If you don't remember the infamous Pink Drink that circulated Instagram the summer of 2016, then you must be living under a rock (or maybe you aren't a basic betch). This aesthetically pleasing drink is made by combining the sweet Strawberry-Acaí refresher with coconut milk, to achieve the bubblegum pink color we all know and love.
2017 is a big year for Starbucks. With new menu releases and gluten-free options, Starbucks fiends everywhere are jumping for joy. In addition to these new items, one brilliant Starbucks lover made a new Pink Drink, by incorporating Matcha into the previous Pink Drink recipe.
Seeing this picture circulate Instagram and news outlets, got me hyped. This watermelon-looking drink was just what my Insta feed and I needed, so I had to get my hands on it.
My Experience
I approached the barista, nervous, with the order rehearsed in my head: Venti 1 part Matcha coconut milk and 3 parts Strawberry Acaí coconut milk (traditional Pink Drink). The cashier looked at me, confused, and wasn't sure what I meant. I then proceeded to show him the above picture and explained.
He then reluctantly entered the order and charged me a whopping $8.00. The barista, somewhat annoyed at my order, quickly threw together the drink, mumbling something under her breath like "that isn't a real drink," and this is what I got.
Disappointed in the look of my drink, I thanked the barista for her effort and left. The drink tasted a lot like the regular pink drink, but was died green due to the Matcha powder. On my drive home I started thinking about how Instagrammers actually take those eye catching food pictures and did a little experiment.
I made my own "Pink Drink" and dyed almond milk with food coloring to see if I could fool a few people.
The Fraud
I posted this perfect watermelon-gradient picture to my Snapchat story and instantly received a stream of responses all along the lines of "what is this beauty?" Many were disappointed to find out it was just... dyed almond milk. Bummer.
Although my Starbucks order didn't work out as planned, it was certainly tasty, and got me thinking. Many of us forget that a picture is not real life, and food pictures can always be faked, dyed, saturated, and much more. So next time you see a drool-worthy Starbucks concoction on Instagram, don't always expect yours to come out as beautiful as that viral feed picture.