Starbucks: Decoded, Pt. 2

In yesterday's post we talked about basic Starbucks espresso beverages, and today we'll be talking about their tea-based beverages, as well as the coveted Frappuccino.  (Starbucks offers a variety of hot brewed teas, but we're not going to cover that.)  And now, onto the teas!

Tea Beverages:

• Shaken Teas: Your choice of either Black, Green, or Passion tea, shaken with Classic Syrup (basically a simple syrup) and served iced.
• Shaken Tea-Lemonade: Same as above, just with the addition of lemonade. A fancy Arnold Palmer, if you will.
• Chai Tea Latte: Chai syrup, hot water and steamed milk.
• Iced Chai Tea Latte: Chai syrup, cold water, cold milk and ice.
• Full-leaf Chai Tea Latte: Chai tea brewed from a tea bag and steamed milk (no syrup).
• Green Tea Latte: Classic syrup, and matcha powder steamed in milk.  It has a very "grassy" flavor.
• Iced Green Tea Latte: Classic syrup, matcha powder, cold milk and ice.
• Tea Lattes: These are all made with hot tea brewed from a tea bag, with the addition of steamed milk.  There are the Awake Tea Latte, Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte, and Earl Gray Tea Latte (formerly known as the London Fog Tea Latte, and sometimes still referred to as such.)

And now, for the Frappuccinos! These beverages are made by chucking ice, a Frappuccino base, milk, and your flavor of choice into a blender, and can be divided into two main categories: Coffee and Creme.  Coffee-based Frappuccinos are pretty self-explanatory, and Creme-based Frappuccinos use a sweetened creme base and therefore have NO COFFEE.  You can use any milk you like (including soy!), and there is also a Light base for fewer calories.

Coffee Frappucinos:

• Cafe Vanilla: Vanilla Bean powder for flavor, topped with whipped cream.
• Caramel: Caramel syrup, topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle.
• Cinnamon Dolce (pronounced "dol-chay," not "dol-say"): Cinnamon Dolce syrup, topped with whipped cream and Cinnamon Dolce sprinkles.
• Coffee: Just the base, ice, and milk, with no extra flavors.  The base is pre-sweetened. Does NOT automatically come topped with whipped cream.
• Java Chip: Mocha syrup, chocolate chips, topped with whipped cream and mocha drizzle.
• Mocha: Mocha syrup, topped with whipped cream.
• Peppermint Mocha: Mocha and peppermint syrups, topped with whipped cream and mocha drizzle.

Coffee Light Frappuccinos may be made with any of the above flavors, just with a light base, and they DO NOT come topped with whipped cream or drizzle of any kind.  The taste is about the same, but the texture isn't quite as creamy as a regular Frappuccino.

Creme-based Frappuccinos:

• Chai Creme: Chai syrup, topped with whipped cream, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Cinnamon Dolce Creme: Cinnamon Dolce syrup, topped with whipped cream and Cinnamon Dolce sprinkles.
• Double Chocolaty Chip: Mocha syrup, chocolate chips, topped with whipped cream and mocha drizzle.
• Green Tea: Classic syrup, matcha powder, topped with whipped cream.
• Strawberries & Creme: Classic syrup, strawberry puree, topped with whipped cream.
• Vanilla Bean: Vanilla bean powder, topped with whipped cream.

Adding shots of espresso: Frappuccinos DO NOT come with any espresso, so if you want to add a shot, you'll have to ask (and pay for it).  If you want a Grande Frappuccino with one shot blended into it, you'd ask for a Solo-Grande (whatever flavor you want) Frappuccino.  Two shots is a double, three a triple, and so on.

If you want your Frappuccino "affogato style," that means AFTER the Frappuccino is made and poured into the cup, a shot of hot espresso is poured on top of the beverage.  Again, if you want more than one shot in this style, it would be a "double affogato," etc. etc.

Note: ANY syrup (or combination thereof) can be used in a Frappuccino.  So if you want a Hazelnut Frappuccino, or a Raspberry Mocha Frappuccino, or a Peppermint White Mocha Creme Frappuccino, you can have 'em!

Next time, we'll decode those crazy boxes on the side of the Starbucks cup and talk about all the ways you can customize your beverage!