Listen up, all you caffeine addicts! La Prima is going to extend their hours of operation from 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.–10 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays. The coffee shop will also be offering discounts between the hours of 5–6 p.m., which has been charmingly coined “happy hour.” This change comes as a result of student voting trends in the previous Undergraduate Student Senate election, which saw promises of increased food availability on campus as the biggest motivator behind student votes.
Since La Prima offers a wide variety of grab-and-go food options, pastries, snacks, and beverages, the dining location was chosen to be reformed to provide students with increased food options throughout the day.
Along with the change will come a new line of Carnegie Mellon-inspired drinks and treats that the coffee shop created in collaboration with the university. Some of the food items are in honor of Carnegie Mellon’s Scottish heritage and include traditional Scottish treats such as fern cakes, shortbread cookies in the shape of dog bones (monikered “plaid to the bone”), and a Tartan donut, which is actually just a plain donut bearing the plaid pattern through the use of frosting.
For those who don’t know, fern cakes are tarts filled with a layer of fruit jam and frangipane (an almond cream), which is then topped with vanilla and chocolate frosting to create a fern design.
A milk thistle latte will be released along with these treats. The new drink exhibits a light purple hue and is based on the university’s symbol. It will be available in both hot and iced forms and can be combined with matcha upon request.
In honoring Carnegie Mellon’s Scottish roots with a new line of food, the university was faced with an onerous decision: should La Prima serve alcohol-infused drinks and treats? Or should the concept be scrapped given its unavailability to half of the undergraduate student body? After much deliberation with the Pittsburgh-based coffee shop, the idea was finally approved.
Of course, this change will not come so swiftly as La Prima baristas must obtain their bartending licenses first, which will subsequently increase their wages. It also means students intending to purchase alcoholic beverages and snacks at the café must be prepared to show photo identification to prove they are legally allowed to drink alcohol.
So what are the alcoholic drinks and treats that led to this change? Well, let me enlighten you on some traditional Scottish desserts: cranachan and tipsy laird.
Imagine a layer of Scottish whipped cream infused with whisky, covered with another layer of crushed raspberries, and an additional layer of whipped cream, topped with toasted oats and raspberries for garnish. That’s the famous Scottish dessert, cranchan.
Tipsy Laird, on the other hand, begins with a sponge cake base that is then topped with raspberries and drenched in whisky. A layer of custard and whipped cream are added, which is then garnished with raspberries. The Scots sure do love their whipped cream, raspberries, and whisky.
Additionally, the café will introduce two new alcoholic beverages: the Presbyterian and the Mellon Margarita.
The Presbyterian is a cocktail originating from Scotland that combines Scotch whisky, club soda, and ginger ale, all garnished with a lemon twist. The Mellon Margarita cocktail combines watermelon puree, lime juice, silver tequila, lemonade-flavored bursting boba, and of course, ice cubes. While silver tequila is not at all Scottish, the creative team behind the drink found that it was the best-tasting alcohol for the cocktail.
As summer approaches, these drinks are a welcomed refresher for students to cool off.
Professors and baristas alike have raised concerns over the changes. We spoke to one professor, who would like to remain anonymous, who indicated their fear of having students drunk on campus, stating, “What should I do if a student comes into my classroom intoxicated? I don’t want to babysit just because a couple of college students haven’t learned to drink yet.”
The barista, who would also like to remain anonymous, expressed a wave of emotions, saying, “I’m excited about receiving a sweeter paycheck, but I don’t like having to work until 10 in the evening. I was hoping I could be home by dinner at 7.”
Love it or hate it, these changes will come on April 1, so stay tuned!
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