together, but I always opted for a caramel macchiato or some sort of white chocolate mocha when I wanted to take my espresso-drinking experience to eleven. So, I probably wouldn’t have done a post about this particular coffee drink if a friend hadn’t requested it, but making one with a piece of orange zest—as opposed to a syrup like Starbucks does—was a bit of a game changer for me. This is how Seattle coffee shop, Cafe Ladro, makes them, but I’d never actually tried it for myself. It’s shocking how much flavor comes through with just a small piece! And I like that you can adjust the sweetness with this method—more orange doesn’t equate to a sweeter flavor—simply add sugar as you wish to create your own mocha Valencia adventure. I am now officially a fan. Will I turn you into one?? Enjoy! M Mocha …

Caramel Macchiato

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Treat Yo’ Self Two Thousand Fiftee-eeen! (You have to imagine Tom Haverford and Donna singing that, okay?) I was WAAAY late to the Parks and Rec party…like, didn’t-even-start-watching-it-until-it-the-series-was-over late. And while I was a little dissappointed in myself  (I’m usually pretty up-to-date, very familiar with, and generally all over any funny TV), after I’d watched the first episode, all I could be was excited…because, yeah, shame on me for taking so long, but also, lucky me—I had so much solid comedy ahead! Laughs for months to come! (It actually ended up being more like weeks, but that’s beside the point.) While Treat Yo’ Self Day has been around since 2011, Treat Yo’ Self 2015 (that’s today!) is my first opportunity to celebrate with the rest of the Parks and Rec-watching world. And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, two things: #1 I am so jealous because you still get to watch the whole series for the first time, and #2 Watch this video so you know what the deal is. Fragrances and “fine …

Marshmallow Monday: Starbucks-Inspired Coffemallows

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A couple Marshmallow Mondays ago, I did a post about Coffeemallows—which are delicious—but, I didn’t stop there. I created some souped-up Coffeemallows for HelloGiggles inspired by the core Starbucks espresso drinks that were on the menu when I was a barista. It was a looooong time ago, you guys. Those were much simpler times. And much simpler menus. Below are some photos of the finished treats, and if you’d like to whip some up yourself, head over to HelloGiggles for the recipes. FYI, my favorites are the Caramel Macchiato Coffeemallows. Enjoy! M Americano, Latte, and Cappuccino White Chocolate Mocha, Mocha Valencia, Caramel Macchiato, and Mocha I used mini cheesecake tins to make these, but you can also just make them in a cake pan as usual, and do all these up in squares.

Hemp Milk Latte

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I’m a BIG coffee person. Or, latte person, to be more specific. So, when I started eliminating dairy in my diet, my morning latte was one area where I was unwilling to sacrifice on taste and quality. Soy is great, but I started to get tired of it after a while, so I tried almond milk, then coconut milk. Both are delicious in other things, like smoothies, etc., but they tasted really watery to me in a latte. I just couldn’t. Nope. Not gonna work. Someone suggested hemp milk, and I resisted for a while—it just sounded to hippie-ish or something, which was a dumb and total non-reason not to try it And when I finally did, that was it. There was no going back. It was thick, creamy, had a very neutral taste, and–most importantly—made great foam.  Hemp milk was everything this latte addict could have ever dreamed of. If you haven’t tried it yet, you must. My favorite brand is Pacific, and I usually go for the unsweetened vanilla. I use an espresso machine to whip it all …

Vegan Espresso Mousse

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Would you believe that I came up with this recipe just because I wanted to fill my new cute little espresso mugs with something fun? It’s true. And, I’m always in favor of different ways to enjoy coffee. Why not in a mousse!? This recipe is a base that you can eat on its own (nothin’ wrong with a latte, straight up!), or top it with espresso beverage-inspired goodies. I snapped pics of a few of my favorites below (caramel macchiato-style at right), but dress this mousse up however you like. By the way, this recipe calls for a banana—I suggest using a barely ripe one to avoid too much of a banana flavor. (The espresso is strong enough to hide most of it, so the flavor should be pretty faint to start off with.) Unless you want it to taste banana-y. Then by all means, use a ripe one! If you don’t have an espresso machine to make the shots, you can make extra-strength coffee using whatever brew method you have available. A French press is …