Starbucks will begin offering lemon cake pops and Bavarian pretzels starting April 30, 2013. They both sound good. I am especially looking forward to the pretzels – I get savory cravings now and then. 😉 Also, there will be other new food options at Starbucks: Two salad bowls will be launched – If you’re looking for a healthy lunch at Starbucks, you could try the Zesty Chicken and Black Bean Salad Bowl or the Chicken and Greens Caesar Salad Bowl.
The Huffington Post reported on the new food offerings in this article – Starbucks Unveils Spring 2013 offerings: New Drinks Salads and Sandwiches. There’s also been lots of news about the new Frappuccino called the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, described by the Huffington Post as “…a blended beverage made with caramel syrup, Frappuccino roast coffee, milk and ice, drizzled with a layer of Starbucks’ new dark caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream, more caramel and a crunchy caramel sugar topping.” I know that many people will love the new Frappuccino. Frappuccino Happy Hour returns in early May also. (I am still working on getting exact dates. I’ll keep you posted.)
What do you think of the new food items? I bet the lemon cake pops are going to be very popular! And just as a reminder, Starbucks seasonal whole bean coffee Three Region Blend will be available on April 30th too. Just a few more days to wait for the new food and Three Region Blend!
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Melody I have to get on my soapbox again and say as nice as it is to have new food items why oh why are they introducing salads with meat? Also, how much salt does the pretzel have? The lemon pop sounds good. But, please SB introduce a vegetarian salad option!
i saw the nutrition for the pretzel.. it is over 1,000mg of sodium. :O
Oh my!
Melody read the huff post article and it said the brown rice and veggie bowls will be available but only in some stores. Do you know how they decide what stores it will be in?
I am going to assume that the “Hearty Vegetable and Brown Rice” salad will be only the “fresh market” company-operated Starbucks locations – Be advised, I am just making a guess! That would mean that it would be offered at only about 4,500 Starbucks stores in the United States.
I have been told that we are getting it… I’m willing to believe that since we are a fresh market store. I think it’s actually Quinoa, not Brown Rice.
I think on two levels it is a shame that SB is not being more health conscious as regards the level of sodium on the pretzel and offering the veggie brown rice salad at more stores.
I’m really excited to try the Sweet Lemon Cake Pop, and it is a great pairing for the Three Region Blend coming out. The Pretzels, Salads, and Sandwiches sound delicious as well!
I want to try that pairing! Great idea!
Well, can’t say as I think pretzels go with coffee, but okay then. I can see the lemon cake pops being very popular, and very cuppajoe. Lol
It’s true – in my own experience, some of the more difficult pairings to make work are foods with a lot of salt flavor (salt and coffee are just difficult to pair!). Actually black pepper, and a strong curry are two more difficult flavors to pair. The pretzels might work with the Panama Paso Ancho coffee. By the way, I often think of the Starbucks Coffee Gear store as the land where Cupajoe’s ideas come to life at times … http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2013/03/26/starbucks-coffee-gear-store/ – Starbucks umbrellas, car chargers, coasters. Just so much Cupajoe type Starbucks stuff! http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2012/11/08/coffee-gear-store-at-starbucks-update-november-2012/
I haven’t tried it, but thinking about how nicely salt and sweet go together, a salty pretzel might be nice with a caramel macchiato or a caramel frappuccino.
Lol Melody. So true and so cuppajoe.
Hmmm… For “spice” pairings I would go with Asian/Pacific coffee such as Komodo Dragon or Muan Jai. Panama Paso Ancho would also be interesting to try with the Zesty Chicken Salad.
i have an amazing salt creme ice coffee recipe that i’ll share with you! coffee and salt actually can go really well together! 🙂
the idea of the lemon cake pops sounds really good to me…..hopefully they will be nothing like those pink birthday cake ones. and I agree, that frapp sounds like I would have to try it. We’ll see.
The lemon cake pops, I will definitely try. I also wish Starbucks would have more meatless options.
Melody, Happy Hour starts next Friday (May 3) and I believe ends on May 12th (Sunday). I just had my summer meeting. Some of the deli sandwiches are getting a facelift too. I’m looking forward to all the new stuff! Plus we found out that my district is going to be a tester for La Boulange come fall, so I’m super excited!
I love pretzels! The only problem is I dont drink coffee lol
@Michelle: thanx for your post. No, not incredibly fond of super-sweet but do like caramel and I have a frappuccino about every 5-6mnths so, we’ll see. Sounded really good in the description, tho.
I love the idea of the Lemon Cake Pops, since I usually love most lemon cake & lemon bars.
I love pretzels, especially those that are the real deal like these Bavarian Style seem to be. However…. Speaking only for myself…. Pretzels and Bagels tend to give me heartburn when eaten alone. (I wonder if this happens to anybody else?) Having coffee with bagels is a bad combination for me, so I can imagine how coffee with a pretzel would go over.
Here is a little FYI tidbit. Did you know that some bagels and real pretzels are made using LYE?
*Sorry folks!! I wasn’t finished. Don’t know what happened!*
Most people believe that lye is an acid, when in actuality it’s an alkyline and a base which in the right forms are very caustic. It’s drain cleaner, and as we know can burn. I don’t know if the bagels Starbucks uses are made with lye, or these pretzels will be, but as much as I love both, I pay the price later. I know bagels and coffee don’t sit well with me, so my choice will be either have the coffee or the pretzel – but not both. I’m no chemist or biologist, but I just wonder if consuming coffee with a bagel or pretzel made with lye would cause a reaction for some people, especially since it’s really not an acid? All I know is that those foods tend to agravate GERD without having coffee with them.
Chgo – Get the lemon cake pops while you can – Your area will have them longer than mine, I think. Since Seattle is slated to switch to La Boulange baked goods starting in June, these lemon cake pops and pretzels are actually temporary in Seattle – until the end of June.
melody, i thought starbucks was going to keep the petites along side la boulange? i’ll miss the birthday cake pop if it goes away, but maybe that is a good thing!!!!! 😉
Yes Melody, this format (except not seeing those most recent comments along the R side) looks, feels much better to me! 😉
@Chgo: that was quite a dissertation on lye! yikes…. I just went and read the ingredients on a packaged bag of bagels I have…..no listing of lye but I would not expect it to be listed even it were in them…I would guess ? the amnt would be small enough, they can get away w/out listing it? I don’t know and I have (pretty much) a bagel every day with my mid-day coffee from Sbux. Luckily that combo doesn’t bother me, because it’s one I really enjoy. (and it’s generally my lunch) I have to say: I have only used or, luckily had it used for me, lye for another reason than ingesting. also luckily, rarely. ;(
I will definitely try the lemon cake pops, assuming they are here. Right now my favorite cake pop is the dark choc. one. That and a cup of BOLD could also make a lunch for me. I haven’t tried the ‘mocha’ ones, (lighter choc.) but I have heard they’re much sweeter and really very good. But I’ve loved the dark ones so much, I see no reason to try the other. I’m guessing this could mean they disappear when the lemon comes in??? Do you know Melody? I can ask my sm later today.
@Chgo: what I said about your dissertation on ‘lye’ still holds, and everything I said about it (the bagels, etc) BUT, what I was thinking of, that I have, thankfully, seldom had reason to use was LIME….as in gardening or….whatever :((( Just noticed that when I was getting into my planting supplies as I was about to put out just a few (hardy) annuals today! Can’t wait (since I can’t have no snow now…altho, it has been known to happen here in May) for real sun and flowers and swimming and being tan….
and, btw, asked at my store today and not one (of the partners) knew anything about any lemon cake pops. The sm wasn’t available. I only hope this is just another example of bad (or, none at all) communication to the partners. I did mention that since it’s getting time for me to start having my quad grande doubleshot, I hope all (there are SO many) these new partners know the drink. I can walk them thru it but since it’s such a simple drink, I hope someone has included it in their ‘learning’. am doubting it tho….
Happy Hour starts May 3! We’re getting all set…
@Melody: am loving this format of old! hope it lasts:)
Melody today at my local SB saw the veggie and brown rice bowl! Was not going to be able to eat it today so did not get it but will buy it soon! Hope it is as good as you reviewed. BTW are you back with the old system of posting?
@Purple1 – The salad bowls definitely are not the same recipes as the “test” versions that I tried. I bought one this morning, and will have it over lunch. I need to write an update post about all the new food, and so perhaps I’ll be able to get that posted tonight after work.
Last weekend, I had a plug-in crash, and long story short, a number of plug ins on my blog are now disabled. (There is no comment luv, the recent comment widget changed) Most noticeably, Disqus plug in is currently disabled. I could reactivate it – at the moment though, I”ll just see how it goes having the old comment system back.
Melody I really do like this old format. Denise R the lemon cake pops were also at my local store with the pretzels. I looked up the nutrition for the bagels and did not see lye mentioned. I also saw a new card for graduation, Mother’s Day and for teachers.
Hi Melody,
1) Nice shout out/link from huffingtonpost!
2) Can’t wait to try some of the new things, especially the cake pop.
3) I’m sure you found out, but Happy Hour May 3-12 from 3-5 p.m., whoo hoo!
4) Did you see the new drinkware/things at starbucksstore? I might have to try the ‘cold-to-go ice cubes’ . . . 🙂
Let me first say that I’m glad the old format is back! It’s Retro……
@Denise – I’m not sure if you searched it out, but Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) is usually used for real authentic style pretzels. It’s dipped into a light watered down Lye solution to give it the shine, color and texture. I’m not sure why they don’t use it for all pretzels, like the store bought hard variety. I’m not sure how many places still use it for bagels. To me a bagel and pretzel are somewhat similar.
While visiting Starbucks today and ordering the 3 Regions, I forgot to check if the had the Lemon Cake Pops. However…. My wife stopped into work today and said they had them inside their Licensed Safeway Store. So they are here. Now!!! I will have to work to get me some.
I forgot to mention I did see the Pretzels in Starbucks today.
We did have the lemon cake pops and altho it was afternoon, they were behind the counter and not out…so I asked and got 2. I ate one and am sad to say: I won’t get one again. I thought the lemon cake part was good but the frosting,as I was kind of afraid of, was just way way too sweet for me. I do think they’ll be a hit tho. We did have the pretzels, too. They were brewing 3-region so I had a taste. I liked this yrs better than before but still a bit light for me. My sm suggested trying it iced….he says it really is one of the biggest differences iced..which I could see… citrusy. And, speaking of iced, I did get a packet of those little re-usuable ice cubes. I think they’ll be nice in cold coffee drinks (even the ‘for-iced’ VIA) that I don’t want diluted.
@Chgo: I get it about the lye….. and it doesn’t scare me, which I guess you might figure…..lye or no lye. I’m not that sensitive 😉 At least not about some ingredients probably in minute quantities.
@Melody: am really enjoying this ‘old’ format again! very much! I hope you keep it….
Am wondering if the lemon replaced the drk choc. cake pops? am hoping not for when I do want just a bite of sweet….they were not nearly so sweet as the lemon.
@Denise – If you don’t mind me asking, is it a tart lemon frosting like what’s on the Lemon Loaf, or is it it the lighter, subtle less tart frosting?
@TheKwan – Thank you! The Huffington Post mention made my day. I think I did eventually edit this article to add in the Frappuccino Happy Hour information. As for the new merchandise, it feels like the Jetsons landed in Starbucks on a summer day. Not totally sure how I feel about it yet.
@Denise – I received the answer I was looking for today regarding the frosting on the Lemon Cake Pops, so never mind.
@Chgo: I don’t know what answer you received but to me it was a heavier, very sweet (overpowering any tartness there might have been..in the frosting) taste, more like the birthday-cake pops (yuk). It was just too heavy, sweet….which ruined the lemony cake part, for me. What opinion did you receive? curious. Am I the only one?
@Denise – The description of the Pop was equal to what you said. As much as I love the Lemon Loaf frosting, I do prefer the less tart lemon frosting you get on a regular frosted cake. Hopefully my wife will pick some up at work and I will test them out for myself and base my own opinion of them. I never brought it up, but I hope you survived the flooding last week. It was really bad by me for much of my neighborhood. I was lucky.
I came home, and there is 2 of every Cake Pop in a bag. I tasted the Lemon, and not only did I think it was good, but it tasted somewhat like I was expecting it to taste. The Salted Caramel still is my favorite, but I like them all. I don’t think they are worth the money though. They should be called Just a Tease Pops!
@Chgo: was ok with the flooding…thank God, but very limited in moving(driving) around…too close to River Rd. (couple miles, maybe 1.5) so all of River Rd and lots of Rand and Golf were all closed. as I’m guessing you know!
My favorite cake pop is still the dark choc. one, which I saw they still had. The lemon one is definitely not for me..and I like lemon a lot. But cake pops are tricky (I made them once)…the frosting has to be just so in order to stick into a ball and maintain itself, plus the stick.
I don’t know about you Denise, but I would hardly call that frosting on the cake pops honestly – LOL!!! Its a flavored waxy something….
I’m glad to hear about your non flooding issues. Of course we know the town of Des Plaines is none too happy with you people in Mt. Prospect.
😉
@chgo: unlike that lye in (some) bagels ;), there usually actually is some ‘wax’ or paraffin in any little frosted ball-type cake, or candy. Some of the best candy I used to make was choc. covered peanut butter balls. Same thing with those choc. dipped strawberries? You need a little paraffin for them to be stable. So, maybe Sbux recipe adds a little too much in especially the lemon one because now that you mention it…..it did taste a little more waxy than some of the other ones.
and yes, we like to protect ourselves as much as possible in Mt P. ;
The new packaging for 3 Region is beautiful! I’m not a fan of really sugary drinks, and I don’t like lemony foods, so I can’t say much about the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino or the new lemon cake pop, but that Asiago Pretzel is delicious!
This summer’s going to be a busy one for Starbucks!
I’m so looking forward to trying the new Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, Asiago Pretzel, & a Chicken Salad. It’s been a week since I’ve gone in myself, so I’m guessing some damage will be done to my card tomorrow. I’ll also try the 3 Region Blend Iced & probably buy those ice cube thingamajiggers. I wish I had a 24 hour open location near me (caffeine doesn’t affect my sleep anyway).
neat blog! i tried the lemon cake pop today and “googled” it and found your blog. the cake pop is awesome. it is my fav of all four flavors and they are all delicious. i love lemon and this treat is lemony!
pretzels sound good. haven’t seen anywhere in norcal. i agree they don’t sound good with coffee but it is a cool snack. way tooth sodium at 1000mg.
they absolutely need a salad withouteat and a vegan muffin option. peet’s coffee in California has some.
still i patron SBX a few times per week and it’s a lot of fun.
The salads are not a good value unless you have a coupon or are using it as your free item for birthdays or stars. For what you are getting it is too small. The smaller markets or Whole Foods have high quality ingredients for a slightly higher price, but you are getting much more of the product, and the McDonald’s and other fast food salads are of course cheaper and bigger, although they use cheap iceberg lettuce instead of aragula or the good lettuce.
Lemon cake pop is good my son ate most of it now im making myown lemon cake pops
yeah! they are way too small! would be great to make a similar full-sized cake maybe a bit healthier. it seems very fatty — of course that’s why it is so delicious. 🙂 🙂