Know Your Espresso: Cortados, Macchiatos, & Flat Whites
Walking up to a specialty coffee counter can feel like trying to read a foreign language. Espresso menus feature a range of compact milk drinks that sound similar but deliver vastly different experiences. While a standard latte is familiar to most people, items like the cortado, macchiato, and flat white usually bring questions. Sorting out these differences comes down to three details: the ratio of espresso to milk, the texture of the milk foam, and the overall serving size. Each drink brings out distinct characteristics in the coffee. Once you know how they differ, you can order with confidence and get the exact strength and mouthfeel you prefer. The Baseline Elements Before breaking down individual drinks, it helps to understand the core components of every espresso order. The Espresso Shot The foundation starts with a properly extracted shot of espresso. Water is forced under high pressure through finely ground beans. A standard double shot (a doppio) yields roughly 1.5 to 2...
