Noah Phillips
Drinking the espresso miel at Fair Trade Coffee House, 418 State St., is like kissing your high school girlfriend for the 13th time. It's warm and comfortable with just a hint of sweetness, but not quite thrilling enough to hold your complete attention. You're holding Betty, but Veronica lingers in the back of your mind.
I tasted my first sip in front of the barista, at her request. "Very tasty," I told her honestly, licking the foam from my mustache before retiring to a small table amid the bustle of Fair Trade's inexplicable 4 o'clock Sunday rush.
The espresso miel is a latte enhanced by a few squirts of honey and a shake or two of cinnamon, which blended nicely into the steamed milk.
Fair Trade's espresso roast is a blend of Ethiopian, Peruvian and Nicaraguan beans, but there's little hint of those far-flung exotic places in the final product, which is gentle and familiar.
It is a lovely drink even into spring, suggesting the cozy vibe of hot cocoa without the overpowering chocolate intensity.
