A few weeks ago, I drank my last Mocha from Starbucks.
In fact, because I knew that the next day was Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent), I got a Mocha in the morning and a Mocha that night. I may have been wired and jittery until 2 a.m., but that second one was a must. You see, I “gave up” Starbucks for Lent this year, and I wanted to be sure to enjoy it to its fullest on this Fat Tuesday.
The next day, on the first day of Lent, I was met with regret. Why did I sacrifice something I loved so much? (duh, also known as the point of Lent) Noelle even said, “Oh great. Now we will have a grumpy mom until Easter.” My whole family recognized how much I depended on Starbucks to get me through the day — which was probably reason enough for me to separate myself from it for a while. Clearly, my habit had grown out of control.
Starbucks is lovely and has been responsible for my good moods hundreds of times over the last few years, but it isn’t cheap. Following the birth of our 4th child, I was finding myself in the drive-thru almost daily. Not only was I buying coffee, I was also buying my kids cake pops and chocolate milk and sneaking in cinnamon swirl coffee cake for me, too. Some days, my total would be $13, but I didn’t care because my kids were happy and I was happy and I snuck in a few quiet minutes of drive time while sipping my favorite cup of joy. Not only was this becoming an expensive habit, it was also an unhealthy one. The calories in the coffee and the coffee cake were equivalent to a full meal (not to mention the sugar), and my kids were developing unhealthy habits with the cake pops and chocolate milk.
So when Starbucks all of a sudden was gone, and cheating on my sacrifice was not an option because I told my children what I was doing (and they will hold me to it), I knew I needed to figure out a way to enjoy coffee at home. Most days, Luke drinks his coffee black or with just a small amount of flavored creamer. I personally prefer my coffee some shade between light tan and off-white, so this concept of “black coffee” was absolutely disgusting to me.
Luke mentioned to me the idea of purchasing a milk frother. A guy he works with suggested it, and I decided it was worth a try. On my next trip to Target, I purchased a frother, which to my surprise was really inexpensive. I picked up some Belgian Chocolate creamer, medium roast coffee, whole milk, too. I was determined to make this work.
Even though it was after dark when I got home, I immediately tested my new gadget. Following the directions, I warmed about a 1/4 cup of milk up in my mug for about 30 seconds. I frothed it for about 3-5 seconds, and then I brewed the coffee via my Keurig machine. Lastly, I added the creamer. I swirled it all around with a spoon and committed to my first taste of my new creation.
And it. was. awesome.
Creamy. Frothy. Smooth. No bitterness. No acidity. Appropriately sweet. No aftertaste.
I remember dying for a few seconds and then returning to life with this beautiful, warm, perfectly brewed cup of bliss in my hands. I know that sounds a little dramatic, but that’s truly how it felt. To know that I could enjoy coffee at home without spending $4.50 a cup and consuming 300 calories/30 grams of sugar was a huge relief. I am keeping track of the money I would be spending at Starbucks and will write a check for that amount to my church at the end of Lent.
I have enjoyed using my milk frother daily (many days, twice daily) for the past few weeks, and I honestly don’t know that I will ever choose to get Starbucks over my own coffee again (GASP). If we are traveling and not in a place where I can make my own, I’m sure I will indulge, but I don’t miss it at all. I bought a large supply of to-go coffee cups from Sam’s Club, and now I can still feel like I fit in at Target — you know, with all the moms sipping their Starbucks as they saunter down every aisle.
If you want to make latte-like coffee at home for a fraction of the price and calories/sugar, I highly suggest “investing” in a milk frother. I put “investing” in quotes because I paid $7 for mine. I know there are many different styles out there, but this hand-held cheapie has done the trick, and it doesn’t take up hardly any space on your counter.
I purchased mine at Target, but you can find a similar one right here on Amazon.
After you have purchased your frother, here are the steps to success for making an amazing cup of coffee at home.
1. Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of milk (can use any kind– I use whole or 2%) in a mug.
2. Microwave the milk for 30 seconds. Trust me here. Milk that is not warm enough will not have stable foam. It will bubble, but then the foam will disappear and the drink will not taste creamy.
3. Froth the milk for 3-5 seconds. It doesn’t take long!
4. Add your coffee – either via your Keurig or traditional brewer.
5. Add your creamer or sweetener of choice.
6. Gently stir to evenly distribute the flavors and texture. If you have good foam, it shouldn’t disappear even after you have stirred.
Enjoy!
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