We’re still enjoying the holidays here at Seattle Coffee Gear! We know a lot of people are getting new coffee equipment, but may not quite be experts at using it yet. If you find yourself with some demanding guests and brand new gear you might not be familiar with the drinks they like. That’s where this handy guide comes in! We’ll give you the basics on the drinks you’re likely to hear about.
Latte
This is a simple one, but if you don’t already know, a latte is a basic combination of steamed milk and espresso. For espresso, just about any shot will do. For the milk, you’ll want to steam it so that it has a consistency like wet paint, incorporating just a bit of air into the surface of the milk. This will give you a rich, thick microfoam that’s perfect for pouring a bit of art (but don’t worry, that’s a bit advanced!
Cappuccino
A cappuccino is similar to a latte, but with dryer foam. A traditional cappuccino, in fact, is almost all foam. When you lift a drink like this you might not even realize that it has any milk in it at all because the foam is so light. To achieve this, you’ll just want to incorporate more air into the milk while steaming. You’ll find that the milk will “grow” to fill the pitcher as you generate more foam. Be careful though, you don’t want big, bubbly foam. It should still have a smooth, consistent texture.
Flat White
A flat white is very similar to a latte, but with more espresso. If you’re making a latte and a flat white, just double the amount of espresso you’re using for the flat white. Flat whites also typically have a bit less foam on top compared to a latte, and are overall a bit of a smaller beverage.
Americano
An americano is a very simple espresso drink. You’ll start with 1-2 shots of espresso, and then just add hot water on top of it. It creates a drink somewhat similar to a drip brew, but with a richer, sweeter flavor.
Macchiato
A macchiato is a very simple drink if served in the traditional style. It’s just a double shot of espresso with a dollop of cappuccino-like milk foam on top, typically served in a small cup. Keep in mind though that your guests might be asking for a big coffee chain style macchiato, which is essentially a wetter cappuccino with less foam than we describe above.
There are many more espresso drinks to explore with your new machine, but this should get you started!
