Decoding a Coffee Menu

It is officially time to decode a coffee menu. Coffee has it’s own lingo, and, surprisingly enough, Rosetta Stone doesn’t have a coffee-house edition out just yet. In lieu of that, here’s a cheat sheet that’s sure you are in full understanding of what to order and then how to make it at home. Yes we are trying to turn you into your very own barista... if you are not already.

Americano AKA Long Black: Two names - oy. Think expresso, but diluted. This one essentially adds water to an expresso which dilutes the flavor, but packs the same punch.

Cappuccino: 1/3 expresso under 1/3 steamed which is topped off with 1/3 milk foam. This one is a little more high maintenance than your average cup of coffee. Pay attention to the ratio of it’s three ingredients as you move on to the next item on the list…

Latte: Same ingredients as a cappuccino, but the difference is in the details. You see, a latte is comprised of an expresso shot, steamed milk and milk foam but in very different amounts. 1/6 expresso, 4/6 steamed milk and 1/6th foam. Don’t think that’ll make much difference in taste? It does. It really does.

Cortado: Popular in Latin American countries, is simply an expresso shot with atlas equal part warm/hot milk. I’d imagine that’ll allow the notoriously bitter expresso shot to go down a lot easier. Could we call it a mini high powered Latte? Probably not.

Now that you are full of caffeinated knowledge try all of these at home. Coffee like wine, takes time to develop out taste! Some of use are still stuck on light and sweet... and you know what? Maybe that's not that bad!