What Coffee Was That?

Wondering what the café menu is on about or maybe you just want to try
something new. Check out this list of some of the more well-known and
well-loved types of coffee.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is known in Australia as equal parts espresso, steamed milk
and froth. Many coffee shops will add more milk than this to produce
larger takeaway cappuccinos. For a drink in the right proportion, stick to
one third of each.

Macchiato

Cafe Macchiato is a shot of espresso (served in a demitasse cup) topped
off with velvety smooth steamed milk. The ratio is about 80% coffee to
20% milk. Many Italians add a teaspoon of sugar. Put another way, this is
a serving of espresso coffee with a small dollop of milky foam on top
WHAT COFFEE WAS THAT?

Caffe Latte

A Caffe Latte is a single shot of espresso with steamed milk. The milk is
steamed, not frothed to produce a smooth texture. There is no frothed
milk in this drink. A Caffe Latte should have approximately 120 –150 ml of
milk in it. (Note: ordering a Latte in an Italian restaurant may get you a
glass of milk so be sure to order Caffe latte.)

Ristretto

This very short and sweet coffee is a normal amount of ground espresso
coffee that has been stopped short. Water quantity will be around 20-25
ml compared to a normal shot of espresso being 30ml. The taste will
consist of the ‘sweetest’ coffee given that these are the sensations that
are first extracted from coffee.

Short Black
Strictly speaking a short black is 30 mls of espresso coffee served in a
demitasse cup. Many Australian establishments serve short black between
30 – 60 mls and it can be ordered as either ‘short black’ or ‘espresso’.
And now for some more unusual varieties…

Espresso Con Panna

This exotic sounding brew is a traditional Italian specialty. It’s simply a
single shot of espresso with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Remember,
always insist on real whipped cream, the artificial tinned product won’t
work when used in coffee.

Hammerhead

This brew definitely lives up to its name. To make a Hammerhead, draw a
shot of espresso into a regular coffee cup and then top it up with drip
coffee. This is guaranteed to give a powerful mid-afternoon lift. It’s
ultimate coffee for those who like their cuppa to be strong and black.