Coffeeshops Don't Have to Be Off Limits!
QtPiJJ
Posts: 23
Why Coffee Shops Don't Have to Be Off Limits: An Insider's View of the Cafe
By: Yours Truly, JJ
**This is really really really long**
As a barista in a cafe, I have a fun job. I can help people get their daily caffeine fix, their Friday splurge brownie, or help guide them to make more well informed decisions. Standing at the counter in a coffee shop, most customers stare in somewhat apprehensive confusion. Mocha? Latte? Cappuccino? Frappe? Americano? What are those? What's in them? How many calories are in that? Without having actually seen how some drinks are made, it can be confusing, intimidating, and down right scary. A lot of times you hear about how some lady ordered an extra sweet large turtle mocha breve and it was like 700 calories in a cup, right? Don't worry, I am here to decode and de-mystify the basics of a coffee shop and to provide an insider's tips to low calorie drinks that are still super yummy!
First, the basics. What is IN that mocha-frapa-cocha-chino-shake-thinger?
**Disclaimer** Having worked in 2 different coffee shops in different states in the last 2 years (222 haha), I am trying to give some general rules. Different coffee shops will make things differently. This is meant only to give some insight, so maybe you'll know what questions to ask. Also, assume all drinks are a medium, 16 oz size. :flowerforyou:
Rules of thumb:
1. If you don't know what something is, ask. That's what baristas get paid for...
2. If you don't specifically ask for skim milk you'll almost definitely be getting 2% milk.
3. If you call something "skinny" it's made with skim milk. (i.e. a skinny latte)
4. Espresso is very darkly roasted coffee (generally) and we grind it up and pour shots from the espresso machine. This is like pouring a cup of coffee, but smaller and more intense. Many people drink just espresso shots. (For example, a double shot). This is pretty much how coffee is served in Europe.
5. Ask about sugar free syrups! Most places have at least a couple sugar free flavors. Some brands are made with splenda (yay!) some are made with an artificial sugar like nutrisweet. All, however have 0 calories.
6. A "shot" of espresso is about 1 to 1.5 ounces. So 2 shots is 2 to 3 ounces total.
7. Skim milk. 8 oz of 2% milk has about 130 calories. 8 oz of skim milk has about 90.
Latte: 2 shots of espresso and about 12 oz of milk that's steamed to be creamy, with only a little bit of foam. Approximate calories: 200
Flavored Latte: Vanilla Latte, Caramel Latte, etc etc... They're all the same: 2 shots of espresso, about 12 ounces of milk steamed to a creamy texture and about 1 ounce of flavored syrup. Syrup flavors can range, and depending on the brand calorie counts will change, but from my experience, syrups run about 50-80 calories per half ounce. That said, in a drink syrup will add about 100-200 calories, depending on the brand and if your barista is heavy handed with the sweet stuff.
Mocha: It is a flavored latte, the difference is, in a mocha, the flavor is chocolate.
The reason mochas get a bad rap? They're usually made with chocolate SAUCE, not a syrup. It's heavier and more calorie dense. Also, yummier. At both shops I've worked at we've used Ghirardelli syrup, which is some of the best stuff, but it does come with a heavier calorie price sticker. Also, unless you say NO, whipped cream comes standard on mochas.
Cappuccino: It is very much like a latte. It is 2 shots of espresso and about 12 oz of milk. The difference? Cappuccino milk is steamed to be very frothy and foamy. More air is injected into the milk than with a latte. That's it! I know. Gas station cappuccinos are different. Guess what? That's because what they're selling you isn't a real cappuccino. haha. It's a flavored coffee drink that's much more like a latte. Just like a latte, you can add flavors to it, but that again increases the calorie count.
Americano: Like brewed coffee, but need to tone it down just a bit? This is the drink for you. An americano is like a latte, but instead of milk, it has water. So, the entire drink is 2 or 3 shots of espresso and hot water. It's like a cup of coffee, but is smoother. This is for people who like the taste of coffee and espresso. Calories: 0 (okay, maybe 5) haha
Breve: It's a latte but instead of being made with milk, it's made with half and half. So it's 2 shots of espresso and about 12 ounces of half and half steamed to a super creamy texture. I used to have a regular who came every day for a mocha breve. What happened to this man? He had a heart attack at the age of 45. He now drinks brewed coffee. :ohwell:
Frappe: A frappe, frappuccino, blended coffee, what ever you want to call it, It's like a coffee smoothie. Generally speaking it has a lot of ice, 6-8 tablespoons of powdered coffee/sugar/flavor mixture, a few ounces of coffee and a few ounces of milk. Calories in these are REALLY hard to determine. Although baristas are given a recipe to follow, depending on how you measure things like "a 16 ounce cup heaped with ice" you may add or subtract a few ounces of milk or coffee or flavor powder. Not all of the blended mixture is actually poured into the cup. Then they're loaded with whipped cream. By my best calculations? Depending on what flavor and what brand and what barista? They can vary from 220 calories to about 500 calories. (Remember, I'm using 16 oz sizing).
Smoothies: DO NOT BE FOOLED, my friends. Smoothies are probably one of your worst nightmares in a coffee shop. Many people justify a smoothie with the idea that they are getting a fruit serving. HA! Smoothies are made with a fruit puree, yes. LOADED with sugar and calories. For example, the current place I work uses Torani (common and popular brand name in coffee shops) Frusia Whole Fruit Puree. For Strawberry, our most popular flavor, in the 3 oz used to make a 16 oz smoothie there's 300 calories, 75 grams of carbs and 75 grams of sugar. RUN!!!!! Thus, a 16 oz strawberry smoothie weighs in at about 425 calories. :sick:
NOW, for the good news. There is hope at the end of the tunnel. You CAN go to a coffee shop, you CAN order a yummy drink, hot or cold, and you CAN get something with less than a million calories. I'll show you how!
Italian Soda: Yummy iced drink. It's made by mixing sparkling water (0 calories) with the flavor syrup of your choice. If you use a normal syrup this will weigh in between 200 and 300 calories, depending on the brand and flavor. However, if you use a sugar free syrup the whole drink will be CALORIE FREE.
Iced Coffee: They come unsweetened. Let's say you want an iced latte without the calorie price tag? Go for an iced coffee and add some caramel and half and half. This is how I drink my coffee in the summer, and the whole thing comes in at about 150 calories. Cut out the half and half and you're down to about 100 calories for a flavored drink!
Iced Tea: I know this sounds obvious, but unsweetened iced tea is 0 calories, and just about every coffee shop in existence serves it. Since most of them make it on site, it's way yummier than some bottled stuff you'd get at the gas station. Need the sweet? Try adding some sugar free raspberry for a no calorie sweet kick.
Red Eye/Black Eye: Had a rough night? Monday morning just too brutal to bear? Try this caffeine-loaded wonder. What is it? Take 12-14 oz of black brewed coffee and add a shot or two of espresso. WHOO! You will feel a buzz, I guarantee.
Florentine: Want to tame the mocha? Ask for a Florentine, aka a Cafe Au Lait (pronounce ca-fay o-lay) with chocolate. A cafe au lait is half brewed coffee and half steamed milk. Add chocolate to this and it's sort of like a mocha, but gentler. Haha. Added bonus? Usually it doesn't come standard with whipped cream. (Just to be sure, tell them no whipped cream). Some places even have chocolate syrup (not sauce... see the mocha section). Syrup is thinner and has less calories, but not all places have it. Once in a while you'll find somewhere that has sugar free chocolate.
Well, I hope this helps some confusion. Trust me, as a barista we hear these questions and many MANY more all the time. No question is too basic, bizarre, stupid, or unusual. I once had a lady who asked how coffee is brewed. If you don't know, ask! :drinker:
By: Yours Truly, JJ
**This is really really really long**
As a barista in a cafe, I have a fun job. I can help people get their daily caffeine fix, their Friday splurge brownie, or help guide them to make more well informed decisions. Standing at the counter in a coffee shop, most customers stare in somewhat apprehensive confusion. Mocha? Latte? Cappuccino? Frappe? Americano? What are those? What's in them? How many calories are in that? Without having actually seen how some drinks are made, it can be confusing, intimidating, and down right scary. A lot of times you hear about how some lady ordered an extra sweet large turtle mocha breve and it was like 700 calories in a cup, right? Don't worry, I am here to decode and de-mystify the basics of a coffee shop and to provide an insider's tips to low calorie drinks that are still super yummy!
First, the basics. What is IN that mocha-frapa-cocha-chino-shake-thinger?
**Disclaimer** Having worked in 2 different coffee shops in different states in the last 2 years (222 haha), I am trying to give some general rules. Different coffee shops will make things differently. This is meant only to give some insight, so maybe you'll know what questions to ask. Also, assume all drinks are a medium, 16 oz size. :flowerforyou:
Rules of thumb:
1. If you don't know what something is, ask. That's what baristas get paid for...
2. If you don't specifically ask for skim milk you'll almost definitely be getting 2% milk.
3. If you call something "skinny" it's made with skim milk. (i.e. a skinny latte)
4. Espresso is very darkly roasted coffee (generally) and we grind it up and pour shots from the espresso machine. This is like pouring a cup of coffee, but smaller and more intense. Many people drink just espresso shots. (For example, a double shot). This is pretty much how coffee is served in Europe.
5. Ask about sugar free syrups! Most places have at least a couple sugar free flavors. Some brands are made with splenda (yay!) some are made with an artificial sugar like nutrisweet. All, however have 0 calories.
6. A "shot" of espresso is about 1 to 1.5 ounces. So 2 shots is 2 to 3 ounces total.
7. Skim milk. 8 oz of 2% milk has about 130 calories. 8 oz of skim milk has about 90.
Latte: 2 shots of espresso and about 12 oz of milk that's steamed to be creamy, with only a little bit of foam. Approximate calories: 200
Flavored Latte: Vanilla Latte, Caramel Latte, etc etc... They're all the same: 2 shots of espresso, about 12 ounces of milk steamed to a creamy texture and about 1 ounce of flavored syrup. Syrup flavors can range, and depending on the brand calorie counts will change, but from my experience, syrups run about 50-80 calories per half ounce. That said, in a drink syrup will add about 100-200 calories, depending on the brand and if your barista is heavy handed with the sweet stuff.
Mocha: It is a flavored latte, the difference is, in a mocha, the flavor is chocolate.
The reason mochas get a bad rap? They're usually made with chocolate SAUCE, not a syrup. It's heavier and more calorie dense. Also, yummier. At both shops I've worked at we've used Ghirardelli syrup, which is some of the best stuff, but it does come with a heavier calorie price sticker. Also, unless you say NO, whipped cream comes standard on mochas.Cappuccino: It is very much like a latte. It is 2 shots of espresso and about 12 oz of milk. The difference? Cappuccino milk is steamed to be very frothy and foamy. More air is injected into the milk than with a latte. That's it! I know. Gas station cappuccinos are different. Guess what? That's because what they're selling you isn't a real cappuccino. haha. It's a flavored coffee drink that's much more like a latte. Just like a latte, you can add flavors to it, but that again increases the calorie count.
Americano: Like brewed coffee, but need to tone it down just a bit? This is the drink for you. An americano is like a latte, but instead of milk, it has water. So, the entire drink is 2 or 3 shots of espresso and hot water. It's like a cup of coffee, but is smoother. This is for people who like the taste of coffee and espresso. Calories: 0 (okay, maybe 5) haha
Breve: It's a latte but instead of being made with milk, it's made with half and half. So it's 2 shots of espresso and about 12 ounces of half and half steamed to a super creamy texture. I used to have a regular who came every day for a mocha breve. What happened to this man? He had a heart attack at the age of 45. He now drinks brewed coffee. :ohwell:
Frappe: A frappe, frappuccino, blended coffee, what ever you want to call it, It's like a coffee smoothie. Generally speaking it has a lot of ice, 6-8 tablespoons of powdered coffee/sugar/flavor mixture, a few ounces of coffee and a few ounces of milk. Calories in these are REALLY hard to determine. Although baristas are given a recipe to follow, depending on how you measure things like "a 16 ounce cup heaped with ice" you may add or subtract a few ounces of milk or coffee or flavor powder. Not all of the blended mixture is actually poured into the cup. Then they're loaded with whipped cream. By my best calculations? Depending on what flavor and what brand and what barista? They can vary from 220 calories to about 500 calories. (Remember, I'm using 16 oz sizing).
Smoothies: DO NOT BE FOOLED, my friends. Smoothies are probably one of your worst nightmares in a coffee shop. Many people justify a smoothie with the idea that they are getting a fruit serving. HA! Smoothies are made with a fruit puree, yes. LOADED with sugar and calories. For example, the current place I work uses Torani (common and popular brand name in coffee shops) Frusia Whole Fruit Puree. For Strawberry, our most popular flavor, in the 3 oz used to make a 16 oz smoothie there's 300 calories, 75 grams of carbs and 75 grams of sugar. RUN!!!!! Thus, a 16 oz strawberry smoothie weighs in at about 425 calories. :sick:
NOW, for the good news. There is hope at the end of the tunnel. You CAN go to a coffee shop, you CAN order a yummy drink, hot or cold, and you CAN get something with less than a million calories. I'll show you how!
Italian Soda: Yummy iced drink. It's made by mixing sparkling water (0 calories) with the flavor syrup of your choice. If you use a normal syrup this will weigh in between 200 and 300 calories, depending on the brand and flavor. However, if you use a sugar free syrup the whole drink will be CALORIE FREE.
Iced Coffee: They come unsweetened. Let's say you want an iced latte without the calorie price tag? Go for an iced coffee and add some caramel and half and half. This is how I drink my coffee in the summer, and the whole thing comes in at about 150 calories. Cut out the half and half and you're down to about 100 calories for a flavored drink!
Iced Tea: I know this sounds obvious, but unsweetened iced tea is 0 calories, and just about every coffee shop in existence serves it. Since most of them make it on site, it's way yummier than some bottled stuff you'd get at the gas station. Need the sweet? Try adding some sugar free raspberry for a no calorie sweet kick.
Red Eye/Black Eye: Had a rough night? Monday morning just too brutal to bear? Try this caffeine-loaded wonder. What is it? Take 12-14 oz of black brewed coffee and add a shot or two of espresso. WHOO! You will feel a buzz, I guarantee.
Florentine: Want to tame the mocha? Ask for a Florentine, aka a Cafe Au Lait (pronounce ca-fay o-lay) with chocolate. A cafe au lait is half brewed coffee and half steamed milk. Add chocolate to this and it's sort of like a mocha, but gentler. Haha. Added bonus? Usually it doesn't come standard with whipped cream. (Just to be sure, tell them no whipped cream). Some places even have chocolate syrup (not sauce... see the mocha section). Syrup is thinner and has less calories, but not all places have it. Once in a while you'll find somewhere that has sugar free chocolate.
Well, I hope this helps some confusion. Trust me, as a barista we hear these questions and many MANY more all the time. No question is too basic, bizarre, stupid, or unusual. I once had a lady who asked how coffee is brewed. If you don't know, ask! :drinker:
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Replies
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thanks for the great post!!!! It was awesome and an eye opener. I'm going to ask my local place if they have sugar free syrup tomorrow!!!0
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wonderful! thank you for taking the time to do this!0
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I've worked as a barista also so I add a word of warning: some of the coffee shops I've worked at make italian sodas the classic way, with half and half, so be sure to specify just in case.
And if you are ever at a Seattle's Best and want a hot chocolate, PLEASE specify the milk for the trio (their hot chocolate). If you don't, you'll get half and half. The 12oz, I believe comes to some 700cal with everything on it. :sick:0 -
Awesome post! The other option: splurge on an espresso machine and make your own! Then you always know what is going into it AND you are saving $$$$.
I heard that 'bucks uses pre-sweetened coffee for their iced coffee...any truth to this rumor?0 -
I've worked as a barista also so I add a word of warning: some of the coffee shops I've worked at make italian sodas the classic way, with half and half, so be sure to specify just in case.
And if you are ever at a Seattle's Best and want a hot chocolate, PLEASE specify the milk for the trio (their hot chocolate). If you don't, you'll get half and half. The 12oz, I believe comes to some 700cal with everything on it. :sick:
So true. Like I said, every place has little differences, so ask questions. PS if you add half and half to an Italian Soda it's a French Soda. I know people call them different things sometimes, but that's what I've always been taught.0 -
Awesome post! The other option: splurge on an espresso machine and make your own! Then you always know what is going into it AND you are saving $$$$.
I heard that 'bucks uses pre-sweetened coffee for their iced coffee...any truth to this rumor?
I hadn't heard that, but it's a good thing to ask! If so, I know they have most of their nutrition stuff on line and you could look it up. Otherwise ask a barista and they might be able to tell you exactly how its made.0 -
thanks so much....you really helped me to feel better. I love my Frapp and switched to getting it sugar free and fat free. But it is nice to know what I was getting before I made the switch. what an eye opener....
thanks again for taking your special time to do this for us.0 -
I've worked as a barista also so I add a word of warning: some of the coffee shops I've worked at make italian sodas the classic way, with half and half, so be sure to specify just in case.
And if you are ever at a Seattle's Best and want a hot chocolate, PLEASE specify the milk for the trio (their hot chocolate). If you don't, you'll get half and half. The 12oz, I believe comes to some 700cal with everything on it. :sick:
So true. Like I said, every place has little differences, so ask questions. PS if you add half and half to an Italian Soda it's a French Soda. I know people call them different things sometimes, but that's what I've always been taught.
I've worked at two places where the italian soda had half and half and two places it didn't. It could also vary based on where in the country you are. I just started asking customers their preference because it always seemed like no matter which way I did it someone would complain that I didn't do it to the other way. Asking made us both happier.
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I've worked at two places where the italian soda had half and half and two places it didn't. It could also vary based on where in the country you are. I just started asking customers their preference because it always seemed like no matter which way I did it someone would complain that I didn't do it to the other way. Asking made us both happier.
Hahah I know what you mean. A lot of times I feel bad because I have to ask them like 500 questions and it seems like if I ask another question they might hit me, but at the same time that one question you don't ask would be the one that would lead to a complaint. 0
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