Coffee milk facts for kids
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| Type | Flavored milk |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | New England |
| Associated national cuisine | Rhode Island |
| Main ingredients | Milk, Coffee Syrup |
| Similar dishes | Chocolate Milk |
Coffee milk is a yummy drink that mixes special coffee syrup with milk. It's a lot like chocolate milk, but with a coffee flavor! This cool drink is so popular in Rhode Island that it's their official state drink.
Contents
What is Coffee Syrup?
Coffee syrup is a sweet, thick liquid that tastes like coffee. It's the main ingredient that gives coffee milk its flavor. To make it, hot water and sugar are poured through coffee grounds. This process creates a strong, sweet coffee concentrate.
How Coffee Milk Began
Early Days
No one knows exactly when coffee milk started. But many people think it began with Italian immigrants in Providence, Rhode Island, back in the 1800s. Around that time, many Italian families moved to Providence. They brought their traditions with them, including how they liked to drink coffee.
A Sweet Tradition
Many Italian families enjoyed drinking sweetened coffee with milk. Over time, this habit likely led to the creation of coffee milk in their homes. Later, places like diners and soda fountains (shops that served drinks like milkshakes) started making and selling coffee milk to everyone. It's thought that a soda fountain owner first made coffee syrup by sweetening leftover coffee grounds with milk and sugar. This syrup was then mixed into glasses of milk.
Making Coffee Syrup for Everyone
Coffee syrup is made by pouring hot water and sugar through coffee grounds. Another way is to make a lot of hot coffee and then add sugar to it. Some people even make it using a cold method: they soak ground coffee beans for a while, then add sugar.
In the 1930s, local drug stores started making coffee syrup. They often sold it to kids, while their parents drank hot coffee. Because it was so popular, companies began bottling and selling coffee syrup in stores. The first company to mass-produce coffee syrup was Silmo Packing Company in 1932. Later, Eclipse Food Products and Autocrat Coffee also started making their own syrups. Autocrat bought Eclipse in 1991 and now makes both brands. Autocrat is known as the most popular coffee syrup in Rhode Island.
The Rise of Coffee Milk
Becoming a State Drink
Coffee milk became very popular, especially because of the large Italian immigrant population in Rhode Island. In 1993, politicians in Rhode Island noticed how much people loved it. They held a fun competition between coffee milk and Del's Lemonade. After the vote, the Rhode Island Legislature chose coffee milk as their official state drink on July 29, 1993.
New Coffee Milk Treats
As coffee milk grew in popularity, businesses in Rhode Island started creating new products. In 2013, the Narragansett Brewing Company teamed up with Autocrat Coffee to make a special "coffee milk stout" beer. Then, in 2015, Warwick Ice Cream worked with Autocrat to create coffee milk ice cream.
Other Uses for Coffee Syrup
Coffee milk and coffee syrup are also used in other tasty treats.
Coffee Cabinet
A coffee cabinet is a special kind of milkshake found mostly in Rhode Island. It's made with coffee ice cream, coffee syrup, and milk. It's a super thick and creamy drink!
Coffee Milk Stout
In December 2013, the Narragansett Brewing Company worked with Autocrat Coffee to create a limited edition "coffee milk stout." This was a special type of dark beer that had the flavor of coffee milk.
Images for kids
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Bottles of coffee syrup
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Prepared coffee milk next to coffee syrup
See also
In Spanish: Leche de café para niños
