Coffee Drink Basics

Have you ever been to Coffeebean or a modern-day coffee-
house and had to struggle to order coffee? I have. Fret no
more as the article below will give you a lesson on the
different types of coffee available.

When you enter a coffee house, you have a multitude of drink
choices like latté, cappuccino, straight shot and caffé mocha
just to name a few.

Sometimes knowing what to order can be overwhelming
unless you know what you are getting. After all, who wants to
pay an outrageous amount of money for a mystery drink that
you may not even like?

So PerfectCoffees.Com has come to the rescue, and after you
read this, you'll have a basic understanding of how the most
popular coffee drinks are made and what they are made of.

Most coffee drinks start with espresso and espresso is just
coffee that is brewed a certain way. It is finely ground to
almost a powder then very hot water is forced through the
grounds under intense pressure. The brewing process is
timed so that the flavorful and aromatic oils are extracted
from the coffee and not the bitter components. This produces
a strong flavored, but not bitter, concentrated shot of coffee.

Straight Shot
The straight shot refers to espresso coffee and the secret to
good espresso is the extraction time, volume, and golden
crema which is a thick light brown layer of frothed coffee oils
that float on top of a properly extracted espresso.

The short shot or ristretto is extracted to a volume of three-
quarters of an ounce. The shorter restricted pour magnifies
the essence of the coffee and the chance of any bitter
elements being extracted is minimized. If you have ever
ordered an espresso shot in Europe they usually serve the
ristretto.

The long shot or lungo is extracted to a volume of one and
one-half ounces. The double shot is a 2 ounce shot using twice
as much coffee in the portafilter. The correct way to serve a
straight shot is to extract it directly into a warmed demitasse
cup. The warm demitasse cup will keep the straight shot warm
and prolong the crema. A straight shot is best enjoyed
immediately after brewing. It is rare to see people drinking
straight shots of espresso in the US. Most people here drink
variations using steamed milk mixed with the shots to make
the different coffee drinks listed here.

Espresso Macchiato
The Espresso Macchiato starts with a shot of espresso and
then a small amount of foamed milk is spooned over the shot.
Macchiato in Italian means "marked," as the espresso is
marked with foam.

Espresso Con Panna
This is an Espresso Macchiato using whipped cream in place
of the foamed milk. The drink gets its name Con Panna which
means "with cream."

Caffé Americano
The Caffé Americano is a drink similar to American brewed
coffee. It is made with a single or double shot of espresso
combined with 6 to 8 ounces of hot water out of an espresso
machine. The result is a very smooth cup of coffee that is
much hotter than brewed coffee.

Cappuccino
Cappuccino is made with a fluffy, wet foam, mixed with
espresso coffee upon the pour to create a blend of the two
flavors. Cold milk is essential, as is expertise in the foaming
process. Cappuccino has a large volume of foam making it a
lightweight drink and less filling.

Caffé Latté
Caffé Latté is similar to the cappuccino but with much less
foam and more steamed milk. A latté is made by holding back
the foam with a spoon while pouring the frothed milk from the
steaming pitcher. The caffé latté is completed by being topped
with a small amount of the held back foam. Caffé latté gets its
name from the addition of coffee to milk. For an iced latté,
cold milk is combined with the espresso and then the ice is
added.

Caffé Mocha
A caffé mocha is made by adding powdered or chocolate syrup
to a hot shot of espresso and blended. Steamed milk is then
added to the espresso-chocolate mixture and usually it is
topped with whipped cream. Iced mochas are made with cold
milk and the ice added after the coffee and chocolate have
been blended.

Flavored Coffee Drinks
Some popular coffee flavors are: vanilla, Irish creme, almond,
hazelnut, caramel and fruit flavors such as orange and
raspberry. These drinks usually start with a flavored syrup
that is mixed with hot espresso and stirred. Then steamed
milk is stirred in like in a latté. An iced version of these
flavored coffees made with cold milk instead of steamed
makes a delicious cold drink in the summer months.

So now that you know what's in the basic coffee drinks, try
one you haven't tasted yet. Who knows, you might find a new
favorite.

Copyright © 2004 PerfectCoffees.com. All Rights Reserved.
About The Author
Gary Gresham is the webmaster for www.perfectcoffees.com
where you can purchase quality coffee, tea, cups & mugs,
coffee gifts and delicious desserts online. He offers a free
monthly coffee newsletter at
www.perfectcoffees.com/newsletter.html.
Gary@perfectcoffees.com