Coffee Latte English: Milk Coffee Latte Espresso Extraction Parameters Grind Size

Professional coffee knowledge exchange for more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

Understanding Espresso-Based Coffee Varieties

When you stand at the counter of an espresso bar, looking at the dazzling array of coffee flavors, do you feel a bit confused? This time, FrontStreet Coffee will provide you with a comprehensive summary. Not only will it help you recognize the differences between various coffee flavors, but it will also detail the preparation ratios.

What we call Espresso is Italian-style concentrated coffee made using an espresso machine. Due to Espresso's intense flavor and strong taste, many people find it difficult to drink. Therefore, with Espresso as the base, many different coffee varieties have been derived.

(Note: The hot milk mentioned below refers to milk heated by a milk frother but not yet turned into foam)

1. Caffe Latte: Coffee and Milk as Dual Protagonists

Caffe Latte is Italian for "coffee with milk," while Latte means "milk" in Italian. If you go to an Italian coffee bar and tell the barista you want a "Latte," the barista might look at you confusedly and give you a glass of milk. In Italy, to get coffee with milk, you must say "Caffe Latte" to get an authentic Italian-style caffe latte.

Of course, in regions outside Europe, including the United States and Taiwan, people simply call caffe latte "Latte." However, the latte you order in Italy might not have foam, because the milk frother was invented relatively late, first appearing in the United States in the 1950s-60s. Before this, Italian lattes only had milk added.

In terms of composition, a latte consists of one-fifth espresso, two-fifths hot milk, and two-fifths milk foam. The flavor of a latte features both espresso and milk as dual protagonists. Carefully savoring the integration and balance of both is the most unique characteristic of latte flavor.

2. Cappuccino: Coffee as the Protagonist, Milk as the Supporting Role

When we adjust the proportion of coffee in a latte, making the coffee component increasingly dominant, the color in the cup transforms to predominantly dark brown, complemented by traces of white milk—resembling the Capuchin monks in their dark brown robes with a white cowl. In Italian, Cappuccino refers to Capuchin monks, which is how Cappuccino got its name.

The difference between Cappuccino and Latte lies in the higher content of espresso: Cappuccino contains one-third espresso, one-third hot milk, and one-third milk foam. Cappuccino can also be sprinkled with cocoa powder or cinnamon powder for flavor enhancement. In terms of taste, coffee flavor dominates, with milk as the complement.

3. Café au Lait: Milk as the Protagonist

Café au lait is French, where "au" is a preposition like "in" in English, meaning "in" or "inside," and "lait" means "milk" in French. Therefore, Café au lait means putting coffee into milk, phonetically translated as coffee au lait. It involves mixing a large amount of milk into coffee. The French like to serve it in a bowl as breakfast, accompanied by French bread.

Café au lait doesn't have a universally recognized ratio—how much milk constitutes "a large amount" is uncertain. In terms of flavor, milk is the protagonist, with the milky aroma almost completely overpowering the coffee taste.

4. Mocha: Chocolate as the Protagonist

Mocha is a small town located in Yemen, Middle East. The coffee beans produced there have a chocolate flavor. Later, it also became a general term for special coffee bean varieties with chocolate aroma, known as "Mocha beans." Eventually, Mocha evolved into the name of a beverage.

The ratio for Mocha is two-fifths espresso, two-fifths hot chocolate, and one-fifth hot milk. It's the most suitable coffee flavor for foodies who love both chocolate and coffee. The small amount of hot milk brings a smoother texture.

5. Macchiato

Macchiato is made by adding a tiny amount of milk foam to espresso—perhaps only a few milliliters, which can be served in an espresso cup. It looks like a white dot on top of Espresso. "Macchiato" means "stain" or "spot" in Italian, which is how Macchiato got its name.

If Macchiato is made with double espresso, it's called a Long Macchiato. If made with only single espresso, it's called a Short Macchiato.

Macchiato has a very rich flavor with minimal dilution. Milk in it merely serves as a taste supplement—you need to savor carefully to detect a hint of milky aroma. However, this is precisely what makes Macchiato attractive: a little bit of milk, a trace of milky fragrance, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

6. Caramel Macchiato

Caramel Macchiato is a variation of Macchiato, created by adding vanilla to Macchiato, then drizzling a thick layer of caramel on top, and drinking it all in one sip without any stirring. In this small sip, you can taste the bitterness of coffee, the aroma of vanilla, and the rich sweetness of caramel. This multi-layered taste experience is the most attractive aspect of Caramel Macchiato.

7. Americano

During World War II, American soldiers came to Italy and couldn't get used to the Espresso made by Italian espresso machines, so they added large amounts of hot water to Espresso to dilute the flavor.

This peculiar举动 amazed the Italians, who called this American way of drinking "Americano," meaning "American" in Italian. When Americans heard this slightly mocking name, they weren't offended at all—instead, they felt rather proud. Thus, the name Americano became widespread, specifically referring to the method of adding hot water to dilute Espresso.

Final Thoughts on Coffee Ratios

In fact, all the preparation ratios mentioned above are merely references. Taking latte and cappuccino as examples, the distinction isn't that clear because they're simply variations in preparation ratios. Currently, some American Starbucks locations have stopped selling cappuccinos because they're too similar to lattes. In the author's opinion, there's no need to be overly concerned about these preparation ratios—they're just references, not absolutes. What's truly important is using these reference standards to create your own favorite coffee beverages.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473