Nature seeks happiness. You and I have got to part; motivations are to satisfy love and belonginess. A young entrepreneur opened a coffee shop along with two partners. During their first week in operation, he overheard two little ladies in the dining room talking about their disappointment that they could not get a pumpkin spice latte at another coffee shop because it was not the right season to order the drink. One of the ladies who was from Stockholm, Germany, had never tired the café beverage and was looking forward to trying it. The entrepreneur got on the computer and did an internet search on “how to make pumpkin spice latte,” found the recipe, went to the supermarket, got the ingredients, and returned to his coffee shop. He whipped up the concoction, as the two ladies were having lunch, and brought them two tall muds of pumpkin spice lattes, and even topped them with whipped cream. “Ma’am,” he said, “There will always be a pumpkin spice latte with your name on it at this coffee shop anytime you want it. Anytime you come in, you just tell the person working the espresso machines who you are and that you would like a pumpkin spice latte, and they will prepare it for you.” 

 The woman was shocked. 

“Young man,” she said, “I have lived in this town my whole life. I have many influential friends, and they will all hear what you just did for me. Thank you. From now on, I will be a regular customer, and my friend will tell everyone how nice Americans are when she returns home and how much she enjoyed your latte.” And she was as good as her word. Businesses should have excellent customer service. Employees are required to address customers’ desires in a friendly and professional fashion. Great customer service is not possible without amazing business management, so it is key that you are making what your customers do not see just as important as what they do see. Customer attention is the new resource that everyone is fighting for. The new “Attention Economy” is the new battleground for companies. In the 1960 to the 1990s, great customer service was the norm because people wanted a good reputation and cared about their products. We have a very limited window to grab someone’s attention when they come into our store. If we are not able to serve their needs in a timely, polite, professional, and satisfactory manner, our competitors are quite literally just a few steps away.  Do not make your customer think, do not make them wait, and tell them why they should care. Make sure you are helping them understand why your business is the best. A light heart and a thin pair of breeches goes through the World.

How To Make a Pumpkin Spice Latte at Home

What You Need

Ingredients
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
**1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more to garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk
**1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped until firm peaks form

(**Look below for substitutes. just scroll down until you see substitutes.)

Equipment
Mixer, whisk, or hand blender, to whip cream
Saucepan
Wooden spoon
Whisk
Blender
Espresso maker or coffee maker

 

Instructions

1. Heat the pumpkin and spices: In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the pumpkin with the pumpkin pie spice and a generous helping of black pepper for 2 minutes or until it’s hot and smells cooked. Stir constantly.
2. Stir in the sugar: Add the sugar and stir until the mixture looks like a bubbly thick syrup.
3. Warm the milk: Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract. Warm gently over medium heat, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t boil over.
4. Blend the milk: Carefully process the milk mixture with a hand blender or in a traditional blender (hold the lid down tightly with a thick wad of towels!) until frothy and blended.
5. Mix the drinks: Make the espresso or coffee and divide between two mugs and add the frothed milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, or nutmeg if desired.

Substitutions

• Vanilla: Yes, this recipe calls for two tablespoons (not teaspoons) of vanilla. This sounds like a lot, but it does more than anything else to mimic the intense, even artificial, taste of the syrups used in coffee shops. But feel free to start with less and bump it up as needed.
• Milk Fat: This recipe is most satisfying when made with whole milk, but 2% and skim can be substituted.
• Canned Pumpkin Substitution: You can substitute 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup for the canned pumpkin if you have it on hand.
• Sugar Substitute: You can use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar if desired. Add to taste.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute: No pumpkin pie spice? No problem — use our recipe to make it out of cinnamon, ginger, and other spices: Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix 
  
  

   

  
  

• How To Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

  Makes 2 1/3 tablespoons

  Adapted from The Contemporary Encyclopedia of Herbs & Spices by Tony Hill

  What You Need

  Ingredients
  1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  2 teaspoons ground ginger
  1/2 teaspoon allspice
  1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  1/2 teaspoon ground mace
  1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  Equipment
  Measuring spoons, bowl, whisk, or spoon

  Instructions

  1. Measure: Measure out all ingredients in the order listed (to ensure you don’t double up or leave one out) into a small bowl.
  2. Mix: Whisk or stir to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year.
• ****Espresso Substitute: If you don’t have espresso on hand, you can use strong brewed coffee instead. Increase amount to 1/3 to 1/2 cup.

Recipe Notes

• Make a big batch of pumpkin spice mix-in: If you like, you can make a big batch of the pumpkin spice base, and refrigerate. To make 8 full servings, cook 1/2 cup pureed or canned pumpkin with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in 1/2 cup vanilla extract. Refrigerate for up to 1 week and use as desired. To serve, blend 1/3 cup pumpkin spice mix-in with milk until frothy, and add 1 or 2 shots of espresso. Top with whipped cream and serve. May even enjoy with a warm slice of pumpkin pie.

And one of my person favorite is the Eggnog latte, which is really simple, buy a carton of eggnog, heat it to about 165° degrees Fahrenheit, on medium heat, constantly stirring it so you do not burn the eggnog, add about a shot of espresso to one glass of heated eggnog, and you are real to enjoy. If you want, top with a little whipped cream and cinnamon.