Starbucks has been established as the mainstream chain that serves classic espresso drinks, coffee, tea, pastries, and the frozen delicacy known as Frappuccino since the early 2000s. They have set the standard for what specialty coffee means for many people. This has led to success for many other coffee spots for customers to partake in flavorsome caffeinated beverages and other goodies, all while enjoying a carefully curated café atmosphere.
The United Kingdom is known to have established a global stir over the brewed tea leaf for centuries. The glorious cuppa is still a staple for many and remains a strong national symbol. However, the Italian-style coffee industry hit the island with full force more recently and is still growing consistently. Although Starbucks has quite a stronghold as a purveyor of coffee in most nations including the UK, there are several made in Britain selections that are household names.
Coffee has turned to craftsmanship over commodity in recent years under the moniker the third wave movement. The precursor to this shift was when coffee became a worldwide product (first wave) and then a mainstay of culture, which lead to a Starbucks on every corner (second wave), especially in the United States. The third wave movement is grounded in quality over quantity, which means coffee is roasted in small batches from specific farms.
We’ve got a secret to spill that isn’t so secret about Starbucks’ menu. Rumor has it that many of your favorite restaurants have secret menus that you can order off of if you know the magic words. Just like many chains, Starbucks has an assortment of off-menu items that are sure to please the adventurous and those looking for that perfect drink that they haven’t tasted yet.
What makes a secret menu so special? A secret menu item uses the ingredients that a store like Starbucks has in every shop, but it is different than anything offered on the official menu. These creative concoctions are often customer favorites and it adds excitement to be able to have the inside scoop about ways to combine syrups or flavors for an original treat.
Canadians are tough and know how to make the best of harsh winters, which is why there are so many different places for coffee drinking and socializing to fight the bite. Whether you are from Canada or are just visiting, be sure to check out at least one of the multitudes of cozy localities to help keep you warm and toasty.
Even within the seemingly narrow category of chocolate mint, there's quite a range of flavors and styles. These chocolate mint cupcakes have coffee flavor added to them, to make a tasty reminder of our favorite winter time Starbucks drink! And don't let the fancy color decoration fool you, that effect is actually quite easy to make - well at least she makes it look easy on camera.
