Are you someone who has no clue about coffee bar slang? Are all those expressions concerning espresso more than
you can keep straight? It’s really not as bad as it seems. The entire coffee bar menu can be sorted into four categories, as follows:
Espresso is the cornerstone on which three-quarters of the coffee bar creations rise or fall. Made from extremely finely ground coffee, tamped into a filter, and put into an espresso machine, it is slammed by water heated to between 190 and 197 degrees Fahrenheit–the barista should know just the right temperature for the coffee involved–at 120 to 150 psi, or eight to ten times the air pressure at sea level. The thick, dark beverage which emerges is espresso. A single one ounce serving of espresso has the kick of three cups of regular coffee, because it is so concentrated.
Lattes are espressos heavily diluted with steamed milk, half-and-half, or cream. The ratio of espresso to dairy product ranges from 1:3 to 1:7. Lattes are more popular with American adults than with Europeans, who would consider it appropriate for children.
The third category, cappuccino, resemble lattes somewhat, with a different basic composition. Cappuccinos have a 1:1:1 ratio of their three ingredients, espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk. The barista will pour the espresso and steamed milk simultaneously, and spoon the frothed milk on top of them. If you prefer a smooth drink to a foamy one, skip the cappuccino in favor of a latte.
The fourth option, and stand-by for those who don’t want a coffee, the understanding of which requires a degree in engineering, is the non-cappuccino based Café au Lait.
Translated from the French, it means coffee with milk. And that’s what it is. Half dark, hot, rich, sweet coffee, and half fresh steamed milk. You decide about caffeinated or decaf, and non-fat, skim, or regular.
All first-rate Café au Lait requires is fresh coffee and milk. Not milk that has been sitting on the counter since the last order, but fresh, cold milk straight out of the refrigerator. Just like you would serve at home.
