Sunday, April 05, 2009 : 7:52 PM

Fish mocha

That's what I told Mom I got when we tasted our drinks at Peet's Coffee. She'd ordered an iced peppermint mocha with whipped cream. I'd asked if they had something like that hot. They did, so I ordered that. I have no idea what it was that contributed to my mental interpretation, but my first reaction on smelling/sipping the whipped cream on the drink was "fish". I didn't feel comfortable telling them or asking for an exchange. I mean, imagine their pause and stare of disbelief if I chose to describe my experience: "I thought it smelled like fish." I've asked for new drinks when they weren't as hot as I'd requested or weren't as sweet as what I'd normally experienced. But "I thought it smelled like fish"...I'd just be embarrassed to mention that. So, all I can figure is that there was something about the combo of ingredients that tricked my brain.

Reminds me of the other night when I lifted up my laptop to smell if there was some electrical problem; I thought I smelled funky overheating plastic. Turns out my brain couldn't make sense of the perfumey jasmine bouquet on the table a few feet away.

I don't think I had fish mocha. But I'm thinking I won't reorder that drink "just to find out" if it still reminds me of fish mocha. What a waste if the answer is yes. I'll stick with what I know works.