Valentine's Day Specials from 5 All-Star Baristas

A recap of our Match Made in Heaven contest last year + the love-inspired drinks our competitors came up with.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Featured photo courtesy of Liz Kuntz

Nothing says I love you quite like a luxurious café drink, dressed up with exciting ingredients like passionfruit, smoke, cherries, pomegranate, and mascarpone. Last Valentine’s Day, we hosted our Match Made in Heaven contest, where we invited five all-star baristas to compete to be champion of Valentine’s Day specials.

Each competitor was asked to craft two beverages: one using 1883 syrups and another using Cappuccine‘s frappe base—and their submissions were so creative that we decided to visit them again! Read on to relive all of the delicious, love-inspired glory.

Peace Sakulclanuwat (Coffee Project New York – New York, New York)

Tiramisu is the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat, and Peace Sakulclanuwat, Coffee Educator at Coffee Project New York, turned the iconic dessert into a delectable beverage with tiramisu cold foam and a ladyfinger + cocoa powder garnish. Peace shares that the name for the drink is a playful mix of words—”tirak” meaning “my love” in Thai, plus “miss you.”

“This drink is a sweet and fun way to show affection in every sip,” says Peace, who ended up winning the Match Made in Heaven contest.

Peace’s second beverage is inspired by the classic first date tradition: grabbing ice cream or a milkshake at a casual spot. “It’s all about sharing something sweet while getting to know each other over easy conversation,” Peace told Barista Magazine.

With strawberry compote, strawberry syrup, and salted coconut foam, The First Date perfectly captures that sweet and exciting “first spark” feeling.

Peace’s full recipes here.

Miranda Haney (Barista Friend – Austin, Texas)

For her first entry, Texas-based coffee educator Miranda Haney crafted up what she calls Brain Fog—a pick-me-up for anyone who tends to dread the Valentine’s Day season. This isn’t your ordinary frappe: it’s infused with luxurious additions of black sesame paste and frozen cherries, then topped with a decadent hazelnut whipped cream. “Brain Fog is a frozen sweet treat to help brighten up your darkest days,” Miranda told Barista Magazine.

Miranda’s second entry, The Digits, is a hot and spicy white chocolate, with three dashes of Angostura bitters and a touch of beet powder for color.

“Once upon a time, my friend Julie wrote her number on a paper cup and sent it out the drive-thru window. Now she’s married to ‘Americano John,’ and they have a baby together!” Miranda tells of her inspiration for the drink. “The Digits is for all my friends who found love in a coffee shop.”

Miranda’s full recipes here.

John Dixon (Mad Black Coffee, LLC – Raleigh, North Carolina)

John Dixon‘s first entry, Comfort Chocolate, feels like a hug in a cup. The Raleigh-based coffee shop owner says his love for coffee was first ignited when he started working behind the counter. “I loved every minute of getting to know the customers and my co-workers,” John told Barista Magazine. “I love making drinks for others to enjoy. This drink is simple yet delicious and enjoyable for people of all ages.”

Offering something refreshing yet full of love, John’s second drink, Southern Delight, was inspired by his Southern upbringing. “Southern Delight is a spin-off of a classic drink, the Arnold Palmer,” he says. “Instead of lemonade and sweet tea, it’s made with lemonade and flash iced coffee.”

To bind the lemonade and coffee into one harmonious union, John added fruit flavors of raspberry and pomegranate. “Nothing beats a drink like this on those hot and sunny days,” he says.

John’s full recipes here.

Liz Kuntz (Purebred Coffee – Troy, Ohio)

Chocolate-covered cherries take on new meaning in Liz Kuntz‘s first drink: Love You Cherry Much. “Every Valentine’s, roses make their yearly appearance, and every store carries variations of decadent chocolate-covered fruit,” the owner of Ohio’s Purebred Coffee told Barista Magazine. “I wanted to capture the essence of Valentine’s as well as the feelings that go along with it.”

Infused with raspberry and rose, Liz’s second entry, Love Bug, feels like a fragrant bouquet of flowers. Says Liz, “I hope you enjoy these drinks as much as I enjoyed creating them. Happy Valentine’s!”

Liz’s full recipes here.

Seidy Selivanow (Kafiex Roasters – Vancouver, Washington)

Delightfully light and airy, yet packed with flavor, Seidy Selivanow‘s Binding Cloud is dalgona coffee infused with cherry blossom syrup and topped with a cherry-flavored cotton candy “cloud.”

“The name symbolizes the delicate yet powerful connection of love, inspired by amarres: love-binding spells believed to secure a deep, unbreakable connection between two people,” Seidy says.

Seidy’s second beverage is an intoxicating blend of tropical sweetness and enchanting smokiness. Flavored with passion fruit, mango, and smoke from cherry wood, Tropical Flame is what Seidy calls a “sensory experience that captivates the heart.”

Seidy’s full recipes here.