Lattes, coffees and cappuccinos can become boring after a while of mass consumption. There are all sorts of crazy spices and syrups available at local coffee shops but no one ever knows how to use them properly. Your local barista is probably too busy to explain that they can create essentially anything you want behind the barista bar. Back in 2011 we discovered something amazing -- Starbucks had a secret menu that allows you to get creative with all that Starbucks has to offer. This menu wasn't widely known, but it was enough of a start to get us more interested in the craze. We found a number of creative drinks that were widely available at almost every Starbucks across the country. What we didn't realize was how explosive the secret menu would become.(Photo Credit: © Flickr /poolie)
Following the development of our story, there were a number of websites created that allowed for individuals to share their own Starbucks concoction and build on old secret menu items. Sites like Starbucks Secret Menu feature loyal Starbucks goers that have come up with some pretty creative drinks like the Cake Batter Frappuccino which only calls for a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino and one pump of almond syrup for a tall. Other drinks require a little more patience on the part of the barista like the Hot Butterbeer Latte, which needs caramel syrup, chai syrup, caramel syrup, cinnamon Dolce syrup, toffee nut syrup and whipped cream and salted caramel bits. Then there's the old favorites that have hit our list before, like the Thin Mint Frappuccino which uses Tazo Green Tea Crème Frappuccino and is blended with chocolate syrup and java chips and The Dirty Hippy (a Dirty Chai Tea Latte with soy milk instead of regular milk). Some of these drinks don't seem that difficult to make but when you're 20 customers deep on a busy Monday morning, we can imagine the baristas are pretty overwhelmed when it comes to the hidden menu. That didn't stop us from trying to find more drinks on the secret menu though.
We scoured the web and found some pretty crazy sites that offered some creative and innovative Starbucks drinks from consumers. There are all kinds of secrets behind the bar at Starbucks -- bet you didn't know there's even a size that is larger than the Venti called the Trenta that is a 31 ounce drink that's available for iced drinks only. Walking into Starbucks can sometimes be overwhelming what with their plethora of possible drink orders. We were able to come across some new secret menu items that aren't on the giant chalkboard but are definitely available to the daring coffee consumer. These are drinks that some faithful Starbucks lovers have come up with and we think definitely have the right to be shared with the public. These drinks should be available at your local Starbucks and they're full of flavor and absolutely delicious.
Take your own liberties when it comes to certain ingredients in these drinks. If you aren't feeling a squirt of hazelnut syrup then maybe opt for the almond syrup instead.The fantastic thing about Starbucks is the liberties you can take with your coffee! Get creative and if you're feeling inspired then tweet your recipe @thedailymeal and join the conversation using the hashtag #SBsecretmenu.
We can’t exactly visit Hogsmeade, so here’s the next best thing! Stop into your local Starbucks and order a Butterbeer Frappuccino!
Here’s the recipe (for a grande):
- Ask for a Creme Frappuccino base. Don’t skimp on the fat by asking for skim or 2% milk as whole milk is required for the right consistency
- Add 3 pumps of caramel syrup
- Add 3 pumps of toffee nut syrup
- Top with caramel drizzle
Adjust the recipe based on size or if you prefer a beverage that’s lighter on the sweetness.
Definitely a must try for any Harry Potter fan!
You can get a cup of tea at a Starbucks, but you can't get a cup of coffee at the chain's first teahouse, Teavana Fine Teas + Tea Bar that opens on Thursday in Manhattan.
That's how serious Starbucks is about selling lots of fancy tea at the chichi teahouse strategically located on the city's Upper East Side. It's very appropriately near a Lululemon and Dean & DeLuca.
The difference between a Starbucks coffee shop and a Teavana teahouse "is like night and day," says Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, in a phone interview. "It's much more zen-like than anything you'll find in a Starbucks store."
The store, with fashionably-gray walls, light wood and museum-esque lighting, looks very different from Starbucks, and it has no Starbucks branding. The most striking visual feature in the store is the Teavana "Wall of Tea" with a range of loose-leaf teas and tea blends.
For Starbucks, it's a high-profile baby step into the $90 billion global tea market. The only thing that people globally drink more of than tea is water. Even as Starbucks puts the brakes on new, domestic coffee shops, it can accelerate on teahouses. Starbucks hopes to open at least 1,000 more of its own Teavana bars (different than the retail shops currently open in many shopping malls) in North America and many more outside the U.S. Over the next five to 10 years, projects Schultz, "We'll do for tea what we've done for coffee."
It won't be easy. And it's a bit pricier than Starbucks. The priciest salad sells for $14.95 and a 16-ounce specialty tea latte fetches $5.95. A raspberry and apricot cream scone goes for $3.75.
"It's doable, but it will be a hard slog," says Allen Adamson, managing director at Landor Associates. "But the idea of starting fresh is smart. It's hard to find a quiet place to hang out in a Starbucks. This feels softer and less bustling."
Unlike Starbucks, where the culture is more about drinks-on-the-go, at Teavana, the aura, design and mood is all about lingering. The contemporary-designed chairs are padded and comfy. The lighting is low. And the sheer variety of teas and munchies seems to require time to sit and savor.
"When you walk in, you see a shrine to tea," says Schultz. "The store demonstrates our knowledge of tea and romances the theater of tea with a visual experience."
Starbucks is no stranger to tea. Starbucks was founded as Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spices. But coffee became dominant and tea accounted for less than 1% of sales for years, says Schultz. That's changing. Ultimately, he expects Teavana to be sold in some Starbucks locations.
A second Teavana is scheduled to open in Seattle around Thanksgiving.
What does Schultz sip? He says he drinks Moroccan Mint Teavana tea at night, "but nothing will replace my (Starbucks) French press Aged Sumatra in the morning."
Hopefully it works this time
source | 1 & 2 & 3
Secret Menu recipes HERE!
Source:
http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/82850260.html