holiday celebration, Valentine's Day. Sugar Free Raspberry or
Strawberry Mochas can be made with either dark or white [sugar
free] chocolate and make a perfect Valentine's beverage."
Gina Costello, owner of Bellevue, Wash.-based Costellini's,
suggests preparing low-cal treats with the company's Splendasweetened Cinnamon Bliss. "It still has the taste of Christmas
while weaning into the New Year," she says. "It's a [cinnamon
bun] in drink form. Try steaming it with apple cider."
With Valentine's Day around the corner, it's not too early to
consider drink specials for the romantic set. Last year Cooke
added the Chocolate Cherry Love, a mocha with chocolate sauce,
cherry syrup and a raspberry drizzle on top. His other Valentine
idea, probably best suited to warmer climates, is a frappuccino for
two: "We serve it in a 30-ounce glass with two straws and we have
two cupcakes with it. It's a fun little date thing."
Costellini's has a new Valentine's Day-appropriate product:
raspberry butter cream powder. "No recipe is required," Costello
says. "It stands alone as a delightful hot beverage or an iced coffee.
It has a hint of raspberry with a creamy mouthfeel."
Starbucks has pumped up pumpkin this season, and Cooke sees
its popularity in his independent store. "We actually try to keep our
pumpkin spice latte year round," he says. "We hear from tons of
people that it's the best one they ever had. We do it with whipped
cream with a little bit of pumpkin from the squeeze bottle on
top and a little bit of cinnamon so it adds a little more flavor."
Salted Caramel Syrup from Monin provides
an interesting blend of salty and sweet
flavor as a base for winter drinks.
Cooke orders "a good bit" of pumpkin
syrup at the end of the season to meet offseason demand. "So when a lot of places are
running out of it, we keep it as long as it's not
expired. People appreciate it."
Every year Cooke adds new flavors to his
menu. Two years ago he introduced cherry and
coconut. Last year's choices were praline and
cream and gingerbread, and this year peppermint
and salted caramel. Mexican chocolate and a
fruit flavor may be the next additions.
Chocolate has a staying power that comes
from appealing to more than just taste buds.
"Chocolate continues to be one of the most
sought after foods for people that crave a
sweet treat," says Gary Polisano, foodservice-export manager of
Caffe D'Vita, the Brad Barry Co. brand based in Chino, Calif.
"There is a chemical release in sensors of the brain that
compare to the emotion of happiness," Polisano says. "I see
only growth in chocolate and chocolate products as the trend
of more and more cultures become more westernized."
Every winter there's a special hot chocolate at Corner
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