Are you adventurous with your coffee orders?
I don't mind trying out new recipes at home, whether it's inspired by the ingredients I have on hand or something that I've seen on a menu. However, when I go to a cafe for the first time, I'm always sceptical about ordering seasonal or festive coffee drinks, and I prefer to play it on the safer side with a more traditional drink.
This decision might be based more on cautious spending than my lack of adventure, simply because I hate the feeling of wanting my money back. Don't you too?
So, on my recent holiday in St. Ives Cornwall, my friend and I did some eye-shopping before stopping for a coffee at the Scoff and Troff Cafe.
There was an impressive Autumn special, pumpkin spiced latte, that was seductively topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon. I was pleased to see that the presentation was just as appealing as that on the menu board.
Sounds and looks tempting, heh?
I was circumspect with my selection and went for a cappuccino, served in a decent-sized cup and a nice sprinkling of cocoa powder, which was equally attractive.
The colour was cheerful and both looked amazingly delicious and together they cost £8.50 — Ie. £4.30 for the latte and £3.30 for the cappuccino plus 10% Service Charge. That was a reasonable price for somewhere as touristy that's at a central location.
My cappuccino was great at the right temperature and thickness, and the coffee tasted decent. My friend enjoyed her pumpkin spiced latte, with a mix of spice, sweet, and bitter. However, the glass that the special pumpkin spiced latte was served in was a drawback because the beverage was too hot to hold, and my friend had to wrap a napkin around it to drink.
I thought that was a careless oversight.
So, although the presentation was appealing, and it was exciting to try something new; The latte was nothing to rave about, and probably not something that she was eager to replicate at home, nor yearning for a second one.
Overall, I'd say the service was swift, although we only had drinks, but I also saw customers being served quickly after placing their orders. However, the tables are placed close to each other without allowing much space or a feeling of privacy. Hence the reasons for the lack of photos, as it just seemed wrong to snap strangers eating.
For the price of the coffee, I think it would have been nice to have a small complimentary chocolate or a cookie, as a kind gesture.
I normally have my coffee black at home, but it's seldom that I order an Americano whenever I visit a cafe. It's either a cappuccino or a latte. What about you? Of the two beverages here, which one appeals to you more, and have you ever tried a pumpkin spiced latte or any other festive coffee drink?
All photos are mine and were taken on my recent trip to St. Ives, Cornwall:)
St Ives, Cornwall, Sep 2023
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I rarely go to cafe I feel I get too much of a bargain at home. I like a lot of pumpkin things just not in my coffee. Now if I were to have a meet up with a friend that visits or haven't seen in awhile thats when I would go to a cafe.
Ditto!!! I love a good pumpkin soup.
I rarely go to cafes too, simply because I like having it in the comforts of my home. I bet you have all kinds of festive coffee during Halloween:)
Hehe there is I stay away though. I like my coffee simple I'll use some creamer. Not so much for whip cream and all the other extras. If we were talking milkshakes bring it, haha
I had a homemade banana shake in town a few days ago, and it was a refreshing change. I was craving ice cream, but the small coffee outlet said they stopped serving ice cream for the winter, and I didn't want to risk ordering a bad coffee. Haha
Oh yum your making me crave now. I'd go for a banana and peanut butter shake.
I've never had ice cream and coffee together. Sounds funny to me but I shouldn't knock what I haven't mixed, haha
Ah, I like the idea of peanut butter with banana. Haha! I can feel my waistline expanding already. I had a proper affogato at a pub and it was awesome. However, I love ice cream and coffee equal, but I prefer to have them separately:)
Were alike I scream for some ice cream :) I have two ice cream makers at home. They don't get used near as often as the coffee maker. I love frozen yogurt that is an alternative healthier cold treat. I think my next ice cream adventure will be to make some fried ice cream
Did you know that the best ice cream parlour in Jamaica is called "I Scream" at Devon House (Devon House has since evolved from being home of Jamaica's first black millionaire, George Stiebel, to a Heritage Site)? The size of one scoop of ice cream in Jamaica is the equivalent of 3 scoops here in Europe. When I went to live in Holland I nearly had a heart attack to see the size of 1 scoop for 1 Euro. Still, I used to cycle at midnight to one of the many Italian ice cream outlets just for a single scoop for my midnight fix 🙃
You know that I google that to see if it was a typo. I've never heard of fried ice cream before 😆. However, it looks amazing and I would try it if I see it on a menu. Is that an American thing?
Oh now there is 3X more reasons to visit Jamaica some day, hehe. Oh Italy, the Gelato!
Oh fried ice cream is delicious. Hot fried outside layer with hard cold ice cream underneath. It's a Mexican cuisine but I bet almost every American knows of it 😁
Ah, Mexican cuisine... that makes a lot of sense.
I'm so curious that I'm gonna look up recipes for fried ice cream 😋😆
It's quite the treat. I will do a how to do article on it, some have shown interest. The key is to make sure the ice cream ball is hard rock or else your fryer will have dairy product in it haha
Aha! That sounds like an excellent tip and I see the logic.
Yes, an article on it would be awesome. I'll keep an eye out :)))
Hola amiga @millycf1976 , it's a pleasure to read you, it really sounds very interesting that coffee with pumpkin spice, here in my area there is no such thing. But cappuccino is one of the most requested. I am the same as you, I never ask for Americano in any coffee shop, since I drink it at home. Greetings and a hug
Hey @milik80 Do Venezuelans mainly have pumpkin with soups? I' m yet to try a pumpkin latte, but I would prefer to try it out at home first.
Yeah, I find it boring to order back coffee in a cafe ;)
Yes, our friends here we use pumpkin, called auyama, in soups, creams or as a boiled vegetable and even in smoothies. But never in coffee
Ah, I've never tried pumpkin in a smoothie. I get the impression that they will add pumpkin to coffee soon, since they have already experimented with the smoothies;)
Maybe they will come up with this great idea. Greetings friend I am glad to know something new
My pleasure. Have a lovely Tuesday:)
Those coffees look delicious 🤤, I would like to try both but well you have to go for one, so I'd order the cappuccino 😁.
It's a pity you couldn't take more pictures because of the people you had around, they should separate the tables more if something I like in a place like this is privacy.
As for your friend they should have served his coffee in a glass with a handle, but well at least he was able to resolve with the napkin.
Glad you had a good time 😊.
By the way a few hours ago I published a post about coffee in my country Cuba, I invite you to read it.
Regards ✌️
Yeah, I was disappointed that I couldn't get more photos.
I guess the size of a regular latte glass is too small, and they thought it was best to go for a dessert glass, but a handle or a warning would have been a good idea, as not everyone likes to eat the cream before drinking (which gives the coffee a chance to cool down).
I looked at your coffee post 😁. I've never tried Cuban coffee, and I'm curious to find out if the taste and quality are anything similar to the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (I'm from Jamaica).
Maybe you'd like to share your future coffee post with the Coffee Community. Here's an invite below. Posting here might give your post the attention it deserves.
Subscribe to Cinnamon Cup Coffee here:)
Image was created using Canva free photos.
Thanks for reading me and for the invitation, I will keep it in mind for future posts.
✌️
Okay, cool! See you around:)
I would probably skip both of these drinks… although they sound pretty interesting! But… you know my taste 😁
Anyway, they look very nice and I bet the other coffee lovers will love them.
Of that, I have no doubt!😆
Yeah, I'm sure that the sales have been pretty good:)
It is what we expose ourselves to when we go to a place for the first time, we leave satisfied or very sorry, in your case it was the second. At least spend time with your friend and that's good. Better luck next time.
Thanks for sharing.
May the strength of caffeine always be with you.☕😋
Happy day!
Thanks for your lovely message.
Have a lovely day 🤗 with a great ☕️
I can remember when all of these drinks came out many years ago. My mum was still alive at the time, and we always called her the 'Costa Queen' for her love of Costa coffee. I decided to try something different, a chai. I didn’t realise it was a tea. I hate tea! I just couldn't drink it. My mum offered to buy me a coffee but I declined. On our next visit, I stuck to my norm.
I do like the festive drinks but they're a bit overpriced.
Yeah, that's a tricky one, you know.
So you got your coffee shop love from your mama!🤗
Yeah, it's all a money-making venture more than anything. They know that they can manipulate people's minds and entice them with something fancy and new (festive). Haha!
Yes, I definitely got my love of Costa from my mum. You are right, festive drinks are a money making venture that encourages gullible people like me to buy them lol.
Haha! I guess we all fall for something at some point in our lives 😆
An Autumn Special Spiced Latte is something I have not tried yet. And yes, I love the cappuccino. So sad to say that there is no Autumn season in my country but I believe there will be Trick or Treat. So most probably, coffee shops in my side would have this theme. Heheh. Have a nice time. I love both but Cappuccino for me please.
Yeah, there's no autumn in the Philippines for sure, but YES, they'll have autumn deals (including Autumn and Winter clothes in shops 😆).
I guess the Trick and Treat is all part of the American influence.
I'll wave my magic wand and get you a Cappuccino for Halloween 😁🤗
Aw, that’s so sweet dear Milly. Hehe. I see. Trick and treat is for the Americans. That is what I always remember here the last day of October and November 1 is approaching. Best regards!
!LUV
🤗😊
I always love experimenting, but when it comes to coffee, I get scared. I guess I just don't like ruining a good cup of coffee, feels like it's a sin. 😬
I totally get you. I was about to decipher whether I was drinking a soup or a coffee. I'm a big lover of pumpkin soup, but I don't need it as a coffee combo at all.
So, yes, I get scared when I see these festive coffee drinks 😁
Even when it comes to soup, it's either some good ole Thai soup or something that's hot and sour. 😁
Hehe! You seem to know exactly what you like with food, and I bet you have some fine cuisine there in Bangladesh.
I hope to visit that side of the world one day.
For now, I enjoy the curries here in the UK. My favourite is Lamb Dhansak 😋
Definitely! There's no messing with my food. 😁
We have quite a few "popular" local items to choose from. One of them is our own style of biriyani, the kacchi biriyani.
Where there is a will, there is a way...
I've never heard of it before, but it's probably a special style of lamb curry. 🤔
Do you get around to doing any cooking for yourself?
I'm not certain what region the Lamb Dhansak is from, but not all Indian restaurants in Leicester City sell it, but they might be able to offer something close to the taste.
I do love meat, and some areas only do vegetarian meals :)
Rarely. Ramen, eggs, and sandwiches are my "specialty" though.
In Bangladesh, it's mostly non-veg, 90% would be my guess. Yet, our restaurants also have veg options too. There are just not a lot of fully 100% vegetarian restaurants here.
Ok, Ramen is something I've never really cooked much of.
Is having Halal meat, more the priority than not eating meat?
Yes, it has to be halal for us. It's quite mandatory in our country.
If the food isn't halal, then most of our people would rather not eat at all.
Yeah! That much I know 🤗
Not really, no. I typically stick to my trusty Flat White order. Those both look very appealing indeed, though, and between you and me, I'm tempted to find somewhere that does pumpkin spice lattes while it's still the season. Just for a kick.
nods in tacit coffee-nerd understanding xD <3
I believe Starbucks does them, but probably you'd get a better quality one at a privately owned coffee shop.
Yes, size matters, and this is perfect!😆
Happy (Music) Tuesday 😍🤗
Yeah, but that would mean going into a Starbucks xD I'll see if a pumpkin coffee thing appears in my day-to-day. I'll take it as a sign.
Cool mug!
🤗😊
I loved the presentation of both drinks, I have never drunk a pumpkin spiced latte, here in Cuba there are not many options when it comes to ordering coffee, I would like to venture to try them all, because there really are not that many options, and when I see a different one I get excited.
Hello @im-yanizet
Things are changing rapidly in Cuba, so maybe one day soon there'll be a wider variety of coffee. My very first Banana Split was from a Cuban Cafe in Jamaica, and I was totally impressed.
Thanks for stopping by:)))
Cant go wrong with whipped cream on top. To whoever invented it. Well done lol.
💯% 😋
Wow looks tasty. Love My coffee without Milk and with Milk and cinnamon. I m also traditional .. I haté loose My money
Yeah, we have to be smart and not fall for commercialised traps.
Thanks for stopping by @wendyth16 :)))
Goodness coffee prices have gone up. I said to Jamie we won't be getting them in the UK! £3.30 is about the same as here but a tad more.
Yeah, I find most decent places charge £3.00 for lattes and £3.30 for cappuccinos. It would have to be for an occasional treat 😁