For low-fat dairy or more neutral plant milks (e.g.In contrast, a nice milky latte and its variations call for more robust coffee notes to pierce through the buckets of the white stuff. Still shaking your head over what beans are best? Think of it like this: if the point of milky specialties is to create a flavor profile with fewer sharp edges, then you should aim to balance your choice of beans with the quantity and type of milk you prefer.īy that logic, you might find that a strong, dark Italian roast with the relatively small amount of milk in a cappuccino - even if it is whole milk or a distinctly sweet non-dairy alternative - is a literal and figurative kick in the teeth. That means paying careful attention to the manufacturer, variety and origins of the beans, processing methods and roast date. That’s why I believe you should always use the best, freshest and most natural ingredients. Real food doesn’t have ingredients real food is ingredients.Īnd coffee is no different. Ingredients - Only the Good Stuff Is up to SnuffĬhefs from Julia Child to Anthony Bourdain all say the same thing. Like the sound of toning down coffee’s sourness and bitterness while upping the creaminess? Welcome to the milky coffee camp. With a few tweaks, a change in roast or increased milk volume, there’s no reason you can’t be sipping pretty, even with soy, oat, coconut or a any number of non-dairy possibilities. A higher water content coupled with less fat and protein means they don’t neutralize coffee quite as effectively.īut all is not lost. If you’re wondering whether plant-based milk alternatives will do the same thing, the answer is not exactly.

Whether this makes you cheer or shudder in horror is a good indicator of which side of the milk fence you sit on. Translation? Milk masks some of coffee’s bright acidity and bitterness. Research shows that milk neutralizes acid and binds with tannins. In contrast, milk proteins interact on a chemical level with specific flavor compounds in coffee. However, the same difference also stands out between whole milk and skim milk. You can notice this difference if you think about your experiences consuming whole milk and water by themselves. Remember, coffee is mostly water.Īdd fat in the form of milk and your coffee’s mouthfeel becomes thicker, creamier and even velvety. It also influences the way liquids feel on your palate. Milk Fatsįat does well at carrying the flavors of coffee. The fats and proteins in milk make for interesting chemistry in your cup. Understanding how milk interacts with coffee flavors will help you figure out whether you prefer the blacker or whiter types of espresso drinks. Yeah, I know you think that question deserves an eye-roll. Why add milk to espresso? The answer is on the tip of your tongue. The factory settings on most super automatic espresso machines are also for one ounce espressos but you can always adjust those. Call me a purist, but I prefer the Italian style of 20 to 25 milliliters (0.7–0.8 ounces). coffee culture generally regards a shot as one fluid ounce. Check out my article on French Coffee Culture for more background on this topic. In coffee shops, you’ll often hear people ordering either a single shot or double shot of espresso to drink by itself, or commonly in conjunction with a latte, cappuccino or macchiato.Īs a rule of thumb, people in Europe are more apt to drink straight espresso, whereas people in the United States tend to want their espresso inside of a drink that uses milk. A single shot of espresso, as it’s called, contains 25 ml (0.84 oz) of espresso.Ī double shot is made in the same way, just with 14 grams (0.48 ounces) of ground coffee beans. Espresso is made by forcing steam, with a minimum of 9 bar of pressure, through a portafilter that contains 7 grams (0.24 ounces) of finely ground coffee beans.

Cafe latte vs macchiato