A Nice Cuppa

The following list is not intended to include all beverages made with coffee but as a reference guide to some traditional and a few unusual ones. Enjoy!

Espresso Based Coffee Drinks

It is imperative to note that to make spectacular drinks, you’ve got to start with great tasting, high quality fresh coffee. No amount of sugar, milk, syrups or other flavorings will hide a poor tasting base. Therefore no good espresso based drink will ever be good if it doesn???t begin with a perfect espresso. The only way to ensure your coffee is fresh is to roast it yourself, or buy it straight from the roaster.

Here are the most common espresso based beverages:

Straight Espresso
This is Italy???s most commonly consumed coffee drink, but is not as common in the US. Part of the reason is because the American palate is not as accustomed to the strength of straight espresso. In addition, American roasters frequently over-roast the beans leaving a bitter taste.

Another reason is that although coffee making and coffee bars have been part of the culture and history all over the world, the concept has been adapted to the US market and lifestyle. The result of this unfortunately, is that many coffee bars have neglected to properly train their baristas. Baristas are the ???chef” of coffee who has been properly trained to know the craft of coffee preparation and customer service skills.

There are several variations of the straight shot. Espresso should always be extracted into a pre-warmed demitasse so it doesn???t cool too fast. If possible, only grind right before you brew and store the beans in an airtight container to retain freshness.

Ristretto (or short shot)
Ristretto means restricted in Italian. This is a shot that is stopped about half that of a regular espresso shot. This restricted extraction creates a smaller, stronger shot and 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
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.

Espresso con Leche
One shot of espresso with a small amount of steamed sweetened condensed milk, dusted with semisweet chocolate powder.

Americano
One shot of espresso added to a 6 to 8 ounce cup of hot water. This makes a smooth cup of coffee similar to drip brewed. In other words an Americano is an espresso with added water to dilute the intensity.

The Americano is a variation that came about during the fifties. It is believed that when American tourists would order coffee they would get something much smaller and stronger than what they were used to. The baristas were asked to add more water and they would comply while muttering ???Americano??? under their breath. In Europe this type of coffee is commonly served with the hot water on the side and in Latin America, caf?? Americano refers to drip coffee.

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.

Espresso Romano
There???s a rumor that in Old Rome, dishwashing facilities were limited and lemon was used to disinfect. They rimmed the glass with lemon to prevent the germs from lingering and thus Espresso Romano was created. It is a cup rubbed with lemon and filled with an espresso.

Cappuccino
Cappuccino is considered by many to be the hardest to prepare properly and the result of this leads many Americans to 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. 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 base of every good cappuccino is a good espresso. Everything else seems to vary and there are many interesting variations around the world.

Classic Cappuccino
One espresso with equal amounts of steamed and foamed milk served in a 5-6 oz cup

Dry Cappuccino
One espresso with more foam than steamed milk. This results in a more intense espresso flavor.

Wet Cappuccino
One espresso with more steamed milk than foam creating a lighter tasting cappuccino.

Double or Doppio Cappuccino
Made with two espressos with steamed milk and foam. Not double in size but in strength.

Caffe Latte
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.

Caffe Mocha
A cafe mocha is a variation of the latte but with chocolate syrup added before 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.

More Coffees

Caf?? cortado
???Cut coffee??? It???s a cup of coffee with a small amount of hot milk

Caf?? con leche
This varies from country to country. In some it means an equal amount of coffee and hot milk and in other places, like Mexico, it is strong brewed coffee or espresso served in a milkshake glass with a long spoon (to prevent the glass from cracking) and steaming hot milk poured tableside. It is traditional to serve this with churro.

Caf?? brul??, quemado (burned) o Diablo (devil)
A glass of brandy or cognac heated with a lemon rind. Coffee is added and a little brandy is burned in a spoon with a sugar cube.

Viennese Coffee
Coffee with fresh whipped cream garnished with chocolate shavings or cinnamon.

Scottish Coffee
A cup of coffee or espresso with vanilla ice cream.

Caf?? Bomb??n
Coffee or espresso served in a glass. Condensed milk is poured over and thus will sink to the bottom. It is never served or accompanied with sugar, since the milk is sweet enough.

Caf?? Jamaicano (Jamaican Coffee)
It is prepared in a glass (like Irish coffee). A tablespoon of brown sugar and a cup of tia Maria liqueur or Khalua is poured in the glass followed by hot brewed coffee. It is topped with lightly whipped cream and powdered coffee.

Caf?? criollo (Creole Coffee)
A yolk is beaten with a cup of aged rum and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. A Caf?? con leche of equal part milk and coffee is poured while mixing very well in the glass.

Mexican Caf?? de Olla
An earthy mixture of coffee, (usually Viennese roast) cooked with cinnamon, aniseeds, and piloncillo (sugar in the raw from Mexico). This drink is traditionally prepared in an earthenware pot called Olla. The earthenware lends some of the special flavor to this drink.

Spanish Macchiato
Steamed Mexican chocolate and sweetened condensed milk poured over an espresso. The milk mixture is poured from the pitcher to a demitasse, shaking from side to side creating a marbling effect.

Caf?? Cubano
This Cuban variation produces a sweetened cup of espresso by adding refined sugar to ground coffee prior to brewing. (About 2 teaspoons of sugar per shot of espresso)

Caf?? Mezzo Mezzo
This means half and half and it is a cup or mug filled halfway with freshly brewed coffee and filled the rest of the way with steamed milk.

Caf?? Au Lait
Similar to the Caf?? Mezzo Mezzo. This is the French version of equal amounts of coffee and milk.

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 helps the syrup dissolve and mix thoroughly.

Also any of these drinks can be made cold, just use cold milk (not steamed) add ice and blend if desired.

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 cr??me, 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.

On a personal note???.

I tend to have a sweet tooth and can definitely appreciate a little sweetness and flavor in my coffee once in a while, but I have to say I think things have gotten out of control in coffeehouses found throughout this part of the world.

Flavored coffees have become desserts in a cup. Do we really need a brownie blended in a coffee or have half a cup caramel dowsed with a cup of whipped cream! These are not for me. I prefer a good cup of coffee accompanied by a tasty treat and not a blend of both. I don???t think anyone needs a 700-calorie cup of coffee. What do you think?

Note from the Editor: Stay tuned for part two of the Coffee Beverage feature.