A Tale of Two Lattes

Iced Mocha Lattes that is.

I love trying seasonal drinks.  You probably have figured that out by now, what with my pumpkin spiced latte frenzy and my hot chocolate obsession. 

And now, warm weather means Iced drinks and Smoothies.  Well, I already make my own iced tea, and in fact I make a really good iced coffee too....but I still don't make my own iced lattes....so I have to make do with buying them.

Recently I tried one from Peace and a Cup of Joe and also from Starbuck's. 

They were SO different.

The Iced Mocha Latte ($3 and something...) from PaaCoJ was **SO GOOD**.  Yelling in the streets good.  The coffee was perfectly roasted and went so well with the wonderfully sweet, but not-too-sweet, chocolate.  I slurped it hurriedly and happily.

The Starbuck's variety?  I took one sip and I almost threw it in the trashcan it was so terrible.  First of all, they didn't stir it, so all the chocolate went to the bottom.  I don't like that.  But since I saw the chocolate layer, I mixed it up myself without too much anger.  Secondly, it was so GRAINY tasting.  There was too much chocolate and it was grainy and gross and I literally HATED IT.  But it was $4, so I decided I would just suck it up (literally) and finish it.  Which is absolutely stupid if you think about it because I already paid for it...so it's not like I was going to get my money back.  But whatever.  I walked back to my office, stuck it on my desk and slurped it occasionally.  Then.  All of a sudden.  It was good.  It took about 25/30 mins to get good, and then I had a revelation.  Perhaps Starbuck's made these drinks to taste good once melted?  PaaCoJ?  Who knows how they taste after 25/30 minutes because you would have finished the entire thing in 5.

Did they do that on purpose?  Who knows.  But this is a good information!  If it's 100+ degrees outside and you are worried about all your ice in your iced latte melting before you have time to walk back to the office.....Starbuck's would actually be a good idea. 

But still, since I don't know whether they did that on purpose....I'm going to be cautious with ordering another one.  Anyway, why would I?  I just found Eden itself in the form of an Iced Mocha Latte at Peace and a Cup of Joe's.