CULINARY INFO
Coffee : Types

"I want my coffee as black as the devil, as hot as hell, as pure as the angel and as sweet as love"
Talleyrand

Remember the day when you ordered a coffee and it was just a warm, watery, black liquid with maybe milk and sugar? Now asking for a coffee is a different story, its a whole new adventure. With menu's purely for the coffee and all the different ways it can be served.

Below you will find a list and explanation of all those names you see at your local coffee shop, restauramt etc. Many of them are very traditional, some are fairly recent ideas, some are just misunderstood or bastardised versions of the real thing. For the latter I have given the true definition of.

Espresso
Let us start with what all good coffees should start with; an espresso. Often mis-spelled Expresso; an espresso has nothing to do with quickness, the name is actually derived from the Italian/Latin phrase 'expresere' that means "that which is pressed or to press out"

Espresso is a strong, thick, satisfying, smooth full-bodied coffee served in a tasse (small cup), it should be topped with a hazelnut coloured ‘crema’. This crema comprises of thousands of microscopic oil bubbles giving a thick, foamy cream which can remain on the coffee for some minutes.

It is normally a one-ounce shot of intense, rich black coffee. A pump-driven machine forces hot water or steam through fine grounds at around nine atmospheres of pressure.

From your basic espresso can come the following derivative drinks:

Espresso Breve: Espresso with light cream.
*Espresso Lungo: A shot that is pulled long for a bit of extra espresso While many believe that this maximises the caffeine, in most shops it merely produces a bitter cup
*Espresso Macchiato: Espresso with a minimal amount of steamed milk on top
*Espresso can Panna: A shot of coffee topped with whipped cream
*Espresso Ristretto: Literally "restricted" espresso. A shorter draw. The goal being a thicker and more flavourful espresso

Affogatto
A scoop of vanilla icecream served in a regular size glass with a shot of espresso coffee

Americano
A shot or two of espresso that has been poured into a glass filled with hot water

Babyccino
This is something I am seeing more and more of in cafes and known by a variety of names. It is essentially just a cup of warm milk with the froth found on a cappuccino and sprinkled with nutmeg or chocolate. It derived from children wanting to drink like thier parents. Sometimes served with marshmallows in it. Contains no coffee

Breve
This is a latte made with steamed half and half cream. Since the cream has a higher fat content, less foam is produced

Cappuccino
Named after the colour of the Capuchin monk's habit, which is light/darkish brown with a white hood. In fact the word for hood, "cappuccio" is also often used.

A cappuccino is shot of coffee, followed by less than half a cup of steamed milk and a head of foamed milk spooned on to contain the warmth. The proportion of espresso to steamed and frothed milk for a good cappuccino is typically 1/2 espresso, 1/4 steamed milk and 1/4 frothed milk on top<

Doppio
A double shot of espresso, sometimes wrongly known as a long black

Flat white
A shot of espresso in a normal size coffee cup topped up with hot milk

Frappuccino
An iced coffee often made with a double shot of espresso, chilled milk, ice, sugar sometimes cream or ice cream are added and either shaken like a cocktail or blended in a food processor

Latte
A shot of coffee, with a healthy covering of hot steamed milk and up to a quarter of inch of foamed milk on top

Machiatto
The Italian word for "marked". Straight espresso marked with a dollop of warm froth

Mocha
Chocolate syrup on the bottom of the cup, topped with espresso, steamed milk and often whipped cream and sprinkled with cocoa or grated chocolate

Moka
Not to be confused with the above 'mocha'. Moka is the type of coffee/espresso obtained when a moka is used: a stove top espresso maker