Coffee– a drink that many people can’t brave their mornings without. Coffee is a beacon of culture that has been celebrated for centuries, bringing people together to enjoy it in cafes or around kitchen tables. Many people have fallen into the monotonous routine of adding only cream and sugar which, while delicious, can quickly become a bit lacking in exuberant flavor. We felt this ourselves and took on the challenge of trying new ingredients to spice up a daily cup of coffee. Here’s what we found:

1-Adding a pinch of salt to a cup of coffee

Bella: I read that adding salt to coffee would counteract bitterness, which is one of the main reasons I hate drinking black coffee. I added a pinch of salt to my coffee which surprisingly did counteract bitterness but made the coffee taste like ocean water. I mean, it tasted like you went to the beach with a mug, dipped it in the water, heated it up in the microwave, and served. Blegh.

Paige: Putting salt in coffee gets a big no from me. As a caffeine-addicted high school student, I love my different types of coffee, but even I couldn’t finish this cup of coffee. Putting the salt in the coffee left a very ocean-like taste in my mouth. This trend gets a big no from me. If you want my advice, stay away from putting salt in your coffee, unless you wish to feel like a mermaid for a few gulps.

2-Adding ¼ teaspoon vanilla to a cup of coffee.

Bella: This sounds really delicious but in the end did not deliver. The vanilla was barely detectable, I would recommend adding more if you want to receive any flavor payoff. Once dolled up with cream and sugar, it tasted like generic vanilla flavored coffee– I just don’t think vanilla by itself is a strong enough flavor to stand out in bitter coffee.

Paige: Vanilla in coffee seems ordinary enough right? After all, many people do love a good vanilla latte every now and then, but this vanilla extract experiment did not go a planned.  The vanilla was barely able to indicate my taste buds of its presence and when I was able to pick up on its subtle notes it was not very pleasant. Although not terrible, I don’t think vanilla is worth adding to your daily coffee routine.

3-Adding one pat of butter to a cup of coffee.

Bella: This was in no way bad. It gave the plain coffee a little bit more of a creamy consistency but failed to give it any extra flavor. Adding more butter than that sounded oily and unappetizing, but you can always try it to get more flavor payoff.

Paige: I’m a huge fan of butter, but coffee and butter together? Very unusual to say the least. The butter is to be unsalted and made from grass-fed cows according to the latest craze. The theory is the healthy fats from this butter provide you with longer lasting energy that can potentially help weight loss. After testing this combination I found that it did little to affect the taste of the coffee. If anything, it gave the coffee a slightly creamier taste. Overall, this buttery coffee left me unimpressed.

4-Adding one tablespoon of peanut butter to a cup of coffee.

Bella: I have no clue where this suggestion came from but it was downright an awful idea. The peanut butter didn’t melt into the coffee too well, creating this thick, vomitous looking cup of coffee that was chock full of individual lumps of peanut butter with dark coffee glazing over it. Not to mention– it tasted horrible. This one is not worth anybody’s time.

Paige: This was a very very bad idea and proves the point that you should not believe everything you read on the internet. The peanut butter wouldn’t all the way dissolve in the coffee, so what was left at the bottom of the mug was a lumpy, putride, leftovers of peanut butter. The coffee itself took on a  gross taste that lingered in my mouth and would not go away.  This is one cup of coffee that could leave you with nightmares!

5-Adding Coke to a cup of coffee.

Bella: We somewhat guessed the ratio of Coke to coffee but I don’t think it would matter either way because this tasted like bleach. The acidic components of the Coke and the coffee mixed and fizzled like a science experiment, I genuinely have no clue why we put that in our bodies. It genuinely tasted like acid and that is the only way I can describe it.

Paige: Do not try this at home kids! This is a disaster waiting to happen for your poor pallet. What started as a way to cut down on sugar in Coca-Cola products for Australia’s became a fast-moving trend that moved to the United States. I’m not sure how this product ever became popular, but it is a no-go in my book. Small side note to Coca-Cola, what were you thinking?

6- Adding a scoop of ice cream to a cup of coffee.

Bella: I mean come on, how could this not be delicious? I have nothing bad to say about ice cream plus coffee, the combination was a mix of cold and warm and creamy and melty– it was delicious (and already a thing).

Paige: Finally, a coffee add in that I really liked! You could add ice cream to just about anything and I’m sure it would be good, to be honest. Putting the ice cream in the coffee gave the drink a nice flavor of creaminess and vanilla that I really enjoyed. I recommend giving this a try next time you get bored of drinking plain old coffee.

7- Adding two tablespoons of sweet and condensed milk to a cup of coffee.

Bella: Save the best for last! This is a traditional coffee additive in what seems like every country except the U.S. The creamy, syrupy consistency of the sweet and condensed milk melted straight into the warm coffee and erased any need for cream or sugar, it was all there in one coagulated form. This is a successfully delicious addition to your morning coffee that I would definitely recommend giving a try.

Paige: This is for sure a gem amount the world of coffee lovers. Many people in other Latin American countries use condensed milk to give their coffee a little kick! As to why this trend hasn’t made a strong mark on American coffee lover world is a mystery to me. This was for sure my favorite coffee addict I have tied in this little coffee extravaganza. I will be sure to add condensed milk to my arsenal of way to make my coffee routine more interesting.