latte

Double Trouble

Published on November 4, 2015 by The Crimson Crave1 Comment

by Richa Chaturvedi ’18

I’m often wary of repeating myself. Honestly, I’m a busy student with limited time in a day and repetition hinders my ability to do everything I need and want to do. So I’ve resolved to cut out the unnecessary time spent doing things multiple times, and I’m here to share my tricks with you.

1. It’s not chai tea.

Don’t even bother with this useless repetition. In Hindi chai means tea, so you’re basically just saying the same thing twice. No, you don’t want a tea-tea latte – only one tea will suffice. So save yourself the time and trouble next time you find yourself in line at Starbucks (so tomorrow?)

Screen Shot 2015-11-03 at 3.50.10 PM — Photo courtesy of starbucks.com.

2. Nope. Not naan bread.

Naan is Indian style bread that is usually paired with different combinations of vegetables and lentils. So don’t say naan bread. It’s weird and it sounds silly. You’re basically talking about bread, and then clarifying that you’re talking about bread, all in the span of two words. That’s called overkill.

Screen Shot 2015-11-03 at 3.55.33 PM — Photo courtesy of naancafe.com.

3. Cheese quesadilla? Try again.

The word quesadilla literally has the word “queso,” meaning cheese, in it. So I think it’s safe to say that your quesadilla will have cheese even if you choose not to add the extra clarification. Guacamole is still extra, though.

Screen Shot 2015-11-03 at 3.54.01 PM — Photo courtesy of bajafresh.com.

Eliminating these redundancies can be a huge time saver. Maybe you’ll do all of your reading! Maybe you’ll make it to the dining hall before they run out of carnival cookies! There are so many possibilities and, for once, so much time.

In Defense of the Pumpkin Spice Latte

Published on October 19, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Richa Chaturvedi ’18

Growing up in southern California, fall was never really a thing for me. When temperatures dipped into the 60s, we would bundle up in our leggings and uggs and head to class. The leaves never changed color because most of the trees were already dead (thank you California drought) and the ones that weren’t were palm trees. But there was one thing that meant fall had truly arrived: the pumpkin spice lattes.

Pumpkin spice lattes, or PSLs, are fall’s gift to earth. In the last decade, Starbucks has sold over 20 million of them. They’re everything wonderful and make everything okay. This year, for the first time ever, they even contain real pumpkin. But they are constantly attacked, which begs the question: why?

What’s wrong with enjoying a fall-flavored latte on a cold day? Why is it an offense to drink a coffee the same color as the leaves on the ground? I think people are entirely too critical. Pumpkin spice lattes aren’t basic because more than one people enjoy them. I’m not going to find coffee at some alternative venue with about three regular customers. It’s out of the way and, frankly, I don’t want to.

To those who say that PSLs disrupt the true taste and flavor of coffee I say the following: did it ever pretend to be coffee? Is it named as such? As far as I can tell, coffee is coffee and pumpkin spice lattes are pumpkin spice lattes. There’s a distinction there. PSLs aren’t trying to be something they’re not – rather, pumpkin spice lattes are wonderfully individual.

And so am I. So the next time I’m late for class because I got stuck behind a long line of PSL enthusiasts at Starbucks, don’t judge me. Be jealous of me because I’m sipping on a slice of heaven.

“Fall” In Love: With Everything Pumpkin

Published on October 19, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

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.

Fall in Love with Fall at Crema

Published on September 27, 2015September 27, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

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!