What Is Starbucks Cold Foam and Can You Make It at Home? | Eater

"What was once a menu of syrupy espresso stunts has shifted toward iced coffee drinks topped with cold foam — a chilled, meringue-like nonfat-milk topping popularized by the company. Originating in 2014 as part of an Americano con Crema at its Reserve Roastery and piloted through Reserve Bar locations in 2017 before a wider U.S. and Canada rollout in April 2018, cold foam (made from nonfat milk for stronger protein-driven froth) now appears in at least a dozen menu iterations — from cold brew with cold foam and nitro varieties to seasonal offerings like pumpkin cream cold brew — and can be added to most iced beverages. The brand optimized the format with a special bladed blender and a strawless lid with a triangular opening (designed by an engineer in R&D) to preserve the layered presentation; its popularity has been boosted by layered-beverage social-media trends and by business data showing cold drinks drove the majority of recent beverage growth." - Brenna Houck