Monday, November 06, 2006

A Little Help, Please

I haven’t been to Starbucks in a while. Unless it’s a drive through, I really cannot be bothered. It’s all about convenience. Anyway, I have frequented the place several times in the last month and I have a question.

How exactly does one make a hot beverage, hotter? This is a serious question. While I was in Old Towne, the yuppie ahead of me emphatically asked for her hot chocolate to be extra hot. Then when I was in “shi-shi” spa land, an inflammation scientist asked for his latte to be extra hot. Most recently, I grabbed a pumpkin spice latte and the gentleman behind me reminded the Barista to make sure his blah-di-blah-blah was extra hot.

What gives? By what method are the Baristas making things hotter? If you know, fill me in. I am just not brave enough to upset the Zen tide of the inside of a Starbucks with what might be a stupid question. Also, if they are able to make the beverage hotter, do we have to sign a legal form which keeps us from being able to start litigation if the liquid is beyond its boiling point?

I thank you in advance for the information.

7 comments:

wallofdenial said...

they use the steam to increase the temp,,,,Or just nuke em

Anonymous said...

The nod politely and say, "Sure it'll extra hot for you."

Then they do whatever they would have normally done.

Amy said...

I've heard this too, WTF is the point? Their coffee is hot enough already and I don't want to wait an HOUR to drink the damn thing.

Gah! Pffft.

HotForSimon said...

I LOVE the pumpkin spice lattes...they should have them year round.

BUT...someone brought some pumpkin spice creamer (a seasonal flavor you buy at the dairy case) to work the other day and THAT is good also.

As for the hot vs extra hot, I wouldn't have a clue. I've often thought working there would be fun. Maybe I'll pick up a second job and then I can get back to you, Wicked??? LOL

Black Sheeped said...

I'm here via So the Fish Said.

I don't know if they can make it hotter, but I know every time I go to a Starbucks I get irritated because I don't think the drinks are hot enough. They only seem warmish, and therefore the amount of time to drink them is shortened considerably.

Maybe I think too much about my hot beverages.

Anonymous said...

Now see, I personally don't like my stuff super-dee-duper hot because I like to drink AND taste - but I'm wierd like that.

I'm with t2ed though, I think they nod and smile and do the same damn thing they do for you.

Anonymous said...

I think what people are actually asking for is newly steamed milk. Sometimes they'll steam a whole vat of milk and then let it sit around and use it up gradually. If it sits long enough, it gets lukewarm, which cools off the espresso.

On the other hand, if they aren't having anything with steamed milk in it, I think they are fooling themselves....