A latté is an Italian "milk coffee" drink. If you are not too familiar with these drinks, check your Instagram feed for those light brown drinks with a heart or flower made with steamed milk.
Great. Now that we are on the same page, hear me out. The ingredients within a latté are pretty simple, and very straightforward. It is not a very complicated beverage to make. And because of that, I think of myself and my life as an Iced Vanilla Latté with almond milk.
A regular Iced Vanilla Latté is made from the following ingredients:
- 2 ½ tbsp (1 ¼ oz) Vanilla-flavored Syrup
- 1 cup (8oz) milk
- 2 shots espresso, chilled
- Ice
You then combine the two chilled espresso shots, the milk, and the vanilla-flavored syrup into a glass filled with ice.
A normal Iced Vanilla Latté is very similar to one's life. This drink is something for all folks, as it is not necessarily to strong, nor is it too watered down. However, if you play around with some flavors, such as adding additional espresso shots, or even substituting the regular milk for a non-dairy counterpart.
Think of the glass filled with ice. This glass filled with ice is a portrayal of yourself. Now, let us continue to add the contents.
The 2 shots of chilled espresso are the bitter things in your life. Everything. Ever. When something goes wrong in any way, this is the espresso. However, there is always that sweet, vanilla syrup that will help to clear your mind of all of life’s problems. The vanilla syrup is so sweet, that it can mask the entirety of the espresso.
Furthermore, the vanilla flavoring of this drink is crucial and pivotal to the complete latté experience.
We also have the milk. The milk is the support system of our lives. The milk is our best friend. The milk is our favorite pets. The milk is our family. The milk is what comes out on top. The milk alters the color of the drink. The milk has a very dramatic effect upon the taste of the drink. If it were a hot drink instead of an iced drink, the milk would rise above all in a frothy and foamy consistency.
I suppose the moral of the story is to always remember that everything around you is relative. Keep pressing on. There will always be complications within our lives. Too sweet, or too bitter. Not enough ice, or too much ice. We do not need to overload ourselves with extra almond milk or vanilla syrup or even espresso. Just let everything flow and stay true to itself. Sure, the ice is going to melt. But then you start over. A new latté. A new life.
