Mocha Latte is the R rated version of chocolate milk.
I say that because Moca Latte has a smooth creamy favor. It has a yummy mouth-coating quality that lingers like a melting malt ball. It’s a kid’s dream, thick and luscious with a flavor so fat it hangs like a froth mustache on your upper lip. But moca has some forbidden qualities as well. It has the very grown up nip of a dark roasted espresso and a nutty fullness that wins out over the sheer sweet that children would prefer. Most kids I know would take a sip and then stick out a tongue in defeat. So close, but yet so far in children’s terms. But a nice mocha can be just the ticket to the adult tongue.
But what has all this frothiness have to do with Keurig? Drop in a cup and get a cup of coffee – no froth allowed. Or is that actually the case?
Gevalia’s Mocha Latte “Kit”
Keurig gets complex with Gevalia’s Mocha Latte 2 part kit.
Gevalia, who has entered the K-arena with some wonderful coffees, as introduced a 2 part kit for preparing a frothy cup of moca latte. The kit consists of a powder packet that is poured dry into the bottom of the coffee cup. Then a quite ordinary looking K cup is placed in the holster. With the machine set to a medium cup size, the hot water passes though the coffee …. and magic takes place.
As the hot coffee hits the powder, a reaction occurs. The powder in the cup begins to pop and sputter to life, creating a blanket of foam about a half inch thick. As a man who grew up in the United States, I am reminded of a popular candy called “Pop Rocks” that would sputter and crack once exposed to whatever corrosive qualities my saliva contained. You can give it a few stirs with a stick or a spoon to mix in all the powder, and you wind up with a cup of mocha latte that looks and smells pretty good. There’s still a few pops and cracks, but that fades quickly leaving a nice cup of foamy drink. A little squirt of canned whipped cream makes this an impressive looking treat.
The impressive fireworks aside, how does this powdered “latte” foam actually taste? The best way is to tell you what it is NOT:
1. It is NOT truly frothed whole milk with lots of fat and all the things that make a latte like this stick to your ribs, among other places.
2. It is NOT Cremora on steroids. It has a true coating quality that offers the impression of something containing significant milkfat. There’s mocha flavoring in the powder as well, and while it isn’t overhelmingly “malted” it is a pleasant taste that works well with the brewed coffee.
3. It is NOT an uncompromising replacement for a coffee house mocha latte. You want the real deal, you’ve got to put on your coat and go get it or invest in a whole lot more equipment than a Keurig.
4. It is NOT expensive in calories. Gevalia clams 80 calories per serving. You have to stay away from any extra sugar or whipped cream to stay on that target.
5. It is NOT expensive in money, relatively speaking. At the time of this writing, Amazon.com was selling in bulk (36 cups) for 1.22 a cup. compare this to 4-6 dollars for a store made beverage and it’s a good deal. Compare it to a nice, simple cup of really good Joe and yeah … it’s a bit of extra change.
Gevalia did very well with this tricked out powder and K-cup combination. It is a worthy, quick and easy cup that you can offer a guest or whip up for yourself. It is a great way to avoid a fattening desert and it will leave you feeling quite happy that you’ve had something naughty to drink.
The Coffee Whisperer recommends Gevalia’s Mocha Latte for Keurig!