When you walk into a coffee shop or coffee house you may be surprised at the variety of drinks that are available. This plethora of options may have something to do with the fact that these coffee shops are springing up everywhere. The owners may be trying to come up with new types of coffee drinks that will set their location apart from the rest, while still selling the better known standard drinks as well.
For those of us who are not quite sure of the difference between a cafe au lait (French for coffee with milk) and a latte (which some consider to be a cappuccino with more milk), then perhaps we can help shed a little light on the different flavored coffees and other coffee drinks that are available at your local cafe bar.
First, one that everyone should know is the simple cup of black coffee, which is normally a drip brew, percolated or made using the French press style and served straight (no milk). The Americano actually started as an insult to Americans who were not up to drinking full espressos, so they concocted one with one shot espresso added to 7 ounces of water. Another type of coffee drink is the caffè latte (Italian for coffee and milk), which is essentially a shot of espresso put into steamed milk; the ratio of milk compared to coffee should be about 3 to 1.
The cafe au lait is similar to a caffe latte, except the au lait is made with brewed coffee rather than espresso, and the ratio of milk compared to coffee is about 1 to 1. This gives it a much less intense taste. Your cafe bar may also offer a café Macchiato, which has one espresso shot added to steamed milk and it is normally a 4 (coffee) to 1 (milk) ratio. A frappe is a favorite in Europe and Latin America during the summer months. It was originally served as a cold espresso but lately it has been prepared by putting 2 teaspoons of instant coffee with sugar, water and ice. It is placed in a long glass and you can add milk if you so desire, so that it more like a coffee milkshake.
If you have spent any time at all in a coffee house then you have likely tried a cappuccino, which usually has equal parts of espresso, frothing milk and steamed milk. Many times this type of coffee drink will have flaked chocolate bits or cinnamon on top. The café Breva is a cappuccino that is made with half and half milk rather than whole milk. The theory is that the mix will give a richer and creamier flavor; however, half and half is much harder to foam so some places may not offer it.