Strawberry Shortcake Iced Latte

Can you believe it? The coffee industry in America is valued at over $18 billion. Though considering the average American drinks over three cups a day, maybe it shouldn’t be all that surprising after all.

And now more than ever specialty coffee is quickly becoming the Morning Joe favorite with over 50% of all consumed coffee being that other than the hot cup of java we drank before Starbucks turned things upside down.

These specialty drinks cost more than twice the price of a regular serving of your morning jolt. With an average price of $3.80 per cup you could easily spend over $1,000 a year on your morning habit!

Luckily making specialty coffee at home is becoming easier every year thanks in part to the home espresso machines like Nespresso. Being your own barista and making your latte at home costs on average only $0.65 per treat. This would save you over $830 a year if you substitute your Starbucks habit by making just one homemade latte per day. Check out the infographic after the recipe for more info. Before you jump into buying a nespresso machine, be sure to weigh up the pros and cons of nespresso as you may find that you find an espresso machine that is more suited to your coffee needs.

And with that, here’s a Florida twist for your morning caffeine infusion. It’s a Strawberry Shortcake Iced Latte and it’ll knock the C8H10N4O2 (molecular formula for caffeine) socks off the competition!

Strawberry Shortcake Iced Latte

4 fresh Florida strawberries
2 tbsp sugar
Ice
3/4 cup of milk
2 shots of espresso

Begin by rinsing and hulling your fresh Florida strawberries then dice into small pieces. Toss the strawberries in sugar and let them macerate for 5-10 minutes or longer. You’ll know they are ready when you have a syrupy sauce and all the sugar is dissolved.

Add the strawberries, syrup and all, into a medium sized cup. Fill with ice and then top with milk leaving room for the espresso shots. If you want a richer treat feel free to substitute some of the milk for half & half or cream!

Finally, top the drink off with two shots of fresh espresso, give it a stir and enjoy!

Now revel not only in the delicious iced treat you just made but also in all the money you’ve saved!