

The name macchiato comes from Italian, and it means marked, stained, or spotted. In the most basic terms, it is an espresso with a dash of milk. What is a Macchiato?Ī macchiato is sometimes known as an espresso macchiato or a caffè macchiato. This guide will provide you with all the information you could need or want about the macchiato. If you’re not familiar with the marvel that is the macchiato yet, you’ve come to the right place. Of course, it’s lovely to have a choice when it comes to selecting your morning blend, but what happens when some of the names on the menu mean nothing to you? Do you plump for tried and tested favorites, or do you take the plunge and try something new? If you don’t want to take any chances and ruin your morning, it’s wise to read up on different types of coffee and find out more about them. You may be familiar with some, but have you heard of them all? If you wander into any good coffee shop these days, you’ll be greeted with a host of attractive-sounding coffee options. The espresso may be brewed into a standard espresso cup or shot glass and then swiftly dumped in, or may be brewed into a specialized espresso brew pitcher, which makes pouring easier, particularly for layering.What is a macchiato? Great question! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know. In this case a glass is essential for the layers to be visible. The frothing is generally extensive, yielding significant light, "dry" foam, with a layer of liquid milk underneath, rather than the "wet" microfoam used in latte art.Īlternatively, it may be prepared as a layered drink, with the espresso gently poured (most gently out of a small espresso brew pitcher, over the back of a spoon) so that it forms a layer between the denser liquid milk below and the lighter foam above.

The macchia is the little "spot" of crèma left on top of the milk to clearly distinguish that the beverage is a latte macchiato and not a caffè latte, where the espresso traditionally has been added before the milk, hence having no "mark." Conversely, caffè macchiato, another similarly named beverage, is actually espresso "stained" with a small amount of milk.Ī latte macchiato may be prepared simply by frothing milk, generally producing generous foam, pouring it into a glass, and adding espresso. In a caffè latte, the emphasis is on the coffee, while in a latte macchiato, the emphasis is on the milk. Finally, a latte macchiato is often a 'layered' drink, rather than being mixed as in a caffè latte. A latte macchiato often uses only half an espresso shot or less. Second, a latte macchiato features more foam rather than simply hot milk. First, in a latte macchiato, espresso is added to milk, rather than milk to espresso as in a caffè latte. Latte macchiato differs from caffè latte in several ways.

It is a play on “Espresso macchiato,” an espresso with a dollop or two of milk or cream. Latte macchiato ( Italian pronunciation: ) is a coffee beverage the name means stained or marked milk, which refers to the espresso stain on the milk used.
