Olive Oil in Your Coffee? Oleato: Starbucks’ Latest Brew or a Slippery Slope to “Crappuccino”?

In the annals of coffee history, 2023 will be remembered for Starbucks’ audacious gamble: Oleato, a concoction that boldly infuses coffee with extra virgin olive oil. Yes, you read that correctly. Olive oil. In coffee. This brainchild of Howard Schultz, Starbucks’ visionary who once found inspiration in the espresso bars of Milan, has now looked to the olive groves of Sicily for his final act before retiring. But has this olive twist gone too far, transforming the beloved cup of joe into what some are cheekily dubbing a “Crappuccino”? Let’s dive into the buzz, the backlash, and the bizarre.

A Milanese Flashback Turned Sicilian Fiasco?

Back in 1983, Schultz’s Italian escapade birthed the Starbucks empire, forever changing the American coffee landscape. Fast forward to his latest Italian sojourn, and Schultz returned not with beans, but with olives, marrying them with coffee in what he envisioned as Oleato. This daring debut in Italy, followed by launches in America, Canada, and cities like London, Paris, Tokyo, and Osaka, has certainly stirred the pot.

The Reception: From Curiosity to Queasiness

While some coffee aficionados have embraced Oleato’s unique profile, others haven’t been as kind. Beyond the initial curiosity lies a swath of customers and even Starbucks employees reporting a direct flight to the restroom post-consumption. The term “laxative chic” hasn’t been thrown around, but it’s hanging in the air, with many calling Oleato everything from a “blasphemous brew” to an outright “gastrointestinal gamble.”

Beyond Coffee: A Culinary Conundrum

Starbucks’ Oleato isn’t alone in the realm of culinary curiosities. The world has seen its fair share of questionable food trends, like deep-fried toothpicks in South Korea—a snack that’s as much a choking hazard as it is a trend. And let’s not forget the litany of gastronomic oddities gracing social media, from dirty soda to chocolate biryani, proving that just because you can, doesn’t always mean you should.

The Science of Sip and Savor

But what explains our divided reaction to Oleato and its culinary cousins? Science points to genetics, revealing that our experiences with food are as unique as our DNA. Every bite is a dance of senses, a complex interplay that can turn pineapple on pizza into a contentious debate or make ice cream-dipped fries a revelation. Oleato, with its blend of coffee’s bitterness and olive oil’s smoothness, is no exception, challenging our taste buds to a duel.

Oleato: Innovation or Infamy?

As Starbucks forges ahead, unfazed by the mixed reviews, Oleato’s fate hangs in the balance. Will it be remembered as a stroke of genius or a fleeting folly? Only time will tell. But one thing is clear: in the pursuit of culinary innovation, there’s a fine line between groundbreaking and ground-shaking. Oleato walks this line, teetering between becoming a staple in the coffee canon and a cautionary tale of ambition run amok.

In Conclusion: To Sip or Not to Sip?

As we stand at this culinary crossroads, Oleato invites us to question not just our coffee preferences, but our openness to the new and the novel. Whether you view it as a bold exploration of flavor or a misstep best left unexplored, there’s no denying that Oleato has sparked a conversation worth having. So, next time you’re faced with the option of adding a splash of olive oil to your espresso, ask yourself: Are you ready for an adventure, or will you stick to the tried and true? After all, in the world of taste, the only true judge is your own palate.