Every coffee-lover knows that coffee is more than a drink, it’s a culture. Coffee shops have become the new trend, featuring atmospheres ranging from cozy to incredibly chic. However, the process of ordering coffee can be daunting given the wide variety of espresso drinks offered, and the long-fancy words used to describe them. Below, is a short guide on the basics of espresso drinks so you can walk into any coffee shop and be confident in your order.
1) The Latte
Before becoming a barista, I loved to order lattes. Only then, I had no idea what a latte even was. The latte seems to be the coffee trend of the moment, so here’s the DL of what goes into them:
They are a combination of espresso and steamed milk, one of the milkier coffee drinks offered. Sitting on top of the steamed milk is a thin layer of milk foam, and when steamed correctly, you’ll be able to create latte art.
2) The Cappuccino
Many people often wonder what the difference is between a latte and a cappuccino. The difference lies in the foam. A cappuccino is foamier than a latte, and has about an equal amount of milk, foam, and espresso.
Variation: the dry cappuccino changes the ratio of espresso, milk, and foam by having more foam than milk.
3) Café Au Lait
This drink is one of my personal favourites, combining brewed coffee with steamed milk. It’s easy to make at home, since it doesn’t’ require an espresso machine!
One variation I like to add to this is substituting steamed milk for half and half cream.
4) Americano
An Americano is an espresso drink where hot water has been added to reduce the strength of the espresso taste. It gets its name from North Americans going to Europe and requesting that their strong coffee be watered down, thus the Americano was born.
5) Mocha
A mocha is the combination of espresso, steamed milk, and chocolate. The way chocolate is incorporated to the drink varies between cafes, common methods include using a syrup or steaming chocolate chips after melting them in the espresso.
6) Espresso Macchiato
Many people are shocked to find that the famous caramel macchiato from Starbucks is quite different from the traditional espresso macchiato. An espresso macchiato is simply espresso marked with a dollop of dense milk foam.
7) Cortado
This is a drink I’d recommend to anyone desiring the kick of espresso, but with less of the bitterness. A cortado is an espresso drink with a 1:1 ratio of steamed milk to espresso. Usually served in a small glass, the cortado is a tasty alternative for those who find lattes too heavy on the milk.
8) Flat White
A drink that is very similar to a latte, the flat white is a combination of espresso with steamed milk that has even a thinner layer of foam on top than a latte.
9) Kori
I first discovered this caffeine-filled drink during the summer as a stronger alternative to an iced coffee. A Kori coffee consists of either brewed coffee or espresso frozen into ice cubes, with milk poured on top. This drink is great because as the coffee cubes melt, the flavour of the Kori coffee changes with every sip. Another benefit is that you skip the watered down taste of ice cubes melting in a traditional iced coffee.