30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 22: Coffee for Beginners

by Dani Mc Mahon

Decaff soy latte, extra shot, no foam, three pumps of vanilla.
Coffee, for many people functioning depends entirely upon it and its qualities. We have all become so accustomed to seeing people wandering around with their take away coffees and teas. Most coffee shops have cups especially designed, spurred by the famous Starbucks cup. As the winter hits hard the amount of take away coffee cups gracing peoples hands will only increase. So what happens to those who really dread ordering a coffee because so much of the menu quite honestly looks like double dutch?
Fear not, I have come to help because just like you I was that poor soldier. That's right ladies and gents, I was that girl petrified standing in front of a barista asking my name who did not know how to order a coffee. I have come a long way since my first daunting experience but it is still not an enjoyable experience as coffee drinking seems to become more complicated as the years go on and the menu changes in accordance with the seasons.
So, let us go through the basic types of espresso based coffee:

Of course once you have chosen the type of coffee you have to choose the type of milk. This task is pretty basic, I usually go for skimmed or soy because that it what I use at home but you can pretty much ask for any type of milk you like which was something I found reassuring.

Then you have all the syrups, again, depending on preference you can ask for a syrup to be added to your coffee, or not, as you wish. I sometimes ask for a pump of vanilla, which quite simply put means they squirt a little vanilla syrup into the coffee for you.

I'm not a cream person but should you be that way inclined you can of course ask for that on top of everything too.

During the warmer months you will also see the menu has a section for frappes. This is basically your coffee order blended with ice, and during the summer it is oh so good. Of course there are also frappes which actually do not contain coffee, just amazing flavours. More on that closer to frappe weather!

And there you have it, a guide which should help alleviate the stress when ordering a coffee and prevent you from having palpitations every-time you walk past a coffee shop and see all the lovely people enjoying their coffee which you previously could not fathom ordering.

Now, go join the revolution, coffee needs you!