How to: Pumpkin Spice Latte

Alright, my friends: here it is, the most-requested recipe!

The Pumpkin Spice Latte

So, the truth? 

I have never made one of these drinks in a coffee house. We didn't do the pumpkin thing--we did the eggnog thing (which I thought tasted disgusting.) 

However, I've done some digging around, and coupled with my basic knowledge of lattes/mocha, I've come up with what I think will be a reasonable facsimile of this drink.

But you'll have to taste it for me: I hate pumpkin! 

Although this drink is considered a latte, from what I've gathered, it's actually made more along the lines of a mocha--the difference is in the sauce. Literally. From what I read, the secret to this drink is that they actually use a sauce versus a syrup. 

Mochas are made with sauce. 

Lattes are made with syrup. 

This is why mochas taste richer, and have more calories. :) 

So, I did some Amazon-ing, and I found a pumpkin spice sauce. This is the Torani brand again, but you can just search "pumpkin spice sauce" and find plenty of hits. 

The foundation of this drink is identical to all lattes (going with 12 oz proportions again): 

Edit: my lovely friend and former barista has informed me that the Buck used 3 pumps of the sauce in the 12 oz drink! Holy sugar overload, Batman! I'd probably still go with 1 pump, myself, but experiment as you see fit! 

1 shot espresso 

1 pump pumpkin spice sauce

(rec) 1 or 1/2 pump vanilla syrup (depending on how sweet you want it) 

steamed milk 

whipped cream

pumpkin pie spice (which I'm pretty sure you can buy in the grocery store) 

The proper layering technique for a latte is syrup and sauce, then espresso, then milk. I would have your milk nice and hot before you pull the espresso shot--espresso has an extremely short half-life, if you will. The less time between the machine and your stomach, the better. 

I think this goes without saying, but just to be on the safe side...you do want to stir after you add the milk and before you top. 

There is such a thing as pumpkin spice syrup, but I don't think it will taste the same. 

Remember, you go up by one pump per 4 oz; 2 shots of espresso for 16 oz; 3 shots for 20oz. Or more. Depending on how strong you'd like it. :) 

A note on whipped cream: the stuff most coffee shops use is not your store-bought stuff. We use heavy whipping cream, vanilla syrup and N2O and make it fresh. That's why it's so awesome. :) 

If you make this drink, please let me know how it turns out! 

How to: Caramel Macchiato

Today's coffee-house how-to is the classic caramel macchiato.

The CM differs from a regular latte in several ways, but the most important is that the emphasis is on the milk, not the espresso.

Also, please keep in mind that I have never worked at Starbucks, and each coffee house has a slightly different spin on their recipes. (Just a personal note: I'm not a big fan of Starbucks drinks, and it's not a loyalty thing. I find them all slightly bland, but then again, I'm a fan of the spice/punch.)

For a Caramel Macchiato, you will need:

• milk
• espresso
• caramel sauce
• vanilla syrup

This drink will be more difficult to reproduce at home, since it has multiple ingredients. For all the drinks I discuss, I will be deferring to the Torani label of syrups and sauces, as these are the ones I think taste the best. 

But first, a note: 

• sauce will be used in reference to the thick stuff--chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, etc. 
• syrup is strictly liquid 

The proportions of all drinks are changed according to what size you order: 12, 16, or 20-ounce. The coffee mug I drink out of is 14 ounces, so you'll have to learn how to play with the proportions at home. 

How to Make Your Own Caramel Macchiato 

for the purposes of this recipe, I will be using the proportions for a 12-oz drink*

1. 1 pump of vanilla syrup into your cup 
2. Heat enough milk so it will fill your cup approx 2/3 full 
3. Retain some heated milk and work into a froth**
4. Spoon froth over milk
5. Pour one espresso shot through foam
6. Drizzle caramel sauce over top in pretty design 

**As I mentioned in my inaugural post, the hardest thing about making these specialty drinks at home is achieving the right kind of foam. The steam power of a home espresso machine simply can't compare with the industrial standard. However, there are a few ways you can get your own foam. The simplest is probably to try and use a hand whisk--never done it myself, but I hear it works (somewhat). What will most likely be more reliable is to purchase something along the lines of a Aereolatte milk frother. 

I personally use the Bodum Mousse One-Touch Milk Frother. It works surprisingly well, though the foam isn't as dense as the coffee house can achieve. 

My brother-in-law has the Bodum Chambord Milk Frother. Slightly more expensive, slightly better foam quality. 

So there you have it. Caramel Macchiato at-home. 

*For 16 and 20 ounces, use 2 shots of espresso and 2 pumps of syrup

Happy Drinking! 

How to: Chai Latte

During college, I made my money as a coffee house barista. Half the time I worked at an independent store, and the other half I worked at the Seattle's Best in the local Border's bookstore. Best. Job. Ever.

I didn't like the retail side of things, but I genuinely enjoyed making people their drinks. Even during the holiday times, I liked it.

Anyway, I know how to make just about any "coffee house"-type drink, so I thought I might share. We writers love our java (et al), right?


You may wonder what my drink of choice is, after being exposed to every concoction under the sun?

It's today's feature:

The Chai Latte 

Chai is black tea brewed with a variety of spices. As its main ingredient is black tea, most chai lattes that you order are going to have a degree of caffeination--about the same as an English Breakfast, I guess.

Most coffee houses offer either spiced chai or vanilla chai. I prefer the spiced variety, but vanilla will do in a pinch.

The biggest difference among coffee houses is the type of chai concentrate used, being either powder or liquid.  Again, my preference is liquid, but some powdered chais can be very good.

For example, the chai concentrate we used at Seattle's Best was Tazo.
At Java City, we used a thicker concentrate that came with a pump, but I forget what the brand was.

I think that chai lattes made with the powder have a creamier texture, but the liquid gives it a bit more of a kick, and I love a spicy chai.

Making your own chai lattes is simple--pretty much the easiest thing to recreate at home.

You can use whatever kind of milk you prefer, but in my "professional" opinion, soy milk makes the best chai lattes. If you're a fan of foam, order soy at the coffee house--soy milk is the easiest to get a good foam out of, followed by skim, and then whole milk. I love foam on my chai, so I always get soy (I also have a theory that the soy milk complements the slight bitterness in a chai, but that's just me.)

The sad fact is that home espresso machines just can't compare the industrial kind. The steam wand is a poor facsimile of the raging beast coffee houses have, so just accept that now.

If you can live without the foam (sadness), I'd recommend simply microwaving your milk in 30-second increments to ensure no scorching. Once it's reached the proper temperature (140 degrees is coffee house standard), simply mix with your chai concentrate and you're good to go.

What's the best mix ratio of milk/chai? When I used to make my own drinks at Seattle's Best, using a 12-oz cup, I would pour approximately 8 oz of chai to 4 oz of milk. However, that's because I like mine spicy. You'd definitely be safe going with a simple 50:50.

For the cold variety, you can either forgo ice and used refrigerated concentrate and milk, or fill your glass with ice cubes and go to town.

Note: if you use the Tazo concentrate, be sure to refrigerate after opening


Okay. So I realize this was pretty long and rambly, but I hope it was informative. 


Now, here's the question: any requests? If it appears on a coffee house menu, 99% chance that I know how to make it, and can give you a good idea of how to recreate at home. 


Vanilla latte? Caramel macchiato? Extra-dry cappuccino? Americano?