What Are the Best Espresso Drinks?

There are a vast amount of espresso drinks out there, and the chances are that you might feel like you are reading Greek (or Italian) when checking out your local coffee house menu. So besides embarrassing yourself and asking your local barista for a tutorial, how are you supposed to know the difference between a Breve and a Macchiato? Well, the good news is that I am here to help you with a rundown on the components of all the espresso drinks available so that you can branch out and start sampling many of the lesser know authentic coffee wares.

The espresso itself is brewed coffee beverage with a thicker and richer consistency than your average drip coffee. It comes in a single or double shot and should be tasted within two minutes of brewing for the freshest flavor. Next is the Espresso Macchiato, which is the simple espresso topped with frothed milk that is spooned with care onto the espresso shot. For a sweeter treat, there is the Espresso Con Panna, which is espresso with whipped cream on top. The flavor will have the bite of espresso that is then smoothed out by the sweetness of the whipped cream. Very nice!

In the espresso drink variety, we will start with the Cafe Latte. I'm sure everyone is familiar with this drink, but the technical recipe is espresso topped with steamed milk and having a thin layer of foam on top, or sometimes none at all. When you serve the latte without foam, that is often called the Flat White, as it is just the espresso shot with steamed milk topping it. A richer version of the latte is the Cafe Breve, where instead of steamed milk, steamed half and half is used and topped with foam. This is greatly enjoyable but should probably be sipped less often since the calorie content is so high! After that is the classic cappuccino, which is a third espresso, a third steamed milk, and a third microfoam. Very similar to the latte, except for foam playing a larger role. Then we have the Cafe Mocha, where chocolate syrup is placed after the espresso, and then topped with a third steamed milk and  a third foam, just like the cappuccino. And finally, we come to the Americano. This drink starts with the shot of espresso and is then filled with hot water using equal parts to dilute the richness of the espresso so it is more like American coffee.

These are just the tip of the iceberg in coffee and espresso drinks, but I feel they represent all of the right components to get you started in your love affair with coffee. If you take the time to try all of the classics, then your palette for coffee and espresso will be enhanced and you will be experiencing some of the greatest flavors in coffee culture as we know it today. With these basic tools, you can order your coffee and espresso drinks just the way you like them and no longer feel bashful when trying something new at your local coffee house. The history of espresso is as rich as the complexities of its flavor, and I am happy to recommend to you even more choices to enjoy as you sip your daily java.