Having worked at a coffee shop for the past few years while in school, I've had quite a lot of people ask me about certain drinks - what goes in a frappucino (lots of sugar, that's what), what's the difference between a latte and a cappuccino, how is an americano difference from drip coffee? So on and so forth.
So, I've decided to break it down for you. If you've never had the pleasure of having your local barista explain these drinks to you, or you're just too nervous to ask, read on! Also, feel free to comment below with any other drinks you may be curious about.
Here we go:
The Latte
Espresso, topped with steamed milk
The Cappucino
Espresso, topped with foamy steamed milk
Espresso
As it says, just a shot of espresso
Espresso Macchiato
Espresso, topped (or "marked", in Italian) with foam
Espresso Con Panna
Espresso, topped with whipping cream
The Americano
Espresso, topped with hot water
Americano Misto
An americano filled half way, topped with steamed milk
Café Misto
Half a cup of coffee, topped with half a cup of steamed milk
Other lingo that you may hear in a coffee shop when describing drinks:
Solo, Doppio, Triple, Quad
Refers to the number of shots in the drink
Brevé
Refers to the use of half and half rather than milk. Delicious in an americano misto or a café misto.
Long
Refers to the style of espresso shot being "pulled" through the machine. Long shots take longer to pull, and they are often stronger tasting.
Ristretto
The opposite of a long short. Pulled for a shorter period of time, tasting sweeter than a typical shot.
So, I've decided to break it down for you. If you've never had the pleasure of having your local barista explain these drinks to you, or you're just too nervous to ask, read on! Also, feel free to comment below with any other drinks you may be curious about.
Here we go:
The Latte
Espresso, topped with steamed milk
The Cappucino
Espresso, topped with foamy steamed milk
- Dry = More foam, less milk
- Wet = Less foam, more milk
Espresso
As it says, just a shot of espresso
- Side note: It's "ES-presso", not "EX-presso"
Espresso Macchiato
Espresso, topped (or "marked", in Italian) with foam
Espresso Con Panna
Espresso, topped with whipping cream
The Americano
Espresso, topped with hot water
Americano Misto
An americano filled half way, topped with steamed milk
Café Misto
Half a cup of coffee, topped with half a cup of steamed milk
Other lingo that you may hear in a coffee shop when describing drinks:
Solo, Doppio, Triple, Quad
Refers to the number of shots in the drink
Brevé
Refers to the use of half and half rather than milk. Delicious in an americano misto or a café misto.
Long
Refers to the style of espresso shot being "pulled" through the machine. Long shots take longer to pull, and they are often stronger tasting.
Ristretto
The opposite of a long short. Pulled for a shorter period of time, tasting sweeter than a typical shot.