The best drinks to order off the menu

Not only am I a staff writer for the Spectrum, but I am also a barista on campus at the Bison Beanery. 

The Bison Beanery is located within the Residence Dining Center near Sudro Hall. 

You can enter the coffee shop in any of four ways. Those include: having a meal plan of some-sort (five-day, seven-day, or block-plan), being guess-passed in, paying for a one-time entry or miraculously sneaking in. If you choose not to enter the dining center, all are welcome at the walk-up window. 

So… what should one order? Apple cider with peppermint? Black tea with hazelnut? Neither? Both? 

This article will cover the three best drinks to order at the Bison Beanery, including one drink from the secret menu. Note: The drinks are not listed in any specific order.

Breve

The breve is an excellent drink. A breve is a latte with half-and-half milk instead of the standard two percent milk and a shot of espresso.

First and foremost, if you are lactose intolerant, this drink and all others may not be for you as this article was not designed to be tailored for anyone with gastrointestinal problems.

Simply put, half-and-half milk is half milk and half cream. The half-and-half used at the Beanery comes from Cass-Clay Creamery, right here in Fargo. 

Cass-Clay does not use growth hormones and their ingredients are simple in half-and-half milk: pasteurized milk and cream (sounds like common sense, but most milk companies add a bunch of separate ingredients other than milk and cream). 

To pasteurize milk means to warm up the milk until all potential bacteria have decayed. Skim milk, two percent, chocolate and half-and-half all come from Cass-Clay Creamery. 

Anyway, back to the breve. A breve is rich and creamy, warming the soul upon sipping. Its texture is smooth and slightly thicker than two percent milk. It has a fulfilling taste, a slightly creamier taste than the standard two percent milk (for obvious reasons). It is almost as if you are drinking ice cream, but not as unhealthy.

If you are looking for a simple and soothing drink, the breve is the drink for you. Do not hesitate to top it off with some whipped cream.

Honeybee

Next is the honeybee. Unfamiliar with the honeybee? That is because it comes from the secret menu. 

The honeybee is an espresso shot with cinnamon sugar, honey, and a splash of half-and-half, although it is not subject to only half-and-half milk. This drink will wake you up immediately upon sipping. 

Typically, espresso shots can taste bitter and truthfully, distasteful. Some would say espresso is an “acquired taste.” This barista agrees with that statement. Espresso tastes bitter because all of the espresso (caffeine) is in one shot, rather than spread out within a drink such as a latte or mocha. 

The honeybee adds flavor to the standard espresso shot in the same way RumChata adds flavor to a shot of Fireball. This espresso shot vies hints of cinnamon perfected with nature’s natural sweetener, honey. 

The milk balances out the combination of honey, cinnamon sugar and espresso, giving the drink a smoother texture. This drink is perfect for a crisp afternoon or a day filled with homework. The perfect espresso shot for the fall and winter seasons.

Hot chocolate

Last but not least, hot chocolate. Seriously, you cannot go wrong. As stated before, the milk at the Beanery comes straight from Cass-Clay Creamery, right here in Fargo. 

Do not hesitate to try hot chocolate with two percent milk, half-and-half or even skim milk, rather than the traditional chocolate milk. 

This is a classic drink perfect for a cold day, which happens more times than not in Fargo. Many, however, have spiced up their hot chocolate with added flavors. Of the many flavors served in the Beanery, two stand out; peppermint, and cherry. Utilize both of these flavors to add a twist to your hot chocolate. You will not be disappointed.

The Bison Beanery is located in the Residence Dining Center and is an excellent place to relax and drink some coffee. The milk used comes fresh from Fargo, the same city the Beanery resides in. There are unlimited refills unless one uses the walk-up window. 

Finally, make sure to try the breve, honeybee and some sort of hot chocolate.