Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

What I am about to tell you is case in point why I am leery about following other people’s recommendations. It is exactly why I try things for myself and come to my own conclusions.

Very few people share my specific taste in things, and I usually end up beyond disappointed when taking someone else’s advice to try a product.

I do realize that this begs the question - don’t I have some nerve running a
product recommendation-oriented blog while saying I don’t pay any mind to other people’s “must try,” “Holy Grail” products?

Nerve is my middle name. :-)

Oftentimes, if something is all the rage and everyone is jumping on a product bandwagon, that is my cue that I won’t like it…even celebrity endorsements and recommendations.

I was in the mood to do Starbucks today, and instead of my usual Breve Latte or
Caramel Frapp, I did a little online sleuthing and even asked a couple of folks who were standing nearby what specialty beverages they prefer at Starbucks.

I got a resounding, “Their Peppermint Mocha is a must. It’s incredible!”

Off I went to try my luck at this…

Maybe it was just the particular Starbucks I went to, but this drink was DIS-GUST-ING! Foul. Wretched.

It tasted like peppermint water. It was all thin and watery with a vague hint of artificial peppermint and a ring of bitter mocha residue that was defiantly clumped at the bottom of my cup…never to mix in with the likes of peppermint water.

To add insult to injury, my drink had the gall to be lukewarm!

This set the tone for my entire day.

I drank the daggone thing because I wasn’t going to allow my entire day to be gobbled up by Starbucks AND my four hard-earned dollars, to boot!

Then I realized, Starbucks is really hit or miss for me across the board. It’s a crapshoot. Sometimes the baristas get it right and serve you a hot drink per the chain’s specifications, other times they don’t.

Woe to the individual who is anywhere near me on days when a Starbucks
drink maestro neglects to put foam on my Breve Latte, or only fills my cup halfway.

I have zero patience for Starbucks’ inconsistency. I don’t care which celebrity is featured on the cover of a tabloid wearing sunglasses and drinking it.

The next time I see a dark sunglasses-wearing celebrity toting a Starbucks drink as an attention-getting ploy, I will silently snicker to myself. Yeah, you’re really cool…so chic!

But all is not lost, friends… There’s always Urth Caffe…for those of us in Los Angeles,
at least. Or in a pinch, Dunkin’ Donuts might suffice. I hear they make a mean
cup o’ basic joe.

Either that, or invest in an impressive home espresso machine.