A Newbie’s Guide to Different Popular Coffee-Related Drinks

By Damian Papworth

With all the different names for coffee drinks out there, it’s no wonder that people get a little overwhelmed when they’re ordering. Fortunately, with all the different styles of coffee, there’s actually usually just a simple variation on a classic drink happening. We’ll prep you for a world where hazelnut and pumpkin lattes are confusing you from what’s really going on behind the counter.

First up, here are some of the names of average drinks, but this time, instead of not understanding what they mean, you’re going to learn what the heck the difference between an Americano and a Latte really is.

Espresso Most people think that espresso is a type of coffee, and don’t realize that it’s one of the styles of coffee. If you’re looking for something high-octane, this is it. A one-ounce shot has a lot more caffeine than a regular cup of coffee, thanks to the unique process that involves pressing coffee tightly together and using very hot water.

Mocha Anytime you see the word mocha on a drink, it means that there’s some sort of chocolate flavor, usually from syrup, that’s been added. For instance, a caffe mocha is a cup where there’s a layer of chocolate at the bottom that’s then topped with steamed milk, espresso, and usually chocolate shavings or sprinkles.

Cappuccino Probably the most popular drink that people order but have no idea what they’re actually getting, the cappuccino is simply one third coffee, one third milk, and one third creamy and thick froth, from milk, too. Rather than being a pompous addition to spice up a simple coffee drink, it’s named after the Capuchin, which is the white and brown hood that monks wear.

There’s more to knowing about styles of coffee than just remembering some of the key names to the drinks. It’s even more important to know some of the processes–i.e. what heats the beans. Here are a couple of the most popular:

The French Press It’s known but a bunch of different names, but the concept is always the same. A glass container has a wire part and a plunger. The coffee goes in, almost-boiling water goes on top of it, and then you physically press the coffee with the plunger part. You use coffee that’s ground a little rougher in here, and basically are filtering the coffee to make a more delicious cup at home. Surprisingly, it really works.

The Fully Automatic Espresso Machine From semi-affordable versions given as wedding gifts to machines that literally cost the same amount as sports cars, Italy definitely perfected yet another mechanical device when the guys up in Milan invented this. For over a hundred years, these have made the best coffee you could get your hands on, and families are known for bringing over specific machines for their restaurants to do well. It basically grinds, measures, heats, and makes shots of espresso automatically. Amazing!

For the at-home folks, there’s also a stovetop version of an espresso machine, which is a cross between a coffee pot and a percolator. Of course, the Americans amongst us are used to a different style of coffee entirely, with the Mr. Coffee drip system, which unfortunately is accurately known for producing slightly sub-par tasting cups of coffee, even when great beans are used.

So the scary world of coffee vocabulary is actually nothing more than a few fancy foreign language words used to describe strong coffee, hot water, and milk in various stages of being heated. Stop worrying, and start drinking. You’ll be a coffee expert in no time.

Damian Papworth recently bought a sparkling 2 cup coffee maker, he wrote about it at the One Cup Coffee Makers website.

categories: coffee,drinks,beverages,food and drinks,food and beverages,nutrition,health,leisure

Article kindly provided by UberArticles.com

Topics: Coffee | Comments Off

Tags: beverages, Coffee, drinks, food and beverages, food and drinks, health, leisure, Nutrition

Reprint Rights

Comments are closed.