Love is in the air, Addy Hall and Campus Club are bustling with students, and Coffee Club has officially released its Valentine’s seasonal drink menu. Featuring five new specialty drinks crafted by the Coffee Club’s wonderfully creative team of student baristas, I had the pleasure of trying the entire menu — to be fully released on Saturday, Feb. 14 — and I’ve assigned each drink a romantic trope superlative. Here’s what to keep an eye out for this holiday season.
Purple Rain and I(Tira)Miss Latte shown from left to right
Marley Hartnett-Cody / The Daily Princetonian
Purple Rain: Love at First Sight
For Purple Rain, no other trope comes to mind except Love at First Sight. Initially, I was wary to try this hot lavender-chamomile fog, but it exceeded my expectations, warming my body and heart. I can only equate my experience drinking Purple Rain to drinking a cloud, which is fitting given the name. The texture was extremely foamy, and the flavors were sweet and subtle, offering comforting notes of vanilla and lavender, coinciding with the sleepy-time tea bag peeking out of my mug. To me, this drink is the hidden gem of the lineup, and I immediately loved it … at first taste.
I (Tira)miss U Latte: Fake Relationship/Dating
Coffee Club’s final special, the I (Tira)miss U Latte, strikes me as the fake dating or relationship trope due to its imitation of the dessert tiramisu. This drink is offered hot or iced, with whipped cream and cocoa powder as garnishes, adding a delicious touch to round out this menu. While the chocolatey flavors teeter into mocha territory, the espresso in this beverage allows for a caffeinated balance. This refreshing drink is as sweet as the dessert without being overly sugary. Additionally, I found this special to be the most creatively named option, with a cute, festive play on words.
Heated Chai-valry and Mocha Me Crazy shown from left to right
Marley Hartnett-Cody / The Daily Princetonian
Heated Chai-valry: Enemies to Lovers
Offered both hot or iced, the Heated Chai-valry offers an abundance of flavors, advertised as a honey chai latte with cinnamon and cayenne. I ordered hot and was surprised by the contrast between the initial sweetness of the chai and the spicy aftertaste, which left a slight burn in my throat. Due to this duality, I have deemed the Heated Chai-valry as Enemies to Lovers, a little on the nose considering the inspiration for its namesake, the hit HBO show “Heated Rivalry.” However, the drink offers an alternative unlike anything on Coffee Club’s menu, introducing a sugar-and-spice combo that proves opposites attract.
Mocha Me Crazy: Friends to Lovers
The Mocha Me Crazy is a strawberry mocha, a confectionery staple in most coffee shops during Valentine’s Day season, and Coffee Club is no different. Ordering this drink — my go-to during last year’s specials — felt like greeting an old friend, which is why I have categorized it as the Friends to Lovers trope. Offered hot and iced, Coffee Club’s spin on the strawberry mocha delivers a natural, fruity sweetness that doesn’t overwhelm the taste buds — reminiscent of a classic Valentine’s Day treat: the chocolate-covered strawberry. Much like a relationship formed from friendship, I found comfort, but there is definitely something new and exciting in this special.
Bee Mine
Marley Hartnett-Cody / The Daily Princetonian
Bee Mine: Forced Proximity
Coffee Club’s Valentine’s spin on the classic flat white is the Bee Mine, with flavors of honey and cardamom, which I present as a forced-proximity romance trope. This is due to the concentrated espresso, characteristic of flat whites, which are served in smaller portions. From the foamy layer of steamed milk topping this beverage to the light notes of cardamom coupled with sweetness, this drink is the bee’s knees.
The release of the entire menu will culminate with an all-day launch party on Valentine’s Day featuring a buy-one, get-one sale, student performers, and decorations sure to melt your heart (and the remaining ice on campus). If any of these beverages piqued your interest, the Coffee Club launch party may be a festive addition to your Valentine’s Day plans.
Marley Hartnett-Cody is a member of the Class of 2028 and a contributing writer for The Prospect and a print designer at the ‘Prince.’ She can be reached at mh8519@princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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