What are the Different Types of Coffee Syrups?

Since just about everyone in the country is addicted to coffee, several people have created ways to make their coffee experience a little different. Instead of the usual slightly bitter, semi-sweet taste of good coffee or maybe even the seriously bitter taste of black coffee, they’ve derived everyone’s favorite drink into a variety of flavors from different brands.

Before you choose the perfect type of syrup for you, here’s a little overview on some of the most famous brands of coffee syrups.

Da Vinci Gourmet

One of the most popular brands of syrup, Da Vinci Gourmet was made especially for special beverages. Producing only all-natural syrups from single-origin ingredients, the products of Da Vinci Gourmet are made to create a refreshing cremosa or a coffee mocha, just for the caffeine-addicted. But really, it’s not just because Da Vinci Gourmet has over 100 flavors to offer their caffeine-lovers. It’s also because Da Vinci Gourmet offers merchandising support and a menu just for those who will be using their products. Their website offers a variety of menus for anyone to try.

Torani

This famous family-owned company dates back to as far as 1925. Back then, when Rinaldo and Ezilda Torre moved to North Beach, San Francisco from Italy, they introduced more than just their home-made recipes straight from their hometown. The couple also introduced the Italian soda after mixing the syrup with sparkling water. Proving to be a success, they sold the recipe to cafes in the area. Eventually, they also started selling the famous Torani syrups in their own wholesale grocery. Back in the day, they started with just 5 flavors. Today, Torani syrups are being distributed in over 40 countries with over 100 flavors. Apparently, Torani was also involved in the making of one of the famous beverages in the country – the flavored caffe latte, made from Torani syrup, espresso and steamed milk. 

Monin

Since George Monin built the company in 1912 in Bourges, France, this brand of syrup actually celebrates its century of existence this year 2012. In less than 19 years, Monin started to export to various European countries. Since it’s been around for a century, Monin has also become a choice brand for gourmet beverages. Now that they have 100 flavors and more, the brand delivers their products to over 120 countries around the world. Monin creates their syrups from natural ingredients like fruits, spices, flowers and nuts, selected from around the world to ensure the consistent, but pure taste in their products. Made from pure sugar, Monin aims to retain the best flavors with respect for other ingredients.

All three of these major brands of gourmet syrups all offer similar flavors like almond, vanilla, raspberry, blueberry, peach, caramel, banana, apple and even blackberry. From all of these syrups, you can make so many different types of beverages – coffee based or not. You can make Italian sodas, smoothies, caffe lattes and even cocktails. While you have a great selection of syrup flavors to choose from, your only problem now is – which product should you choose? 

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Top Party Ideas for the Closing of Summer

Now that summer is closing and school will be back – only one thing is on the minds of many – PARRRTYY!

Everyone will be throwing their own versions of a summer party, as a last hurrah. The person who throws the best party will be remembered forever. But if there are so many of you who will be throwing a party, how can you make sure that yours will be remembered too?

Hopefully, you have a good budget, because these will definitely require you to burn a little of your party-lovin’ pockets.

Offer a hot dog bar at your party

Just because it’s a party doesn’t mean that you have to focus only on the booze. People love to eat at parties too and there’s nothing better for you to serve at the end of summer than hotdogs! Hire a hotdog stand to offer its services during the whole party. Offer a wide variety of hotdogs and flavors just for the night. Buy specially designed custom beverage napkins to partner your hotdog stand. To top off your summer party, order a huge fireworks cake just like the one Victoria Justice had on her 18^th birthday. Bring the cake out just before midnight and enjoy a proper send off for the end of summer – just like New Year!

Have a pool or lake house party

Who doesn’t love a pool or lake house party right? Rent a house by the lake or open your backyard to your friends and family. Order seafood to be passed around during the night and provide an unlimited bar to fulfill the needs of alcohol-loving party-goers. If you have a more formal crowd, make sure to get yourself some specialized napkins and paper cups and plates so they don’t have to eat by hand the whole night. Make sure you hire a lifeguard though, pools and lake houses tend to be risky, especially for those who have drunk quite a lot already.

Offer an exquisite open bar

Parties are never complete without an open bar. However, if you really want to make a name for yourself, you may want to change it up a bit. Instead of the usual keg and beer, serve cocktails and flaming tequila just for the entertainment of others. While this may definitely open up risks for your shot glasses (if the drunks drop them), there’s nothing like an exquisite open bar for people to not remember you the next day.

Have you thought of what you’re going to do to be remembered till the next summer? Holding parties can be really exhausting, especially the clean-up after. But before you engage in any of these potentially-wild parties, make sure that you take extra caution in providing drinks to the people who may not be able to handle their alcohol any longer. While it may be an end of summer party, you wouldn’t want to go way too far as to hurt someone or cause any avoidable accidents.

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How to Use Coffee Syrups – Except on Coffee

Did the title confuse you a little? I bet it did. Is it possible to actually use coffee syrups NOT on coffee? Interestingly, it is definitely possible.

Unfortunately for those who may have thought that these syrups are the alternative to actual coffee, this is apparently, not the case. These are only used on coffee to give the energizing drink a different flavor, with the possibility of turning it into an entirely different coffee-based, maybe even iced beverage, too. While these syrups are slowly becoming more and more popular due to the effects that they have on coffee, there is more to these syrups than meets the eye.

In fact, these syrups are actually pretty useful, especially in the kitchen, even without the use of coffee, of course.

How, you may ask?

These flavored syrups create Italian sodas

Italian soda is a beverage commonly sold in cafes. Even if the name makes it seem like some complex and authentic type of beverage from Italy, it is in fact only flavored sparkling water. Weird? A little bit. All you have to do is mix the flavored syrup into the sparkling water and stir well. Voila! You now have an Italian soda in your hands. The good thing about these Italian sodas is that they are perfect for young kids, especially those who love to drink soft drinks. Instead of giving them a dose of caffeinated drinks that will keep them awake for hours, kids can enjoy Italian soda instead. And with the variety of coffee syrups available, they can even choose whatever flavor they want!

If you like to experiment, you can also add some cream or milk into your Italian soda. Once you do, you now have a cremosa, or another variation of the Italian soda.

Addition to pastries and baked goodies

If you’re a regular Betty Crocker, then you’ll definitely enjoy these syrups in your kitchen. Besides flavoring coffee, these syrups are also delicious when poured over cheesecakes, chocolate cakes, pancakes and even ice cream. The most delicious desserts are topped with chocolate syrups just to add to the flavor. However, if you’ll be using the syrups for baking, make sure to choose those with higher quality so you can get a thicker, more concentrated form of syrup. Bakers who enjoy playing around with their creations can use various flavors to add to their goodies. Flavors like vanilla, hazelnut, coconut, strawberry, caramel and almond are just some of the most popular syrups you can use for various pastries and cakes.

Fortunately for you, these syrups are available in almost every coffee shop nowadays. It is only up to you to choose the flavor you want. Hopefully, your favorite coffee shop has them or you may have to end up ordering your coffee syrup from an online store.

Have you tried these coffee syrups on anything, but coffee? Curious how they’ll taste with ice cream? Chocolate syrup is best mixed with Vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

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