A cup of Christmas at Starbucks

Panettone, the classic Italian Christmas pastry, can now be enjoyed hot, iced or frap in a #redcup as Starbucks introduces its newest holiday beverage — the Christmas Panettone Latte.

Its bread and butter flavors — made festive with sprinkles of dried orange, cranberry, and apple — are perfectly paired with steamed milk and roasted espresso. The taste? It’s like enjoying a slice of the Italian fruitcake in liquid form.

According to Rustan Coffe Corporation marketing head Keith Cole, Starbucks’ holiday drinks vary in every region.

“Starbucks has three regions: Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East. Each region has five beverages to choose from. So the holiday drinks offered in, say Singapore and Japan, are the same as the ones we enjoy here in the Philippines,” said Cole.

Well, that explains why the Caramel Brulee Latte and Chestnut Praline Latte can only be enjoyed in the US or Canada.

“However, some old favorites could return like Peppermint Mocha, or maybe the Eggnog Latte,” added Cole.

Collecting stickers for the Limited-Edition Starbucks by Moleskine planner is still as fun and exciting as ever as Starbucks brings back seasonal favorites Toffee Nut Latte and Peppermint Mocha, on top of the Christmas Panettone Latte.

It’s actually the first time that Starbucks Philippines partnered with Moleskine, a well-established Italian brand.

“I believe that the Moleskine and Starbucks partnership started in Japan two years ago,” added Cole.

The mechanics of the Starbucks Planner promotion doesn’t change. One sticker is awarded for each Starbucks handcrafted beverage purchase. Holder must accumulate a total of 18 stickers to redeem one Limited-Edition Starbucks Coffee 2016 Moleskine Planner.

“Every year, Starbucks tries to come up with a fantastic line of merchandise to keep our customers excited. And what could be more premium than Moleskine?” Cole enthused.

The Limited-Edition Starbucks Coffee 2016 Moleskine Planner comes in just one design but with four colors (red, white, green and black) and two formats (daily and weekly planner) to choose from.

Holiday eats

Christmas is definitely in the air, and we can taste it not just in our coffee, but in Starbucks’ holiday menu, too! Pair up any of your favorite Starbucks beverage with sweet holiday treats like the Starbucks White Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake, a smooth, velvety white chocolate cheesecake on graham cookie crust; Dark Belgian Chocolate Cake with gold powder dusting; the moist and decadent Chocolate Toffeenut Loaf topped with chocolate and toffee; Gingerbread Cookie, a penguin gingerbread cookie decorated with sugar icing; and my fave Rocky Road Cookie Stuffed With Oreo, a chewy double chocolate chip cookie with walnuts, marshmallows and, yes, Oreo cookie. Cookies are great comfort food, and this one is great when you’re stuck in traffic or if you’re having a particularly bad day.

Those who aren’t on the sweet side can opt for the savory and pasta dishes. There’s   the Italian Cheese Pocket, a flour tortilla filled with pepperoni, sausage, olives, mushroom, bell pepper, tomatoes, and cheese; Roasted Chicken and Turkey Wrap drizzled with cranberry garlic dressing; Chicken Fajita Roll, tortilla filled with Mexican flavored chicken; Spinach Lasagna or Penne Al Formaggio with creamy and sharp cheese sauce made with cheddar, Parmesan, and mozzarella.

At Starbucks, you can eat, drink (coffee), and be merry with your friends and family this holiday season.