Normally, I am not one for frills or added flavors when it comes to my coffee. I like the taste of coffee too much just as it is, thank you – maybe with a swirly kiss of microfoam if a pro is making it for me. Beyond that, I typically avoid white chocolate mochas, cran-banana-hazelnut syrups, or the like. However, this time, I gave in to a fancy, frothy coffee concoction – et je ne regrette rien
At each Peregrine Espresso, they have a monthly signature drink. This is an opportunity for the staff to show a little whimsy behind the bar, applying their top-notch skills and ingredients to make something outside the norm. After reading the description of the Logan Circle location’s current special, The Cheap Date, several times, I was forced to concede that it hit on so many of my favorite flavors I just had to try it.
Served in a small gibralter-style glass, it is a date and anise-infused mocha, topped with a freshly-made orange-scented whipped cream. Having not had a mocha in ages, I was a bit unprepared for just how rich and chocolatey the drink would be, but with the sweetness tempered by the espresso and the delightful date and anise elements which complicated the classic combination just a touch. Floating on top was a cloud of the aromatic orange whipped cream which, as it melted into the drink added just a touch of citrus tang as well as dense creaminess. This was a dessert of a coffee drink, to be sure – something to end a chilly evening rather than jump-start one’s morning.
