If you as a cozy mystery lover are like me, then maybe you too like the various spiced teas and coffees of the holiday season. They all make me feel so warm and toasty. One of my favorites which I suppose is also a favorite with many other readers is one I purchase locally from a well-known barista whose logo features a green and white angel. To tell the truth, I was becoming a bit addicted this year as I made my daily trek to their drive-thru window each day to get my pumpkin spice latte. I noticed that the price of my favorite fall treat seemed to be rising and my pocketbook was becoming depleted much more quickly than usual.
I have experimented with cozy teas in the past and have discovered a variety of flavors that suit my tastes, but I had never experimented with trying to replace my favorite pumpkin spice latte. It just seemed like an insurmountable mountain to climb. The flavor was just too perfect and I doubted I could come close to recreating it. But when I looked inside my wallet one day and realized that I had depleted all of my money in just a few trips to the local coffee shop, I decided that it was time to turn over a new leaf and learn to make pumpkin spice latte for myself.
So I set off on my adventure. I started reading everything I could about what to do to recreate the perfect pumpkin drink. After quite a bit of reading, I settled on building the perfect drink using some simple devices. I could not use my regular drip coffee maker. A good pumpkin spice latte needs espresso, not coffee, so a different approach was necessary. And a different kind of coffee. I searched around and finally settled on a fairly simple answer. I purchased an Aeropress manual coffee maker (on Amazon HERE.) This clever little plastic device allows you to make pretty good espresso at home. It is comprised of several plastic pieces that fit together to push hot water through a filter and directly into your cup for a rather good quality espresso. It’s quick and easy and not expensive.
Then you will need some quality espresso. I got mine also at Amazon HERE. It is a lovely flavored brand and Amazon recommends it. Only suggestion, I’d get several cans as you use up more espresso than coffee when you make lattes or espressos than when you make regular coffee. You can also get canned espresso at the grocery store. I’m not sure which is the better deal from a monetary standpoint. You can check it out, but if you make your lattes a regular thing, the cost of the ground espresso will total up quickly (but NEVER as quickly as a daily trip to STAR—-).
I also read about a very simple and cheap way to create your milk and milk foam. I got a small Mason jar also from Amazon HERE. You can buy expensive foamers and frothers for lattes but I found the Mason jar works great. Just put in some cold milk, shake it up, take off the lid and heat in microwave until the foam starts to pop over the top. You need to stop it then or you will have milk foam all over the inside of your microwave. Then pour the milk into the espresso in your cup and scoop out the foam and add it to the top. All of this makes one cup.
Now if you fix your espresso this way and add the milk and foam you will have a latte. If you want a pumpkin spice latte, this is what I do. I get a can of pumpkin pie filling from the grocery store. I just uncan it and keep the filling in a covered container in the refrigerator. Before I add the milk and froth to the espresso, I add a teaspoon full of pumpkin pie filling and stir it in. Then I add the milk and froth and top with a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Personally, I cannot tell the difference between my creation and the famous one at the famous pumpkin spice latte store. Why don’t you give it a try? Maybe I will save you some money too if you are also hooked on the pumpkin drink!
