Katherine Harris’ Starbucks Order, Decoded!

With the help of numerous readers, the Starbucks Web site and a Washington, D.C.-area barista, we’ve cracked the code of Rep. Katherine Harris’ (R-FL) coffee order — “Triple Venti, no fat, no foam, extra hot, with pink sugar.”

Triple Venti : Likely a latte with three shots of espresso in it. A Starbucks “venti” latte and its smaller cousin, the “grande” latte, both have two shots of espresso; thus a “triple” would add another shot.

No Fat: Skim milk. Should properly be ordered as “non-fat,” according to Starbucks. Reporter may have mis-heard.

No Foam: Just what it means. (I should note that some traditionalists believe (rightly, I posit) that a latte should have no foam at all, making this qualifier redundant. Starbucks baristas, however, are ordered to include a “quarter-inch” of foam on their latte creations “to create a delicate first impression,” according to the company Web site.)

Extra Hot: I’m not sure Starbucks really has an extra-hot coffee; I believe their machines — and corporate lawyers — regulate their temperatures precisely and absolutely. My guess is, baristas hear this and go “uh-huh,” because it’s easier than fighting with a customer. Especially if, well, the customer terrifies you.

with Pink Sugar: “A fancy way to say Sweet and Low,” as one reader commented.

You can say a lot of things, pardner. But you can’t say that’s a quitter’s drink. That’s an in-it-to-win-it special.

Late Update: Starbucks does indeed make “extra-hot” lattes for those who request one, according to a company spokesman. “[T]hey will receive a beverage at approximately 180 degrees. Starbucks milk-based beverages are normally prepared at temperatures between 150-170 degrees,” Alan Hilowitz told me in an email.

Reader HD, a barista, chimes in: “We call drinks like hers ‘princess drinks’ at my store.”