Help me become coffee - savvy?

amother

Wed, Dec 07 2005, 8:56 am

I'm hoping all of you kind ladies at imamother can help me overcome this phobia I have of ordering coffee at Starbucks or other coffee shops.

The problem is, I have no idea what all the different names and words mean. So I am embarrassed to order anything. Plus, since I have no idea what the different kinds of coffee are, I don't know when it is ridiculous to ask for it to be made for soy milk and when that is a perfectly normal request. Now that I think about it, my embarrassment over my ignorance has even extended to when I am in a person's house, or in a restaurant, when normally I am not shy to ask.

So if anybody can help me out with a list of common coffee terminology or an explanation of the different kinds of coffees, I really would be eternally grateful.

Also, can all kinds of coffee be made equally decaf and regular?

If I gave any of you a laugh with my question, then that is a sign that you are probably the one with the secret knowledge that will solve my problem. Please help!

TzenaRena

Wed, Dec 07 2005, 9:10 am

I have no problem with this. Very Happy

I steer clear of all but regular unflavored coffee, it's most recommended Kashrus wise. I know there are flavored coffees with a hechsher, but since I don't rely on each and every hechsher that there is, and without checking it out individually (not always possible) I wouldn't know, this is the course I take.

Sorry I couldn't answer your question. Sad

I actually don't know the dif. bet. cappuchino and espresso[but at least I can spell it!] Tongue Out

(But in a restaurant I guess I wouldn't mind asking whoever it is behind the counter. They don't even know me, why should I be embarrassed

?)

Last edited by TzenaRena on Wed, Dec 07 2005, 9:30 am; edited 1 time in total

shoy18

Wed, Dec 07 2005, 9:19 am

I am a starbucks freak so I can give you a few pointers in general even if its not starbucks per say (sp)

Starbucks sizing is as follows Tall-small
Grande- Medium
Venti- a large

a regular coffee is as you know regular brewed coffee
a latte is a shot of espresso (which is very strong coffee) with steamed milk
a cappucino is espresso with a little milk and mostly foam (from milk)
they can add any flavor to any of these drinks such as vanilla, pepermint, hazelnut....

they make a mocha, which is mocha syrup with expresso and milk
they make a carmel mochiato- which is basically a carmel latte

you can get any drink cold- which is iced

then they have all sorts of frappucino's- which are blended drinks (a mix of flavours coffee and ice)

chen ↓

Wed, Dec 07 2005, 9:45 am

Say, what do I have to do to get a cup of cafe instantane decafeine au lait ecreme sans sucre* around here?

check out these sites for initiation into the artificial mysteries of upscale coffeehouses:

http://www.quicksilverweb.net/.....s.htm
http://www.ochef.com/87.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_109888......html

anything can be made regular or decaf, and it's quite all right to ask for soy milk with anything. worst that can happen is, if they make it in a big machine with milk already in it, as opposed to adding milk for each individual serving and processing, they may not have it.

The key is to order with confidence and look disdainful if they say they don't have whatever you asked for. (What? no semi-decaf Alsatian broccoli-rabe coffee with koala milk brulee, shaken, not stirred? and you call yourselves a coffeehouse?) There, that wasn't so hard, was it?

signed,
*instant decaf with skim milk, no sugar. Very Happy

SMG

Wed, Dec 07 2005, 11:08 am

Shoy18, I don't know where you live and what products they use at your local Starbuck's, but my dh has been involved with hashgacha for a long time and routinely asks to see the packaging of the products that Starbucks uses so he can check ingredients and hechsharim. For as long as I can remember being aware of frappacino, the ones made in the starbucks locations have never been kosher. The fresh ingredients are not ok. Only the bottled frappacino has a hechsher. Also, the hot cocoa and other mocha products vary from store to store, but are often problematic. Most of the flavor syrups are fine. The teas don not always have a hechsher. If you are not makpid on chalav yisroel, regular milk is fine, but check the whipped topping and check for a hechsher when asking for soy milk or milk substitute.
To the best of my knowledge, all of the regular coffee is fine (meaning the beans, blends, brews).
Just wanted to give you a heads up that it is not always to simple to order coffee at Starbucks or any other regular coffee house for that matter.

elisecohen

Wed, Dec 07 2005, 12:12 pm

From the Star-K website, here is their recommendation:
General information

Kosher Protocol at Coffee Shops
Due to the flood of consumer inquiries regarding what may and may not be purchased at local coffee shops such as Starbucks, we have compiled the following guidelines:

* All unflavored, roasted coffees (both regular and decaf.), may be purchased in a disposable cup. Sugar may be added. Milk (not creamer) may be added, and is cholov stam.

* Creamers and flavors may be added separately after the consumer verifies that the label of the original container of these items bear reliable certification.

* Only packaged food items bearing reliable certification may be purchased.

* At Starbucks, bottled beverages bearing a KD are certified kosher, dairy, cholov stam, by R’ Zevulun Charlop.

* Frapuccino, whipped toppings, and other beverages prepared in coffee shops are not recommended since they are made in carafes/pump pots that are not exclusively used for kosher beverages.

This is from webpage http://www.star-k.org/alerts/alerts-aug05.htm

imaamy

Wed, Dec 07 2005, 2:54 pm

Starbucks.com has all the information about their drinks, what they contain, the different options, etc. Also it will list all the seasonal options too. I used to be intimidated, but then I found I don't like most of the fancy things so it is easy to order regular coffee!

Tovah ↓

Wed, Dec 07 2005, 3:19 pm

I believe all the syrup at starbucks have a hecsher, I like a vaniella americano, whick is expresso with vanilla surup.
the syrup they use has an ou or a cor I bet u can see without asking.
u can just say which coffee can be made w/o milk, like blackcoffee/expresso with those syrups.

IndyMom

Wed, Dec 07 2005, 3:42 pm

My order is a tall nonfat vanilla latte with 2 splendas. I like to have them add the sugar or sugar substitute so I don't have to mess with taking off the lidand doing it myself. my drink is basically a skim milk base with a shot of espresso (strong coffee) and the splendas. You can order that regular, decaf or (I just found out) half regular half decaf - for that late afternoon cup!

zigi

Sat, Dec 10 2005, 9:38 pm

there is a cholov yisroel starbucks in flatbush, its in a restaurant thats called al dente, on coney island ave between j and k I didn't go there yet, its a shlep from crown heights but the frapachinos look so yummy!