Espresso
Based Coffee Drinks
Never
go to Starbucks again without knowing what the different coffee
drinks are. Even better, make the drinks yourself to impress
your friends and save some money. For some it could be a small
fortune!
But
first, in order to make spectacular drinks, you've got to
start with great tasting, fresh coffee. The only way to ensure
your coffee is fresh is to roast it yourself, or buy it straight
from the roaster.
The
internet is a great place to buy fresh coffee because they
can ship it out within a day or so of the coffee being roasted!
You will love the difference in fresh roasted coffee versus
that you will get at the grocery stores.
Here
are the most common espresso based beverages:
Straight
Espresso
A
straight shot of espresso is not
as popular in the U.S. as in Europe. In fact, it is Italy’s
most commonly consumed coffee drink.
Part
of the reason is because the American pallet is not as accustomed
to the strength of straight espresso. In addition, American
roasters frequently over-roast the beans leaving a bitter
taste. To make matters worse, many coffee bars have neglected
to properly train their baristas (the person who extracts
the espresso).
Nevertheless,
here are the variations of the straight shot and remember,
always extract directly into a pre-warmed demitasse (small,
2-3 ounce cup), because the shot will cool extremely fast.
The
Straight Shot:
-
Ristretto
– (or short shot) Meaning restricted, this is
a shot that is stopped at ¾ of an ounce. This restricted
extraction ensures that only the best qualities of the
coffee are extracted and not the bitter elements. This
is the preferred straight shot in Europe.
-
The
Single – Basically a shot extracted to 1 ounce.
-
The
Lungo - (or long shot) a shot extracted to 1.5
ounces.
-
The
Double – A 2 ounce shot using twice as much coffee
in the portafilter.
The
Americano:
An
Americano is a really good way to enjoy a regular strength
cup of coffee. Simply extract a shot of espresso and fill
the rest of the 6 to 8 ounce cup with hot water. This makes
a smooth cup of coffee similar to drip brewed.
The
Espresso Macchiato:
Macchiato
means “marked” in Italian. Therefore this drink is a shot
of espresso marked with a small amount of foamed milk dabbed
on top with a spoon and served in a demitasse.
Espresso
Con Panna:
Con
Panna means “with cream” so basically this drink is the same
as a Macchiato except using a dab of whipped cream instead
of foamed milk.
Cappuccino:
By
far the most difficult coffee drink to prepare properly, there
are misconceptions about the cappuccino in the United States.
Most
Americans think of a cappuccino as espresso with dry, tasteless
foam spooned on top. When prepared properly, a cappuccino
is made with velvety, wet foam that mixes with the pour instead
of a large bubbled meringue floating on top of the espresso.
The
secret is discussed on my frothing milk page. But simply stated,
the cappuccino is a shot of espresso with steamed milk poured
in without holding back the foam (like in a latte).
The
Caffe Latte:
The
latte is the coffee drink preferred by most Americans and
is easy to prepare.
Start
with a single shot of espresso for a 6 to 8 ounce drink. Pour
in steamed milk, but hold back the foam with your spoon until
about 70% to 75% full. Then top it off with foam.
For
a larger latte (12 to 16 ounces) use a double shot to maintain
the coffee flavor.
Flavored
Coffee Drinks
When
using flavored syrups, add the syrup directly to the espresso
and then stir thoroughly before adding steamed or cold milk.
This help the syrup dissolve and mix thoroughly.
Also
any of these drinks can be made cold, just use cold milk (not
steamed) and add ice and blend if desired.
The
Caffe Mocha:
The
caffe mocha is a variation of the latte but with chocolate
syrup added before adding the steamed milk. After the milk
is added, an additional stir may be required.
Typically,
mochas are topped with whipped cream and sometimes chocolate
sprinkles.
Flavored
Lattes and Cappuccinos:
There
are many high quality flavored syrups on the market that can
flavor any kind of coffee drink. Some of the more common flavors
are vanilla, hazelnut, Irish crème, caramel, peppermint, and
butter rum.
Even
some fruit flavors do well in coffee. Just add the syrup to
the espresso, stir, and add steamed milk and stir once more.
If you like, top with whipped cream and/or sprinkles.
For
more information, check out my page on coffee
syrups.
For
drinks made from drip brewed coffee, see my coffee
recipes page.
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