As far as food fads go, protein and the desire for more protein seems to be as enduring as the non-fat craze of the 80s and 90s. Protein injection into familiar foodstuffs and beverages seems to only be getting more pronounced. This also applies to coffee. Protein enhanced coffee beverages, or "proffee", lines RTD shelves in the grocery store and even Starbucks is joining the game with a range of protein infused lattes. Highly addictive and soul draining mobile apps like TikTok and Instagram come out with viral proffee hack each week.

For this episode's Mocha Moment Presented by Ghirardelli, we took the proffee world we're all living in and made something truly delicious on this week on the Coffee Sprudgecast. That's right, it's a count your macros mocha that's as protein-packed as it is rich and decadent.

It's a cottage cheese and milk based beverage we're calling The Mocha Fromage.

Heck, call us proffee purists. And before you wince at the idea of cottage cheese in your coffee, make it yourself! Trust us when we say: cottage cheese milk is going to be huge.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Baratza, Dripos, DONA, noissue, Ceado, Pacific Barista Series, and La Marzocco. The Mocha Fromage Ingredients 1/2 cup cottage cheese 1/2 cup milk 1 tbsp Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder Double shot of Joe Coffee Waverly Espresso

1. Create the cottage cheese milk base. Place a cup of cottage cheese and a cup of milk in a blender. Pulse until all of the chunks have been blended out. Pour the frothy cheese milk mixture into a vessel and refrigerate for an hour, or until the bubbles have dissipated.

2. Place a heaping tablespoon of Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder into a pre-heated 8-10oz vessel.

3. Add espresso to the powder and whisk until combined.

4. Steam and lightly aerate cheese milk to 140-150ºF.

5. Plop a little cheese milk into the espresso/chocolate mix and stir again before pouring the rest of the milk into the mug. Refrigerate remaining cheese milk and use within a day.

6. Sip your Mocha Fromage, perhaps with a piece of funky soft cheese to really kick it up a notch.