Can’t decide which I like better. This beautiful latte almost too pretty to drink or this chunky brownie almost too good to eat.
Restaurant: The Sanctum Coffee and Juice Bar, Altamonte Springs, Florida near Orlando
Dishes:
Rose Latte
Best Dang Brownie Ever
Reading: The Sibling Effect: What the Bonds Among Brothers and Sisters Reveal About Us by Jeffrey Kluger
I first discovered the lovely Rose Latte when I had gone off all caffeine in an attempt to improve my sleep. (It did help.) I was at Sanctum Coffee & Juice Bar with friends and noticed the specialty menu.
Among the standard coffee drinks and a few surprises like the Matcha Maca latte, I saw a Lavender Latte and a Rose Latte. The Lavender sounded more floral than I might like so I went with the Rose. You have a choice of milks, and I chose almond to avoid the dairy and go plant-based.
The Rose Latte is like a hug in a cup. With the wonderful added bit that it won’t make you anxious or energized with caffeine. And so pretty to look at with the gorgeous pink color and the added dried ground rose petals on top. What seems more plant-based than rose petals?
It smells of warm roses which sounds as if it might be too floral, but instead of being floral it’s like vanilla and maple with a whisper of fruit all rolled into one scent and flavor. You can choose iced or hot, and on this day it was chilly enough that I chose hot.
It’s like drinking what I always imagined when someone in a book drank a warm cordial. Like something out of Narnia fit for a queen. Mine was served in a round warm mug perfect for cupping in my palm on a chilly day.
The Best Dang Brownie Ever is thick and chewy. And better yet, vegan. The chocolate flavor is deep but not overpowering. More of a dark chocolate flavor. Finely chopped walnut adds to the chewiness, and the sweetness kind of increases as you eat it.
The first few bites didn’t taste all that sweet. Maybe the latte overshadowed the brownie in the sweet department. But after finishing the latte there was still half a brownie to eat. It seemed to taste sweeter when I was only tasting the brownie. A big dollop of Dajen vanilla ice cream on top would be perfect.
I’m not completely sure it’s the best brownie ever. The ones at Dandelion Community Café look really good and gooey. Guess I’ll have to do a taste test to find out.
Single diner rating? When the place is not packed, there are a few tables in the back corner I like, though they seat 4 people. Seats at the coffee bar near the front are usually available.
Could I make these at home? Probably yes on the latte. Torani makes a rose syrup. I think that’s the brand lots of coffee shops use. And it’s available in places like World Market, grocery stores, and, of course, online. Bring some almond milk nearly to a boil and you get an approximation of a latte consistency. I actually created a similar taste to the rose latte using almond extract and a splash of vanilla extract. Edible rose petals might be harder to find.
As for the brownie, I haven’t tried baking vegan brownies at home so I don’t know. Probably.
But when you want just a little something extra on a cold day in a warm coffee shop, this Best Dang Brownie Ever is not a bad choice.