We’ve been saying this loads recently and we’ll say it once more: we’re espresso purists. By which we imply that we purely love scrumptious, high quality espresso as it’s delivered in all kinds. We settle for all espresso drinks with an open hand—no brews refused! A filter espresso, an espresso, an espresso macchiato, a mocha second, an espresso con panna on Whip It Out Wednesdays, or perhaps a cafe latte served in an impossibly giant bowl in order that it turns into one thing of a Campbells Cup-O-Latte.
After which there are signature drinks: these are the competitors present stoppers, the seasonal cafe delights, an opportunity for baristas to flex the culinary aspect of drink crafting to boost the espresso (or tea) and usher in much more folks to the shocking delightfulness that’s specialty espresso. There a chance to ask folks in who would possibly suppose espresso isn’t for them, or suppose espresso is simply too bitter, or no matter!
At this time, we flip to a favourite of ours from town of Portland, a restaurant known as Prince Espresso, based by Katie Prinsen and now serving espresso in each Northeast and Northwest Portland. Prince Espresso barista Julia Wohlstetter created a brand new drink this season known as the Peanut Brittle Latte—accessible now via April 20, 2026 at each places—and we spoke with Prinsen and Wohstetter to be taught extra about this tasty new providing.
“I had the prospect to strive salted espresso whereas on a visit to NYC two years in the past,” explains Wohstetter. “The flavour was actually fascinating—salt and condensed milk blended into an iced espresso. Whereas there wasn’t any precise peanuts on this drink, the ensuing taste was actually wealthy and nutty and salty. It bought me daydreaming about mixing peanut right into a latte. And as soon as I attempted it, I used to be completely obsessed.”
Flash ahead two years later, when Wohlstetter perfected her dream peanut-forward espresso-based beverage whereas serving as supervisor on the Northeast location. Utilizing Coronary heart Espresso Roaster’s flagship espresso mix Stereo, the drink combines a house-made peanut syrup and topped with Butterfinger sweet bar flakes. The drink works effectively each iced and scorching. “I find it irresistible iced,” Wohlstetter says. “One thing concerning the saltiness makes it really feel actually refreshing.”
Discovering the suitable stability of savory and candy took numerous trial and error. “The extra you cook dinner down peanut butter the extra the flavour modifications,” says Wohlstetter, “and it turns into tremendous intense, virtually as candy and salty as an excellent caramel. However peanut butter by itself wasn’t sufficient to create the flavour I imagined. I needed a touch of vanilla and maple to elevate the flavour. I additionally needed to experiment with the salt ranges fairly a bit. It’s virtually counter-intuitive, however the syrup itself needs to be rather more concentrated and salty than you suppose it must be. As soon as it’s blended with espresso it evens out actually properly.”
Maybe one of the crucial difficult elements of constructing a signature drink is arising with a reputation that speaks to each the beverage and the one who created it, whereas additionally sounding interesting to everybody else who walks in via the door. “I needed to name it ‘the salted peanut latte’ however we determined that sounded somewhat foolish,” says Wohlstetter, “I used to be looking for a technique to evoke each the savory and candy components of this drink inside the identify. Peanut Brittle appeared acceptable. The drink has each a creamy, savory, wealthy aspect, and a candy, vanilla, candied aspect to it. The stability between the 2 is what makes it so scrumptious.”
Prince Espresso is not any stranger to scrumptious signature drinks, with regulars devoted to their perennial Dutch-inspired Stroopwafel and Anijsmelk lattes. “We have now numerous regulars who’re dedicated to these drinks on the menu who’ve switched to solely getting the Peanut Brittle latte,” Wohlstetter tells us, “I feel thats in all probability the perfect testomony to how good it’s.”
Get the Peanut Brittle Latte at Prince Espresso places in Portland, Oregon. Observe Prince Espresso on Instagram @princecoffeepdx.
Photograph by Luke and Mallory Images courtesy Prince Espresso.
