Coffee Please

Coffee. That early morning jump starter. If you are like me, it’s just part of my “get up and get going” routine. And I just love the smell of fresh coffee – right after grinding, and also when it’s brewing. I like mine simple various breakfast blends)  Jackie and the girls will tell you that my coffee is just like me…sensitive (or just hot brown water)! For those who have traveled a bit in Europe, and for those who just love to visit specialty coffee shops and finer dining restaurants, you know all about coffee “options”- espresso, steamed milk, foam, etc. Across the globe, coffee – and coffee culture – has shaped the way we work, socialize, and savor our daily rituals. Today, gourmet espresso drinks are an important piece of many people’s lives, often multiple times per day (I shake my head when I see the line at Starbucks late in the day) Although I must admit there is nothing quite like a cup of steaming coffee and piece of my favorite pie or cake at 9-10 PM  to put me right to sleep! But with so many different beverage choices, how do you choose what to order? What’s the difference between a caffè latte and a flat white, and how can you know which drinks are petite pick-me-ups and which are more, ahem, “grande”?  Since there are lots of you out there who have a more sophisticated coffee palate than me here is a little history of coffee and some captivating, caffeinating explanations of well-known espresso drinks to sort it all out. So, go grab another cup, sit back, and enjoy all of the info.

According to legend, coffee was discovered by an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi in the 9th century. He noticed that his goats became more energetic after eating the red berries from a certain tree. (there should be a Kaldi blend).

The known history of coffee dates back centuries in Ethiopia and Yemen. It was already known in Mecca in the 15th century. Sufi monasteries in Yemen employed coffee as an aid to concentration during prayers. Coffee later spread to the Levant in the early 16th century.

Coffee arrived in Italy the second half of the 16th century through commercial Mediterranean trade routes, while Central and Eastern Europeans learned of coffee from the Ottomans. By the mid 17th century, it had reached India and the East Indies.

Coffee houses were established in Western Europe by the late 17th century, especially in Holland, England, and Germany. One of the earliest cultivations of coffee in the New World was when Gabriel de Clieu brought coffee seedlings to Martinique in 1720. These beans later sprouted 18,680 coffee trees which enabled its spread to other Caribbean islands such as Saint-Domingue and also to Mexico. By 1788, Saint-Domingue supplied half the world’s coffee.

By the 1850’s, Brazil became the world’s largest producer of coffee and has held that status ever since. The period since 1950 saw the widening of the playing field owing to the emergence of several other major producers, notably Colombia, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, and Vietnam.

The first coffeehouses, known as “qahveh khaneh,” appeared in the Middle East and were often referred to as “Schools of the Wise” due to their role as places for intellectual discussion. ( know I’m much smarter after a few cups in the morning!)

Here’s some info when deciding what to order:

Espresso and coffee are not different things. Espresso is a type of coffee. More specifically, it’s a method of brewing coffee that uses high water pressure and finely ground beans to make a small, concentrated shot (the term also refers to the shot itself). While darkly roasted beans have historically been more popular in Italy, where espresso was invented, any kind of coffee bean from any origin and at any roast level can be used to make espresso. One of espresso’s defining characteristics, aside from its concentrated flavor and more syrupy body, is a top layer of foam known as the crema, which is a by-product of the high-pressure extraction process. Espresso can be combined with milk (or additional water) to make other espresso-based drinks -read on…

Latte is made with one part espresso and three parts steamed milk, often topped with a small amount of milk foam. Latte means “milk” in Italian, so this drink is aptly named. In most coffee shops, if you order a caffè latte — or “latte” for short — what you’ll get is two shots of espresso poured into between 4 and 6 ounces of steamed milk. (If you order a larger size, you’ll get more steamed milk added, but the amount of espresso will stay the same — unless you request an extra shot, that is.). The modern latte we know today was established on the West Coast of the U.S., starting out on the menu at the historic Caffe Mediterraneum in Berkeley, California, in the 1950s and later popularized in cafes throughout Seattle, Washington, in the ’80s. Depending on the barista, your latte may have a small amount of foamed milk added to the top — and you may even receive a pretty design in the foam, if they’re skilled at latte art. (Just don’t order a “latte” when in Italy — if you don’t use its full name, caffè latte, you might end up with a regular glass of milk!)

Cappuccino: Similar to a latte but with equal parts of espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. Often topped with cocoa powder or cinnamon. Named in the 19th century after the tan-and-white robes of Rome’s Capuchin monks, a cappuccino is about balance. It’s a trinity of espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk — a third of each, layered in the cup, in equal amounts — served in a ceramic cup that’s a little wider and flatter than the usual coffee mug. The result is a rich drink, usually only 3 or 4 ounces in volume, with low acidity, a strong espresso flavor, and a mild sweetness from the milk. To correctly drink a cappuccino, one should not mix the elements together and instead sip it as is, with a visual demarcation between the ingredients, so that each flavor can be tasted separately. Although a cappuccino is usually served unsweetened, in the United States, the milk foam is often lightly dusted with cinnamon, while in Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K., cocoa is used in this way. Fun fact: In Italian, cappuccino means “hood,” which is how the monks themselves got their name, thanks to this feature of their distinctive robes.

Americano is made by diluting an espresso with hot water, giving it a similar strength but different flavor than traditional drip coffee. The humble Americano is a product of World War II, born of American soldiers’ attempts to recreate their good old cup of joe from back home while they were stationed in Italy. The “black coffee” of espresso drinks, the caffè Americano is just water and espresso. It contains no dairy or plant milks, and the ratio is usually one-third espresso to two-thirds hot water — although some serve it with half espresso and half water. To make this drink, one must first pour the espresso, and then add the water. Ice can be added to serve it cold. The Americano’s close cousin, the long black, is served in Australia and New Zealand, and it’s a slightly stronger beverage, due to the espresso being poured second.

Flat White comes to us from New Zealand (though some say Australia), and it’s essentially a more intense latte with a thinner layer of foam. (Or a “flatter” layer, as some might describe it; the name may also come from the unique type of foam the drink uses, as it’s flatter than the super-airy foam in, say, a cappuccino.) The flat white is only about 6 ounces total, so it’s a smaller, shorter drink than a latte, which is lengthened with more milk. This gives the flat white a more powerful espresso flavor, thanks to the higher coffee-to-milk ratio. Start with a heatproof glass, pour in a single or double shot of espresso, add about 4 ounces of steamed milk, then cap it with “microfoam,” which is made at a lower temperature, in a thin layer to the top of the beverage. This special microfoam has smaller, tighter bubbles that impart a more velvety feel, which contributes to the creamy overall mouthfeel of the drink. 

Macchiato – in Italian, the term “macchiato” translates as “marked” or “stained”, meaning a stained or marked coffee. The macchiato is an espresso coffee drink, topped with a small amount of foamed or steamed milk to allow the taste of the espresso to still shine through. The origin of the name “macchiato” stems from baristas needing to show waiters the difference between an espresso shot and an espresso with a bit of milk in it. As the latter is “marked” or “stained” by the addition of milk, it was quickly given its name to highlight the addition. Unlike the cappuccino, originally being created exclusively for that morning coffee, the macchiato is the perfect afternoon coffee. A variation, Affogato is an Italian coffee-based dessert made by pouring a shot of hot espresso over a scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato.

Are you a chocolate fan? Well, a Mocha is just a latte with chocolate in it, usually in the form of either cocoa powder mixed with sugar or chocolate syrup. Its name alludes to the port city of Mokha, Yemen, an early center of the coffee trade. As the story goes, the beans from Mokha were said to have an element of chocolate in their flavor and tone, and eventually, around the turn of the 20th century, people just started adding the chocolate themselves. A caffè mocha — or just “mocha“ for short — is traditionally served in a glass rather than a mug and is frequently topped with a dusting of cinnamon. Because it has added sugar, some people consider the mocha a dessert rather than a breakfast drink, but be careful — because it contains chocolate, a mocha can contain significantly more caffeine than other coffee drinks, so it may not be the best choice before bedtime.

The Cortado originates in Spain — the word cortado means “cut,” because it’s an espresso that’s been cut with warm milk. This is a mini-drink, usually around 4 ounces, intended as an afternoon pick-me-up, often accompanied by a pastry or some other snack. It’s simple to make, too: A cortado is half espresso and half steamed milk, usually 2 ounces of each, and it’s typically served without sugar. If you prefer your coffee a little sweeter, you can opt for the Cuban version, the cortadito, with a dab of sugar or sweetened condensed milk added.

Cold Brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in cold water for an extended period (usually 12-24 hours) and then straining it to produce a smooth, less acidic coffee concentrate. Great for summer and afternoon sips.