Random Daily Adventure: What Do You Call That Green Thing

For months I’ve been walking and going to Starbucks for coffee in the mornings. This morning I finally took the time to solve a mystery. Every time I order coffee from Starbucks, whether in the United States or Mexico, I ask for one of the little green things you put in the coffee lid hole. I’ve asked several times in Spanish what they are called. I don’t think I’ve gotten a consistent answer, and even if it was called the same thing every time, I could not make out what was said given the rapid, masked Spanish that was hurled at me. So I’ve resorted to hand signals to demonstrate what I needed. Back in the states, I call this thing a stopper mainly because it stops me from getting second-degree burns on my hand when I move with the cup.

Today was the day I would learn what to call this thing in Spanish. I first googled what it’s called in English to find that this is a much-debated topic in English as it appears to be in Spanish. Nobody knows the official name. The article I found suggested it may officially be called a splatter stick by Starbucks corporate, which makes sense.

Therefore, armed with this information, I used my handy dandy translate app and came up with the translation “Palo de salpicadura.” Which literally means stick of splatter. I’m going to try this new found term out the next time I venture to Starbucks.

Stay tuned for the everyday adventures of a Mexican wannabe.

Until Next Time,

MexitPlans Monte.