"I'd like a small, iced, caramel macchiato."
" Starbucks style or traditional?"
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"What's the difference?"
As someone who works at a independent coffee shop, people ask for a caramel macchiato on a daily basis. However, rarely do people know the difference between a macchiato and a latte. In fact, few people actually know what a macchiato is. A macchiato just consists of two shots of espresso and a little foam. You serve traditional macchiatos in a demitasse, aka a very small, cute, coffee cup. (Below is a traditional macchiato.) A Starbucks style caramel macchiato is actually a vanilla latte with caramel drizzle. Their caramel macchiato is not caramel flavored nor a macchiato at all. Complicated, right? In order to avoid confusion the next time you order coffee, I have put together a beginner's guide to coffee.
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Let's start with the basics. A typical cup of Joe (plain coffee) has different roasts and regions. A lighter roast coffee has more caffeine and tastes milder than a dark roast, while a dark roast has less caffeine and a stronger taste. I personally prefer a light roast, but that all depends on the individual. Also, coffee beans come from different parts of the world. Brazilian; Columbian: Guatemalan: and Ethiopian are just a few regions for coffee growing. Each region has a slightly different taste. Ethiopian for example has a very fruity, almost tea-like finish. And you can have cold coffee as well. Cold brew tastes smoother and less acidic than regular coffee because it is brewed cold over a longer period of time. The next time you find yourself at a coffee shop and are unsure what type of coffee you like, ask to sample a few different beans before committing.
A latte is usually two shots of espresso (the number of the shots will change depending on the coffee shop and the size of the latte) with steamed milk and foam. You can steam whole milk; skim milk; soy milk; almond milk, cashew milk; etc.. So even those with dairy allergies can enjoy lattes. Also, a wet latte has no foam or very little foam. Usually people put some type of flavoring in their lattes such as pumpkin spice or vanilla. Any type of flavors typically come either as a syrup or powder. Another type of latte is a mocha, which just consists of hot chocolate and espresso. Lattes come hot unless you ask for it iced. Then instead of steamed milk, regular milk is used.
Very similar to a latte, you can order a cappuccino. A cappuccino consists of two shots of espresso (usually), a third steamed milk, and a third foam. If you like the first initial sip of a latte (the part with the most foam) then you will probably like a cappuccino even more. You can order a dry cappuccino as well, which only has foam and espresso. Cappuccinos can have flavors added though from my experience that rarely happens.
During hot Alabama summers, frozen coffee drinks, Frappuccinos, can replace iced coffee. The base consists of milk, coffee, and ice and then you add other ingredients to create a specific flavor. You can even add fruits, peanut butter, or icing to a Frap to give it a more authentic taste. Where I work we have a red velvet Frappuccino made up of cream cheese icing, cocoa powder, and white chocolate syrup. Also, a Frap does not have to have coffee in it. A Frappuccino can be made entirely with just milk or a milk substitute. Fraps do not have a strong coffee taste so even non-coffee drinkers usually like Fraps.
Now an Americano is just straight espresso with hot water. Sometimes people like to add cream or flavored syrup, but usually Americanos are for people who enjoy the taste of espresso but like it milder than straight double shots. Steamed milk and coffee make up a Café Au Lait, which has become quite popular in New Orleans. If you prefer the taste of coffee over espresso, a Café Au Lait would work well for you. Then you have pour overs and French presses. Both of these are regular cups of coffees but specially brewed in either a Chemex, a V60, or a French press. A French press makes coffee very strong and dark while both the Chemex and V60 make a smooth, less acidic pot of coffee.
Keep in mind this just tells you the basics. There is so much more to coffee and espresso than what this short article can convey. Hopefully though this can help you understand what you are ordering the next time you get a drink from Starbucks or your local coffee shop. Whether you like traditional cappuccinos or prefer a Frap filled with so much sugar you can barely taste the coffee, we can all agree coffee is an art.
