Fall Co ee

A taste of autumn

Starbucks shares fall drink recipes online

Emma Tomlinson tomliemm000@hsestudents.org

For co ee lovers, the beginning of the fall season is marked by the release of Starbucks’ seasonal fall drink lineup. e rst fall seasonal espresso drink was created in 2003 in the Starbucks “Liquid Lab.” e team of food scientists that work in the lab developed what is now Starbucks’ most popular fall drink: the pumpkin spice latte. e drink is available in nearly 50 countries, according to Peter Dukes, the director of International Progress and Ideas for Starbucks. “I think the pumpkin spice latte is a classic seasonal drink for fall and is perfect for cooler days; however, I think that it’s a bit overrated,” sophomore Constanza Méndez Vega said. e fall seasonal lineup has since expanded to include six drinks and three baked goods. Junior Seth Mullins, a Starbucks barista, prefers the pumpkin cream cold brew because it is less bitter than other co ees and is topped with cold foam. e pumpkin cream cold brew is popular among Starbucks baristas. “[My favorite drink] is the pumpkin cream cold brew, it’s not as popular but we still get it ordered a lot,” senior Nora Gauss, Starbucks barista, said. In 2018, Starbucks signed a global licensing deal granting Nestle the rights to market Starbucks packaged products. With this partnership, Starbucks became one of Nestle Professional’s most popular brands, along with Fontana, Teavana and Seattle’s Best Co ee. Fontana produces a variety of syrups used in co ee, from hazelnut to peppermint. “ e syrups are what create most of the avor in the drinks and add sweetness,” Mullins said. “Without them, you would just get the basic co ee taste.” Besides use in Starbucks co ees, Fontana syrups can be found in local grocery stores such as Walmart, Target and Staples. Fontana syrups and packaged co ee bags are even available for purchase at Starbucks. “We sell bags of espresso, but they’re much smaller than the ones we use throughout the work day,” Gauss said. “Recently, too, most of

the syrups they ask for aren’t the ones we have in stock anyway.” Starbucks’ website called “Co ee At Home” shares tips and recipes for making popular drinks and unique recipes at home. e recipes range from golden turmeric lattes to co ee peanut butter smoothies. ese recipes can be made with either Starbucksbranded ingredients or ingredients that can be found at home. Many of the co ee recipes on the website also include recipes to make the specialty syrups at home. “Without knowing the recipes or having the same ingredients, it’s always bound to taste di erent,”

Scan this QR code for unique Starbucks recipes that you can make at home.

Gauss said. In a poll conducted on Sept. 28, of 124 Fishers students, 54% said they would rather make their own co ee at home. “I absolutely love co ee, so I do make my own cup at home quite o en,” Méndez Vega said. “I usually experiment with recipes inspired from the internet and Starbucks itself, but with an added kick.” Méndez Vega has experimented with making her own fall drink recipes. Recently, she made an espresso with spiced chai oat milk foam topped with a dash of pumpkin spice. “I think people making their own drinks at home is great because it saves them money and helps us not have to make as many,” Mullins said. According to a poll conducted on Sept. 30 of Fishers students, those polled spend on average $13.50 on Starbucks every week. For students who like to budget, making co ee at home is a great way to save money and be creative with recipes. “Making co ee at home would de nitely reduce the cost and would be a better way to save money because it is cheaper to buy a bag of co ee beans that produces more cups of co ee rather than buying a single cup of co ee for the same price as the bag,” Méndez Vega said. Starbucks seasonal drinks can be a large expense if purchased weekly, but the drinks are extremely pro table for Starbucks. According to a recent Forbes interview with Starbucks CFO Rachel Ruggeri, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has brought in $1.4 billion since 2003. “Seasonal drinks make the fall more fun,” Gauss said. “It’s kind of upsetting that we don’t get to make them year-round.”

Ingredients

½ c. apple juice from concentrate ½ c. dark brown sugar 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/8 tsp. vanilla ½ tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. nutmeg 1/8 tsp. lemon juice 2-3 Tbsp. apple syrup 1 c. milk 2 espresso shots

In a small saucepot, dissolve your brown and white sugar into the apple juice over medium heat. Mix in your cinnamon, lemon, nutmeg and simmer for about 5-10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Once it is thickened, set syrup aside and let it cool for about 10 minutes. In a cup filled with ice, pour in your apple crisp syrup. Add milk. Add in espresso. Stir and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients

1½ c. sugar 1½ c. water 6 cinnamon sticks 1 tsp. ground cloves 1 tsp. ground ginger 1 c. milk 2 tsp. ground nutmeg 4 Tbsp. pumpkin purée 1 oz brewed espresso roast 3 Tbsp. Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Combine sugar and water in saucepan, bring to a simmer. Once sugar is dissolved, add cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, ginger, nutmeg and pumpkin purée, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through cheesecloth. Heat and froth milk. Place the syrup into a mug, followed by hot espresso. Stir together. Fill mug with frothed milk until ¾ full, then top with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

Ingredients

1 ½ c. cold brew coffee 2 ½ tsp. maple syrup ¼ c. milk ½ tsp. pumpkin puree ½ tsp. vanilla extract ¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice pinch of fine sea salt

Make your iced coffee. Then stir in maple syrup and vanilla until combined. Make the pumpkin foam. In a measuring cup combine cold milk, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin spice and salt. Froth the milk until it reaches a tight whipped-cream-like foam consistency. Fill a serving glass with ice, pour in the iced coffee spoon the pumpkin foam on top. Sprinkle with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice, if desired.

Graphics and photos by Emma Tomlinson.