chai

by Angela Yi ’19

When I was four, pumpkin was my least favorite vegetable. It has since become one of the best; a seasonal flavor I can’t pass up. Pumpkin chai latte, pumpkin spice, and the classic pumpkin pie – I can eat those all day long. So this weekend, I made it my mission to go to three different eateries and try out their pumpkin-themed desserts.

Every day is J.P. Licks Day. Above is a waffle cone with pumpkin custard and white coffee chunk.

My first stop was, of course, at J.P. Licks. Its location right across from the Yard is both a blessing and a curse; whenever I want ice cream, I don’t have to walk far to get some, but its closeness always tempts me every day.

I had a small in a waffle cone of two of J.P. Licks’ Flavors of the Month: pumpkin custard and white coffee chunk. The white coffee chunk was a delicious blend of coffee and chocolate – two things that I can never resist. The pumpkin custard was good, but I felt like the pumpkin flavor wasn’t strong enough.

Then, I walked over to Tealuxe to have some fall-themed tea and tea cake. I had the chaider, a blend of hot apple cider and cinnamon chai. It definitely warmed me up from the cold weather outside. But, I saved my Pumpkin Tea Cake to eat at my next stop:

Also located at 0 Brattle St., Sweet has simply amazing cupcakes that everyone should try.

Sweet, a cozy bakery filled with some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever had, ended my day on a high note. They had a nice variety of fall-themed desserts, and at least three different kinds of pumpkin flavored cupcakes. I ordered the pumpkin pie cupcake, and relished every bite of it.

Tealuxe’s Chaider and Pumpkin Tea Cake & Sweet’s Pumpkin Pie cupcake.

The pumpkin is one of fall’s greatest classic flavors, and my mission to find delicious pumpkin-flavored desserts clearly demonstrates why it remains popular season after season.

by Audrey Thorne ’19

September 21st has passed and you know what that means: it is officially Autumn. The leaves are changing colors and falling off the trees, the Halloween decorations are making their way into storefronts, and Crema has put out their Autumn themed “Fall in Love with Our Seasonal Drinks” sign.

The sign boasts maple lattes, warm apple cider, and chaider (chai cider). On a chilly Wednesday morning, I waited in the long line of Crema-lovers to make the season change official.

I decided to opt for the first of the suggested fall beverages, a maple latte. As someone who has no sweet tooth, I was nervous about how sweet my maple latte would be. It finally arrived with a beautiful white leaf drawn into its maple brown surface. I was pleasantly surprised upon my first sip. This latte hits you first with a rich coffee flavor that gets sweeter and lighter until it becomes a maple aftertaste. As someone who generally does not make it through an entire small coffee, I was surprised to finish my entire latte in under ten minutes. It was flavorful, but not overwhelming, and left a taste in my mouth that left me wanting more. It will definitely be my go-to drink of the season!

Tag: chai

“Fall” In Love: With Everything Pumpkin

Fall in Love with Fall at Crema