Mason Jar Lattes: Pomegranate Latte

Happy Galentine’s Day! What’s Galentine’s Day, you ask? In the immortal words of Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation…

Oh it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas.

For your frittata needs, I recommend you check out this recipe from Heather {HERE}. It’s amazing! *Drool…* Ahem, sorry. Anyway, my contribution to your Galentine’s breakfast is coffee because I love you all.

I got this idea from my favorite local coffee shop, Capitol Coffee. They had a pomegranate latte on offer for a little while back in November and December. It was so good, I ended up getting two that morning while I was working there. And then they stopped making it! Fine. Another local coffee shop, The Frothy Monkey, had one too, but it just wasn't as good. I looked for a recipe online, but Google failed me. What?! I know. Torani makes a pomegranate syrup, but the ingredient list on the back brought out some serious side-eye in me. So, as per my usual style, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Fair warning: this is by far the fussiest coffee recipe I’ve ever developed. For you, though, it should be easy because I've already done the hard part.

Pomegranate Latte

• 1.5 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 mason jar latte recipe (link here), minus the sugar

Pour the juice into a saucepan and turn up to med/medium-high heat (depending on how enthusiastic your burners are). Mine are quite excitable, so I just do medium heat. Boil the juice until it reduces in volume by about half (give or take, it doesn't have to be exact), 20 to 30 minutes. I used a silicone measuring cup to check my volume. Once you've got about half the volume of juice, which will now be slightly thicker, add the sugar and whisk to dissolve. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the baking soda and whisk really good to integrate it throughout the syrup. It will bubble a lot, so be sure you're using a container with high sides! Leave the mixture to run out its chemical reaction, checking it after about 20 minutes or so. When all the bubbles have disappeared, give the syrup another good whisk and let sit for about 10 more minutes. Then add the syrup to your latte according to your taste. The pomegranate is a pretty subtle flavor and it's tart, which works against the sugar, so I do two tablespoons with a normal 8oz coffee cup. Stir to combine and enjoy!

Pro-tip: if you have a Trader Joe's near you, hit that for your pom juice first. I paid $10 for this one jar. GAH! 😖 Your boy TJ has the hookup on more affordable pom juice. Sprouts does too. Basically, any shop that specializes in natural and organic foods will probably have a better price than your run-of-the-mill grocery store. Like everything associated with Valentine's Day, Pom juice is gonna be a little pricey no matter where you buy it, so do a little cost comparing.

Here you can see where I started and where I ended. Like I said in the recipe above, about half of your original volume is where you wanna finish, but it's okay if you're a little off. Both these pictures are pre-sugar addition. Oh, and don't worry about the slightly distressed nature of the pictures. That's just the filter I like to use. Warning: hot syrup burns like a mutha! Please be safe when whisking. That's why I like my high-sided, silicone measuring cup here.

Oh, and in case you're curious as to why I used brown sugar, it's because brown sugar has a warmer flavor. It's sweet, of course, but the molasses in it gives the drink depth, which you need because pomegranate is quite tart, almost acerbic when concentrated.

Time for science! You may be wondering why I added baking soda. That seems kind of weird, right? Well, I learned the hard way that pomegranate juice is quite acidic, acidic enough to curdle the milk in a latte. Chunky coffee is so gross, you guys. Super, super gross. So I did some research and experimentation with the first couple of batches--these pictures are from the recipe I made after I worked out all the kinks--and the answer I kept coming to was baking soda. Remember the fun vinegar and baking soda volcanoes you made in science class? Yeah, same concept. The baking soda neutralizes acid, and the ensuing chemical reaction creates carbon dioxide, which is where all the bubbles come from.

It was tricky figuring out how much baking soda to use, though, because it's quite a salty substance. And nobody wants salty coffee. Blech! I started with small amounts of baking soda, and endured more yucky lattes than I care to recall before finally developing the right formula.

Tadaa! Pomegranate syrup that won't curdle your milk or taste like a salt lick. The result is a subtle, slightly tart, berry-ish flavor, surrounded by a hug of warm, mellow brown sugar. I've decided to pair this lovely drink with one of my all-time favorite love stories, starring the indomitable Elizabeth Bennett: Pride and Prejudice. *Swoon!* Jane Austen is my hero!

In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. ~Mister Darcy

Thanks for reading!