Winter Wishes: My Wish is a Farmer’s Tan

Sporting my Farmer’s Tan at W

 

The days have gotten so much colder that anyone who’s brave enough to venture out without a jacket (or two) will be frozen to the core in short order. The only farmer’s tan possible, or safe, is this particular one. 

You can see the specialty menu above- the farmer’s tan isn’t peppermint mocha, which I’ve done already. But rather, white chocolate and caramel. People who don’t order the usual peppermint, typically opt for this, according to the lovely lady behind the counter.

I’ve tried this once before, in the iced variant. Frankly speaking, the hot version is leaps and bounds better. I firmly believe that this is a drink that begs to be served hot. The warmth radiating from the cup really lends to the richness and weight of the coffee and makes it a genuinely pleasant experience.

This is a somewhat weighty drink that settles on the tongue and leaves a lingering sensation of white chocolate. The caramel, while usually being an overwhelming flavor, is quite pleasant. It’s the very first flavor I notice, but it does fade out and let the white chocolate have some screen time. It has a lovely harmony that just works. It is rather rich, however, so it may fill you up if you drink it before a meal. 

An interesting thing I noticed with this particular latte is that I picked up some fruity notes underneath the predominant flavors. It takes nothing from the drink but adds some wonderful dimension to the texture. It added a great counterpoint to any residual bitterness left from the espresso. I didn’t notice the same with the Be Mine latte, strangely enough.

 

taste; /5

  I feel like Iron Bank deserves another 5/5 for this Winter Wish. This was delicious and makes a great Latte to drink up to Christmas. Seriously, if the Thanksgiving and Hugs is for November, the Farmer’s Tan is the time leading up to the big day. It’s a modest flavor of coffee that’s timeless and done well. My only wish right now is that I had more.

 

Winter Wishes: Thanksgiving and Hugs (in a cup)

The weather is getting colder and the nights are getting longer, the holiday preparations are either a bit behind (like in the Java household), or in full and festive swing. To make up for my decided lack of holiday spirit, I visited one of my favorite coffee haunts in the Downtown Columbus area- our very own, Fountain City Coffee. Whose warm and inviting interior begs to have it’s patrons linger for a while and enjoy the soft ambiance of indie music and the calming buzz of conversation. Whether you want to blog or mingle with the locals, this a perfect place to just relax in the charming heart of Columbus. 

 I visit them quite frequently for my favorite drink of choice, the heath freezer, which is my top pick no matter the weather. I usually don’t care about the weather and just get what I like, or try something new on ice. But, it’s entirely too cold for that, especially with the wind whipping between the buildings downtown. No, today I was feeling a little sentimental for the days when I would join my extended family for the celebration of Thanksgiving and Christmas with delicious food. 

I was recommended the “Thanksgiving and Hugs” latte, which is just about a 4-course meal of nostalgia. It’s got everything, really. Chai, pumpkin, vanilla and cinnamon and the smell is divine. It smells so enticingly like pumpkin pie that I may have to bring some into the house this Thanksgiving. This is the one single time of the year when I allow myself to indulge in rich deserts and loads of meat, I may have found a new piece to add to my list of traditions.

The Thanksgiving and Hugs latte is delicious. I honestly wasn’t sure if it would be, or if it would even be up my alley. This does not disappoint in the slightest. I said that the smell was like a warm pumpkin pie, and the flavor closely mimics it. This is one of the smoothest latte experiences I’ve had in a while. Guys, I literally don’t even like chai. I love this drink. It has a nice full richness that goes down slow and smooth. It’s perfect to just hold in both hands and sip, while looking forlornly out the window like a protagonist of a Winter love story. Was that too sappy?

The chai isn’t overpowering and is in a gentle harmony with the pumpkin and cinnamon in equal parts. The vanilla chimes in as a soft whisper of flavor that briefly lingers on the tongue. I went with the warm variant of this beverage and I really think that was the right call. Even if it wasn’t freezing out, it would be the right call, because this is a drink best served hot. Or, in my humble opinion anyway. I feel like their cups don’t do it justice, I just want to get it home and throw it into one of my festive mugs.

Fountain City has long been a personal favorite of mine, and held a high ranking against so the coffee shops of the past and will most likely hold their spot against many future competitors in ranks. That goes double if they continue to grace my existence with drinks of this caliber. Honestly, this drink may be an annual staple for me and it’s an absolute travesty that I didn’t try it before now.

Needless to say, onto the rating! It should be evident, by how much I love this drink what sore it deserves.

Thanksgiving and Hugs Taste; /5

  The Thanksgiving and Hugs latter deserves a 5/5, and is a spectacular holiday drink to get you in the spirit. I’m feeling much, much more festive now. Thank you, Fountain City Coffee for introducing me to something new for Christmas!

Winter Wishes: Custom Coffee from My Boulange

 

 

A delicous winter latte… in the middle of summer! Do you guys like to mix it up from time to time? . . #coffee #coffeetime #coffeelover #coffeeshop #coffeeaddict #coffeebreak #coffeegram #coffeelovers #coffeelove #coffeeholic #coffeelife #coffeemug #coffeecup #coffeehouse #coffeeislife #coffeeshots #coffeeplease #coffeecoffeecoffee #coffeestagram #coffeetime☕

A post shared by java and jeans (@java_and_jeans) on Jun 14, 2018 at 10:33am PDT

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This Winter Wish comes from My Boulange, here in my own little town. You guys probably can’t tell, but my favorite thing to do is ask a barista what their favorite drink is for whatever occasion and then go with that. I find some gold with this method, and highly recommend it if you like getting out of your comfort zone. If you give this method of selection a try, let us know how it goes!

The sweet (and patient) barista/cashier, made a custom off-menu drink for me this afternoon, after asking tentatively if I minded cinnamon. She whipped up a latte with Mocha, Caramel and Praline. Which makes a lot of sense to me, because I’m somewhat reminded of hot cocoa. It’s very gentle for a latte, and I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. We’re not sure what to dub this delicious concoction, and I’ll leave it up to a vote here if you have any ideas!

It has a pleasant warm weight on the tongue and a very mild coffee flavor lingering just under the sweetness. This is another Latte I can’t recommend enough for those who aren’t huge fans of coffee and Espresso in general. This should be right up your alley. It’s a very subtle and nostalgic experience, drinking this.

When the whipped cream melted a fair bit, the hot cocoa illusion was strengthened and it takes me back to when I used to drink cocoa with cinnamon as a child. I’m exceptionally pleased with this particular adventure out of the menu items.
The espresso flavor is fairly muted, and there’s no burn from the lurking bitterness. It tastes like a sweet nostalgia, from simpler and sweeter times. I do want to note that it’s fairly rich, as well, so I would suggest starting with either an empty stomach or drink this as dessert. It’s quite filling for a beverage. Sadly, I ordered a lunch and I’m not certain I can eat it, but I can say one thing for sure: I have no regrets.

Name this Winter Wish! Cast your vote in the comment section below

 

You can also check out our Winter pick for Midtown Coffee, by clicking here! Or, alternatively, you can check out the other delicious treat we were served there.