[Diana in Wisconsin]

“...unsweetened matcha and a cortado with that exact blonde espresso concoction & ratio...”

What, exactly, does that mean, translated to American English? And why must I have it? ;)

[CondoleezzaProtege]

:) First: * Cortado means = a mini cup or glass consisting of equal part espresso shots, equal part steamed milk! (Or cold milk if you want the drink iced!) * Starbucks carries two main types of espresso: their original (signature) roast, and their blonde roast. * Their blonde roast consists of less dark, less burnt espresso beans. Thereby less bitter. * A 'ristretto' shot of espresso is a like a shortened, mini shot of espresso. Technically it's more concentrated and less watery. But I find it produces a less heavy and intense kick overall. More subtle. And I like having 3 such shots. Topped with equal part hot milk. Which is the ratio Starbucks plans to use for their Cortado as well!

:) Second: * Matcha *powdered* green tea leaves. Think cocoa powder but green, due to the chlorophyll content! * Matcha latte is spoonfuls of matcha powder mixed into a mug or glass of milk. Think hot cocoa, or ice cold chocolate milk --- but GREEN. * Starbucks Matcha powder is pre-sweetened. Meaning the sugar is already blended into the mix. (Think Nesquick or Ovaltine Cocoa powder.) * I like my Matcha lattes quite strong. So while most people may put two spoonfuls of powder in an 8 oz cup. I'd want four! But that doesn't mean I want all the added sugar also! * So the new Starbucks Matcha powders will NOT contain sugar. You will determine the sweetness. Matcha tends to be quite bitter on its own, so I would imagine people would ask for sugar, honey, or some sort of syrup (like vanilla flavored syrup) to be added to their green milk :).

:) Finally: I don't like dairy milk and it's worth noting that Starbucks offers several plant-based alternatives: Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Soy Milk, and Oat Milk. So you can customize any of the aforementioned beverages with any of these milks.