Hi Everyone! If you haven't heard already, Starbucks has just debuted a new coffee item on their menu - The Flat White. I had heard of a flat white when I was travelling around Australia in 2009, but had never been brave enough to try one. After a bit of digging around, I found that a flat white sounded exactly like something that I would enjoy. I love lattés, but sometimes find the foam a little annoying. A flat white is basically a latté, but without foam, and made with whole milk and 2 shots of espresso instead of 1.
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I tried my first flat white last week, and absolutely loved it! It was rich and creamy, but not too overpowering. It gave me the perfect amount of caffeine that I needed for my afternoon. It was truly a perfect balance between espresso and milk. The flat white was a little sweeter, more flavourful and a bit velvety in texture compared to the standard latté. Naturally, when I went back to Starbucks this week I ordered another flat white, but this time I really did not like my coffee. It tasted almost completely like milk. Where did the espresso go?
Now, I understand that making any specialty coffee drink is an art, and that sometimes tastes can differ depending on the barista but I don't know how the same drink could taste so different! A lot of articles I've read have mentioned that the flat white is something that can't be made in mass production. It's really a specialty drink that some cafes are known for. Can Starbucks rise to this challenge?
I'm not sure why the flat white was a hit and then a miss but I don't think I'll take a chance again. Has anyone else had this happen to them?