Our Rose Tea Latte has been on the menu for several months. It was just going to be a seasonal treat, but it's versatility and light, fragrant (but never too floral) flavor has proven to be a customer favorite. When it comes to rose-scented food and drink, people either love it or hate it. We love it. Those who reside in the other camp usually say it because the rose notes are over powering and flowery. We agree. And that's why when recipe-developing the Rose Tea Latte, one of our main considerations was finding that perfect balance between extracting enough of that beautiful, sweet rose note but also holding back from it being too floral. To make this latte, we start with a house blend of rose petals and black tea leaves. We chose black tea for the base because it's strong and brisk and gives the rose a powerful canvas to play off of. White tea would have been too delicate. Green wouldn't have done well with milk and neither would oolong. Black tea was the perfect fit. We steep the black tea and rose petal blend, and then add steamed milk (it's lovely with whole milk and even nicer with almond milk!), and just a bit of rose syrup. The rose syrup adds a bare hint of sweetness and gives it a bright lift. And for the final touch, a sprinkle of rose petals. Voilà! It's a beauty. Ordering the drink hot is our go-to move during these east coast winter months, but if you find yourself at our LA boutiques, try it iced. You can spot all the different layers of the drink in the above photo (that's the rose syrup at the base). If you're at one our Asia boutiques, pair the Rose Tea Latte with the Rose Mille Crêpes! And if you're here in the states, the Red Velvet Cake is in boutiques till the end of February. The Signature Mille Crêpes always makes for a classic pairing, and we also love the Rose Tea Latte with Strawberry Shortcake...strawberries and rose are a magical pair.
