Hmmm… Lets talk about coffee!

As I’m sure all of you know, I sorta like coffee. I’ve often wondered what it would be like to drink a whole pot of coffee in one sitting…. I recently added it to my “dust list” – the list of things I want to do before I bite the dust. (A “bucket list” is just too cliche.) Before I cash in my chips, I want to drink a whole pot of coffee in one sitting. I’ve been building up to it. Last night I drank four cups. My hands didn’t shake too much, and I was able to fall asleep no problem. Progress!

Naturally, Starbucks is one of my favoritest places in the whole world. No other coffee compares. There’s no other brew for me. I think I’m in love! Starbucks has a new drink on their menu. It’s their Salted Caramel Mocha Latte. Maybe you’ve had it? Well, did you know that you can make it yourself at home whenever you want!

When I was visiting Elizabeth in New York this fall, we had so much fun in the kitchen together. One of the things we made was a replicated Starbucks’ salted caramel mocha latte. Elizabeth found the recipe online, and we spent some time planning, and getting ingredients for it. We finally found time in the midst of all the crazy busyness to make it. It was our weekend indulgence. And it was glorious! One sip of this enchanting deliciousness had us contented in enjoyment.

Both of us wanted to find out how our lattes compared to the “real thing.” So the next time I went to Starbucks I ordered the salted caramel mocha. It was soooo yummy! However I discovered that the ones Elizabeth and I had made were  just as good. Maybe gooder! So in my opinion, save the $4 and try making these yourself. Make the mess in your kitchen. It’s totally worth it!

This is the perfect thing to take your mind off the hustle of the holidays. Relax with your latte in hand. Put on some Christmas music. Sit beside a fire, or near some twinkling lights, and savor the goodness. =)

Salted Caramel Mocha Latte

Yields 1 serving.

Ingredients:

You’ll need a big mug for this!

• 1 cup milk, steamed
• 1 cup very strong coffee (4 tablespoons coffee grounds to 1 cup of hot water, prepared in a French Press)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 tablespoons caramel coffee syrup (you can also just use 2 T. of the caramel sauce in place of caramel coffee syrup)
• Whipped cream
• Caramel Sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

Directions:

1. Prepare your hot water in a kettle. Add four tablespoons of your favorite coffee grounds to your French Press. Pour 1 cup of hot water over them and allow the coffee to steep for 4 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. In a pot, heat up one cup of milk until it is steaming. Froth the milk with a wire whisk or an immersion blender until it is nice and foamy.
3. In your coffee cup, mix together the prepared coffee, cocoa powder, sugar, and caramel coffee syrup (or caramel sauce) until the sugar and cocoa powder are dissolved and there are no lumps. Pour the milk foam over the top of the coffee/mocha mixture and stir to incorporate. Top with whipped cream, a generous drizzle of caramel sauce, and your pinch of salt.