Inside the Cup: Translating Starbucks into a Drinkable Language

This is the perfect gift for the kind of coffee-crazed reader who is partial to Starbucks and its "half caff, double, tall, one and a half pump, soy, extra hot, no foam, two equal, vanilla latte kind of drinks." Brown, a former Starbucks store manager, offers an unauthorized, insider's look at the world of Starbucks%E2%80%94his goal being to help customers learn how to choose and modify drinks in ways they might not have known possible. "You'll learn how to speak Starbucks," he promises. It's a promise on which he delivers, providing clear, often humorous, consistently informed, and detailed descriptions of the company's myriad beverages and the many options available for each and every drink. After reading Brown, you'll know how to confidently order espresso shots "long or ristretto" or%E2%80%94to impress friends%E2%80%94"affogato." Best of all, Brown spends the bulk of his book describing the ingredients of specific drinks (e.g. the Mocha) and then offering recommendations (the "Grande Marble Mocha Macchiato%E2%80%94not well known but underrated"), low-fat options ("Tall, sugar-free caramel, nonfat, no whip, mocha") and decadent options ("Grande, whole milk, caramel drizzle, extra whip, in a venti cup, mocha.")