Italian coffee is the basis of milk coffee

Did you know that if we count the most frequently appearing words on coffee shop menus around the world, they would definitely be "latte", "cappuccino" and "mocha". The menu directly reflects the needs of customers, which means that these Italian drinks may be the most popular coffee drinks in the world! The following is a selection of the most frequently appearing items in Italian coffee drinks. Through the explanation, you can more clearly choose the Italian coffee you want.

Espresso

The espresso is only 30cc, which is about the size of the cups used in supermarket tastings. Don't order espresso without any preparation, because it tastes really strong! The sourness and bitterness are very strong. Espresso is sometimes considered a drink that only experts order, because it takes years of experience for a barista to make delicious espresso. Ordinary workers can only make bitter and astringent espresso.

Because the extraction principle of Italian coffee is quite special, it will magnify all the advantages and disadvantages. The skills of brewing and roasting beans will all be demonstrated in these 30cc.

Sometimes if you order espresso, the barista will ask you if you want a "single shot" or a "double shot". You may observe that some coffee machines also have this setting. This is because there is a diversion groove in the espresso brewing process, which introduces the coffee into two small cups, so as long as you choose a double shot, it will be full espresso (60cc in total).

The word "Latte" means milk. If you want to order a latte in European countries, you must say the full name of latte, "Coffee Latte", otherwise you will get a cup of milk. In Europe, America and Australia, the capacity of a smaller cup of latte is about 240ml. The ratio of espresso to milk is between 1:5-1:6. The thickness of the latte foam is about 1 cm or less. The foam is also fluid, so many baristas will use this feature to create black and white intervals between milk and coffee, and create various patterns and lines. This step is called "Latte Art" in latte.

The amount of latte in China is usually between 280ml and 300ml. Because the amount is relatively large, some stores will use double espresso, which is the "double shot" we just mentioned. The proportion of milk in Chinese lattes is higher, and there are many kinds of "flavored fruit juices" to produce various "flavored lattes". Latte has a high proportion of milk that blends with the taste of coffee, while at the same time enhancing the overall sweetness and roundness. If you want to drink Italian coffee with a lighter coffee flavor, latte is a good choice.

Cappuccino The word "Cappuccino" comes from Italian. The original "Cappuccino" was used to describe the brown robes of Catholic ascetics, but because the color of this coffee is very similar, it is also nicknamed "Cappuccino". The earlier names have not been passed down. Almost all Italian coffees have the difference between "European, American and Australian versions" and "Chinese versions". Should we say that the Chinese drink it more specially? The European, American and Australian versions of cappuccino are 150ml-180ml, while the Chinese version is very casual. At least I have seen it from 180ml-360ml. I think the characteristic of cappuccino is the dense milk foam with elasticity and thickness, but I rarely drink regular cappuccino in China. Generally speaking, there is no strict distinction between latte and cappuccino. The concentration of cappuccino is the same as that of latte, and the proportion of milk is less than that of latte. At the same time, more air will be injected into the milk to produce the milk foam, and the thickness of the milk foam will exceed 1 cm. If you want a stronger espresso, but are not ready for espresso, cappuccino is your choice.

Mocha is not only a place of origin, but also a coffee variety and an Italian coffee drink. In the past, the coffee exported from the port of Mocha in Yemen was called Mocha coffee. This coffee has the flavor characteristics of chocolate. I don’t know if it is based on this feature that later people called Italian coffee with chocolate added "Mocha coffee".

Con Panna is all about fresh cream. The method is very simple but timeless. Just squeeze fresh cream into espresso. That's it. Although the method is simple, there are different ways to drink it. Some drink it separately, some mix it, and some drink it in layers. All methods come down to espresso and fresh cream. This menu is also a display of the shop's confidence in its craftsmanship. After all, it is very close to drinking espresso alone. So ordering a cup of Con Panna depends on how much you trust the barista.

Americano is not brewed with a drip coffee pot, but a drink made by diluting espresso with water. When Italian coffee culture first spread to the American continent, Americans were not used to strong espresso, so they came up with the method of diluting it with water, which made the fast brewing culture of Italian coffee popular all over the United States. I think drinking Americano is a good practice to learn how to taste espresso. If you are not used to espresso at first, but want to learn how to taste it, you might as well start with Americano, because lowering the concentration can help you taste the coffee more easily. As you practice more, gradually reduce the amount of water for dilution, and soon you will be able to face espresso directly.

Piccolo means piccolo, a new drink developed from the Italian coffee culture in Australia, and has spread to Europe and the United States. The reason is that many Australian coffees are not roasted deeply, so the capacity of the original latte is reduced to 90ml, in order to preserve the original coffee taste. Here is a reminder, do not confuse Piccolo with Macchiato! The capacity of Macchiato is about 30ml plus a little milk foam (not milk), so Piccolo is more like a smaller version of Latte in proportion.

Flat White Coffee The coffee culture in Australia and New Zealand is like the Galapagos Islands, which is isolated from civilization. It has bred its own unique subspecies. In the more than 200 years since Italian coffee culture entered the New Zealand and Australia region, it has also evolved into a unique coffee culture with regional isolation. Piccolo is one kind, and Flat White is also one. "Flat White" literally means that there is a flat layer of white on the top of a cup of beverage. Its capacity is not fixed and is generally around 150ml-210ml. The coffee taste is between cappuccino and latte, and the thickness of the milk foam is less than that of latte, usually around 5mm-8mm. In fact, its method and modulation ratio are very open. To this day, many baristas are still arguing about the regular formula ratio of "Flat White". In any case, Flat White has spread from New Zealand and Australia to become popular all over the world. Even many well-known coffee chains have begun to add this new blood to their menus. For example, Starbucks' "Flat White" is Flat White Coffee. The above-mentioned Italian coffees roughly cover the popular drinks on the menu. In fact, there are five types of Italian coffee simply mixed with milk. However, we don’t need to be so serious when ordering coffee, because these simple concepts are just to help readers quickly understand the differences between each type of coffee.