The delicious, multi-layered Macchiato begins with milk steamed until it's stretched and smooth to bring out its natural sweetness and is topped by a dense, creamy foam. Then rich espresso is poured over and through the foam, where it mixes with the milk and creates a brown mark on top. Finally, the barista signs their work of art with a crosshatch of sweet caramel sauce.
The Piccolo Latte, what is this little drink we have seen popping up on cafe menu's? This small but mighty little beverage has grown in popularity over the last 10 years but what exactly is it and what is all the fuss about?
As the Italian word Piccolo suggests, this drink is small but you shouldn't underestimate it. The genius of a Piccolo Latte is that this drink is based on a Ristretto shot of coffee. A Ristretto is an extraction of espresso that produces about 15-20mls of liquid. This is the best of the best when it comes to espresso extractions, smooth & full bodied yet misses out on the acidity that is apparent with longer extractions.
An affogato is an Italian coffee-based dessert. While Italians have enjoyed it for years at the end of a meal, it became more popular in North America as a beverage when Starbuck’s put Affogato-style Frappuccino blended beverages on their menu. Hot espresso poured over an icy Frappuccino made beautiful pockets of rich coffee as it mingled with icy coffee and cream.
In summary, you can make cold brew on the weekend and pour yourself cold brew from the fridge every morning that week. No boiling water. No fussing with a coffee maker. As someone who is 100% not a morning person, cold brew coffee is a total game changer.
