Nothing beats starting your day with a cup of coffee.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, low to moderate doses of caffeine (50–300 mg) may cause increased alertness, energy and the ability to concentrate. However, higher doses may have negative effects, such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia and an increased heart rate.
In the Philippines, the coffee culture dates back to 1740, when Spanish colonizers introduced the first coffee tree in Lipa, Batangas. This marked the start of a bustling industry that further established the country as one of the world’s largest producers of coffee.
Celebration of heritage
With October as International Coffee Month, Starbucks Philippines honors the artistry of coffee with initiatives designed to elevate the Filipino experience.
At the recent “Coffee Live,” Kent dela Cruz, Starbucks Philippines 2024 Regional Barista Championship representative, demonstrated the unique pairing of the new blends Starbucks Milano Luna and Starbucks Milano Sole. Inspired by the rich coffee culture, art and design of Milan, these new offerings showcase the same blend interpreted through two distinct roasts: light and dark.
Crafted by master roasters at the esteemed Milano Roastery, Starbucks Milano Luna and Starbucks Milano Sole are a unique pairing of two contrasting cups that embody the duality of tradition and innovation. Starbucks Milano Sole features notes of creamy vanilla custard and sweet pomegranate, while Starbucks Milano Luna celebrates the heritage of Starbucks’ coffee roasting, highlighting bold notes of dark chocolate truffle and roasted black walnut.
These new blends are best paired with a hot chocolate donut and grilled cheese. “When pairing coffee, aside from something sweet, we can also pair coffee with something savory like pasta,” Dela Cruz said.
Meanwhile, Adrian Santos, Starbucks Philippines’ 2023 Latte Art Champion, demonstrated free-form, advanced and art-bar latte creations using the new blends.
“Latte art has always been my passion,” Santos said.
Aside from Milano Sole and Milano Luna, Starbucks Reserve stores will also offer exclusive beverages like Shakerato Bianco, Cold Brew Malt and Classic Affogato.
Home barista
The Covid-19 pandemic brought forth the whipped coffee trend, Dalgona, named after the famous South Korean candy.
As a proud queer home barista, Rizzo Tuazon, aka kape.rt on TikTok, has been making content on the social media platform, sharing everything from recipes and tips to behind-the-scenes content from his day-to-day life.
At a recent workshop, Tuazon demonstrated how to make brown sugar syrup, brown sugar shaken espresso, DIY creamer and a café-level iced latte. The products Tuazon used are available on TikTok.
“Our goal is to help customers shop smarter. We want to make every shopping experience smooth, easy and reliable so that customers can focus on enjoying the holidays rather than worrying about the safety or quality of their purchases,” Franco Aligaen, marketing lead for TikTok Shop Philippines, said.