Favorite Coffee Drinks
Your Favorite Coffee Drinks:
Cappuccino:
Cappuccino is a popular coffee house drink that you can also make at home as long as you have an espresso machine and the proper beans. A cappuccino consists of espresso topped with equal parts foamed and steamed milk. This drink is often served in a large, rounded coffee mug and is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace.
Café Americano:
Café Americano is a American drip coffee with an Italian twist. Made from equal portions of espresso and boiling water, rather than hot water filtering through ground coffee beans, a café Americano has the flavor of a stronger version of brewed coffee. It is a drink of choice for those who love strong, robust coffee flavors.
Café au lait:
The café au lait is made with equal parts of brewed coffee and steamed milk. This is a traditionally French drink which is also very popular in New Orleans and often served with beignets - a fried, doughy breakfast treat. One tip for saving pennies on your coffee shop habit is to replace the often pricier cappuccinos or lattes with a cafe au lait every now and then.
Café breve:
A café breve is a milk-based espresso where half-and-half is used instead of milk. Richer and creamier than milk, half and half makes the café breve a more decadent choice. Half and half also increases the amount of foam in this drink, making it fluffier than a typical latte. Since the proper way to make a cafe breve is with half and half, this is not the best drink of choice for those on a diet or watching calories.
Café con leche:
A café con leche is made with 1.5 ounces of espresso with steamed milk to fill an eight-ounce cup. This tasty beverage is a Spanish version of café au lait or Italian caffe e latte. It is customary to add sugar or a pinch of salt to café con leche, according to your own taste. Since this drink originated in Spain, it is also common in Latin America and around the world.
Café con panna:
Café con panna is made up of espresso topped with whipped cream. This drink has Italian routes but sometimes goes by other names. Café con panna may be referred to as café Vienne in the United States, and café Viennois in the UK. This is a delicious drink that is actually more old fashioned than the popular latte and cappuccino.
Caffe corretto:
Caffe corretto is a alcoholic coffee drink. It is prepared by mixing espresso with a shot of brandy, cognac, or liqueur. This drink has its origins in Italy, and oftentimes grappa or sambuca are used as the liqueur. A caffe corretto could be a great way to end a dinner party where Italian foods were served. It is also a wonderful accompaniment with chocolate desserts, ice cream or gelato.
Café crème:
A café crème consists of 1.5 ounces of espresso combined with one ounce of heavy cream. This is a traditional French coffee drink which is truly delicious and decadent. It is most often served in a large cup with hot cream. If you find yourself in a French cafe with an enjoyable book, a cafe crème could just be the perfect drink to order.
Café doppio:
A café doppio is a double shot of espresso with one shot of hot water. This is a strong coffee drink that can really give you a "pick me up" on those rough mornings. If you enjoy strong coffee, you may want to try a café doppio. Knowing the proper Italian term for this drink will also help you out if you are traveling through Italy and sampling the many cafes there.
Café frappuccino:
The café frappuccino is a coffee slush, blending iced coffee, milk, flavorings and ice. Starbucks has made the frappuccino a very popular drink that you can see someone carrying in virtually any shopping mall in America. Creating a café frappuccino at home is something to try. Blend together iced coffee, milk, sugar and any flavorings you like to create your own frosty treat.
Café freddo:
A café freddo consists of chilled espresso served in a glass, often iced. This is a delicious choice on a hot summer day. If you like a strong coffee flavor, you will likely enjoy a café freddo. It also tastes great with sugar added, if you enjoy sweeter coffee drinks. If you have an espresso machine at home, you can enjoy a cafe freddo with only as much, if not less effort than a regular cup of drip coffee.
Café latte
The café latte is a very popular coffee drink, whether it is being ordered in a coffee shop or made at home by a coffee connoisseur. It is prepared with 1.5 ounces of espresso in a six-ounce cup filled to the top with steamed milk, forming a dense drink. The cafe latte may also be topped with foamed milk, if desired.
Café latte macchiato:
A café latte macchiato is a glass of hot milk with a teaspoon of espresso. This is a very light coffee drink, which is very smooth and enjoyable. This is a great choice for when you want a nice hot coffee drink, but don't want much caffeine. It can be sweetened to taste or flavors such as almond, vanilla or caramel may be added if desired.
Café latteccino:
A café latteccino is composed of espresso with two parts of steamed milk and one part foamed milk. This could be considered a hybrid of a cappuccino and a latte. With a espresso machine at home, you can practice creating lesser known drinks like the cafe latteccino. Impress guests or just yourself with this smooth and tasty drink.
Caffé lungo:
The café lungo is a long espresso made by adding boiling water to a 1.5 ounces espresso. It is the Italian term for an Americano. Lungo translates as "long," which is pertinent because the addition of hot water to this espresso drink stretches the drink, or allows you to drink it for a longer amount of time.
Caffé macchiato:
To make a caffé macchiato, pour 1.5 ounces of espresso into a demitasse and top it with a dollop of foamed milk. Macchiato means "marked" in Italian - so this drink is espresso which is marked with milk. Traditionally, only a teaspoon of milk is added to a macchiato, but there are many variations on the drink that you can find around the world.
Café mocha:
The café mocha contains espresso, chocolate syrup, and steamed milk, often topped with whipped cream and cocoa powder or chocolate shavings. The mocha is a variation of a latte, but with chocolate added. There are many variations of this popular drink, including white chocolate mochas and tuxedo mochas, which contain both white and dark chocolate.
Café ristretto:
The café ristretto is highly concentrated espresso (3/4 to one ounce of water used for extraction), resulting in a denser, and more aromatic espresso. Another term for this drink is "short," "café court" or "café serre" in French. This drink results in a thicker and much more robust espresso which would be enjoyed by a strong coffee lover.
Café Romano:
The café Romano consists of regular espresso, served with a twist of lemon or lemon peel. It is a slight twist on a simple espresso which adds a bit of fresh and zest flavor. This is a simple drink that is often enjoyed in the cafes of Italy and throughout the Mediterranean. To give yourself the feeling of an exotic vacation at home, simply add a twist of lemon to your espresso on any morning.
Americano:
An Americano is a shot or two of espresso that has been poured into a glass filled with hot water. This is an easy drink to make at home and is a nice alternative to regular drip coffee. If you enjoy strong coffee, an Americano may be a drink that you will like. Add sugar if you enjoy a sweeter coffee drink.
Caffe Americano:
A caffe Americano is made up of espresso that is cut with very hot water to fill an American size cup. If you prefer the flavor of espresso, and have an espresso machine at home, making a caffe Americano is a good choice for you. You will have a larger amount of coffee, bit the same qualities of an espresso.
Caffe Mocha:
A caffe mocha can be prepared in a variety of ways. Basically, it is a chocolate flavored cafe latte. Mochas are often prepared with whipped cream on top, and are a very popular coffee shop favorite. Some mochas are made even more decadent with rich dark chocolate shavings sprinkled atop the whipped cream.
Cafe Noir:
The phrase "café noir" describes coffee served without cream or milk. It is the French translation of "black coffee." If you are feeling sophisticated, try ordering a café noir with your breakfast and hopefully your waiter or waitress will understand your French. Don't hold it against them if they don't know you are merely ordering your coffee black.
Cappuccino:
Cappuccino gets its name from the Italian order of Catholic Capuchin monks, whose hooded robes resemble the drink's cap of foam in shape and color. The frothed milk from the top of the steaming pitcher is spooned on top to "cap" the cappuccino and retain heat. The proportion of espresso to steamed and frothed milk for cappuccino is usually 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk and 1/3 frothed milk on top.
Doppio:
A doppio is a double shot of espresso. If you are really in need of a quick pick me up, this double serving of espresso could be the perfect solution. A doppio is served in a demitasse, or a half size cup. Depending on your personal preferences, drink a doppio plain or with some sugar added. Also see solo.
Espresso:
The word espresso refers to a brewing method that extracts the heart of the coffee bean. It was invented in Italy at the turn of the century. A pump-driven machine forces hot water through fine grounds at around nine atmospheres of pressure. It should take between 18 to 23 seconds to extract a good shot. This will produce from 3/4 to one ounce of great liquid. This brewing process produces a sweet, thick and rich, smooth shot of espresso. Espresso comes from the Latin word "Expresere" which means "to press out."
Espresso Breve:
An espresso breve is an espresso with half and half added. Adding half and half to espresso makes the drink more creamy and smooth. If you enjoy milk or cream in your coffee, or enjoy the taste of espresso, this could be a drink that you enjoy. With an espresso machine at home, this is an easy and delicious drink to prepare.
Espresso Lungo:
Espresso lungo is a shot that is pulled long for a bit of extra espresso. While many believe this maximizes the caffeine, in most shops this merely produces a bitter cup. Because the beans are exposed to heat for a longer period of time, the taste of the espresso may be more bitter than a traditional espresso shot.
Espresso Macchiato:
An espresso macchiato is an espresso with a minimal amount (or "mark") of steamed milk on top. This is a drink with a strong espresso flavor and just a touch of milkiness. An espresso macchiato will often have foam in it, but the traditional preparation of the drink does not require foam, but rather milk or steamed milk.
Espresso Ristretto:
Espresso ristretto translates literally to "restricted" espresso. This drink is a shorter draw of espresso than the traditional draw. The goal of making a shorter draw is a thicker and more flavorful espresso. If you truly love the full flavor of espresso, a ristretto is a drink that you should try.
Latte:
A latte is made up of a shot or two of espresso that has been poured into a cup filled with steamed milk and topped off with about a quarter of an inch of foamed milk. This smooth and tasty drink is very popular for its high caffeine and smooth flavor. It can also be made with whole milk, low fat or even skim milk for those who are watching calories.
Ristretto:
A ristretto is the strongest and most concentrated espresso drink. It is made with about half the amount of water but the same amount of coffee as a regular espresso. It is pure, intense, and wonderful in taste. Ristretto in Italian means "restricted," or that the amount of water used to brew the espresso is restricted.
Solo:
A solo is a single shot of espresso. One shot of espresso measures one fluid ounce. When you pour a solo into a clear demitasse, you will be able to see the three main portions of an espresso shot; the crema, the body and the heart. Crema is the foamy top layer, the body is in the middle, and the heart is the very bottom and is the bitter counterpart to the crema's sweetness. Also see doppio.