McCafe Mocha, reviewed

After weeks of seeing “coming soon” signs taped over the McCafe menus, the McDonalds in my area finally started serving their much-hyped espresso drinks. The iced coffee drinks they’ve had on the menu for a while are actually pretty good, not to mention a good value, but this was the first chance I had to try a hot espresso drink from a McCafe in the US (I’ve tried McCafe in other countries before). I opted for the mocha.

The drink is actually pretty good, although how it stacks up to your favorite coffee shop will depend on what features you like in your mocha. This one is creamy (I ordered it with whole milk, but it comes in a nonfat option), with a lot of not-too-sweet chocolate flavor. The coffee flavor, however is minimal, and there isn’t any foam from steamed milk on the drink. Instead, it’s topped with whipped cream and the same syrup they put on top of hot fudge sundaes. Although the whipped cream melts into the drink quickly, the fudge really is a nice touch. The ingredient list for this drink is surprisingly short – whole milk, espresso, chocolate syrup – but it does have corn syrup as opposed to, say, melted chocolate in it. That said, the chocolate sauce probably isn’t all that different from what you’d find at other coffee shops.

In the end, I’d still prefer to have a more heavily coffee-flavored drink, I think that it will find a solid audience with chocoholics and I wouldn’t turn it down if I was in the mood for something very chocolaty with an extra boost of caffeine in it, either.

Adina Organic Double Espresso Drink, reviewed

I picked up this Adina Organic Double Espresso Drink at Cost Plus World Market the other night on a whim – and a recommendation from the cashier. The drink was chilled perfectly from the refrigerated case and I was able top open it right away. It is smooth, creamy with a good coffee flavor and a distinct note of vanilla. I was surprised that the espresso flavor didn’t overpower the other elements of the drink, given that it is the “double espresso” flavor, but that is all the better in my book. The drink was perfectly balanced, and while it delivered coffee with a bit of sweetness, it was very refreshing.

Two things I really like about this drink are (1) that the ingredients are fair trade and (2) the ingredient list is very simple. The coffee beans, evaporated cane juice and vanilla are all fair trade. The only other ingredients are organic milk and pectin (from fruit, which contributes to a smooth mouthfeel). Quality ingredients obviously make a quality drink – a drink that I’ll definitely have again.

Starbucks Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino, reviewed

The bottled Starbucks frappuccinos are generally more convenient (and can be quite a bit more cost effective) than the blended drinks in Starbucks Cafes. For a long time, they have only been available in a few flavors, but some special editions were released for the holidays, including the Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino.

The drink tastes like a liquid Junior Mint or York peppermint patty. It has a great dark chocolate flavor, not too sweet but very rich because of the creaminess of the frappuccino. I prefer it to regular mocha (hopefully the dark chocolate alone will become a fixture in the lineup). The mint is just strong enough to cut through the chocolate without  overwhelming it. It reminds me a bit of stirring a candy cane in hot chocolate and then licking the peppermint. It’s a great seasonal drink and fits the holidays well.

Starbucks Toasted Marshmallow Mocha, reviewed

I spotted a new addition to the Starbucks syrup menu when I was visiting a licensed store at a local Barnes and Noble: Toasted Marshmallow. The syrup is included in drinks where it is the featured flavor on its own – i.e. Toasted Marshmallow Latte – and as an add-on to mocha drinks. I’m a sucker for s’mores and couldn’t want to taste it.

After trying both a hot Toasted Marshmallow Mocha and a Toasted Marshmallow Mocha Frappuccino, I’d say that the syrup is a bullseye for the flavor of real toasted marshmallows. It has a toffee flavor to it, and an aftertaste that is tastes like very caramelized sugar, verging on slightly burnt – just like a toasted marshmallow or a creme brulee. I think that this was more satisfying as a hot drink than as a cold one, but wasn’t bad either way. The syrup is not too sweet, thanks to the toasted finish, and I’d try adding a couple of pumps to a vanilla latte to try and come up with a creme brulee flavored drink next time.