How to Talk "Coffee Shop"
Posted: Saturday, December 18, 2010
by Jason Collmorgen
http://www.tasteofbatonrouge.com
I'll take a grande mocha non-fat latte with one pump of peppermint, please. I also need an iced single venti, caramel sauce on bottom, no whip mocha. Say that again? I'm trying to prevent a headache by ordering some caffeine, not trying to induce one!
Forget the grande or vente, one pump of this, none of that part. Some of us don't even understand the difference in a coffee, latte, espresso, cappuccino, latte, or mocha! Ok... let's stop and take a breath. Now... let's get down to the very basics.
Espresso is a very strong coffee beverage made by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Because of its thicker texture and stronger flavor it is usually used as the base for other coffee drinks.
A latte is simply espresso and steamed milk and is often the base for other coffee beverages. At most coffee shops you can specify whether you want the milk to be low-fat or non-fat. You can also add flavored syrups. When chocolate syrup is added it becomes a mocha. Mochas are usually topped with whip cream, but you can ask to leave this off if you choose.
A cappuccino is a little more complex, but it is one of the most popular of the espresso drinks. The bottom third of the drink consists of espresso, the middle steamed milk, and then it is topped with foamed milk. The foam is sometimes sculpted to a peak. Sugar, chocolate shavings, cinnamon or other spices are often added on top of the foam.
Another popular coffee drink is the Americano which consists of espresso and hot water. This is basically a diluted espresso coffee.
Most coffee shops offer a variety of specialty drinks as well which consist of various flavored syrups, amounts of foam, and other additives. Iced and frozen versions of coffee drinks are also common. In addition you might also find fancy hot chocolates and a variety of teas.
When it comes to size, this varies by cafe, but your small is usually referred to as a short, a medium is referred to as a tall, and a large is often referred to as a grande (grahn-day). Some places, such as Starbucks, offer an even larger size called a venti.
Now that we've taken the mystery out of coffee ordering, we're on our way to the start of a headache free day!
Author Bio: Susan is a contributing editor for an online Baton Rouge, Louisiana guide providing information on dining in Baton Rouge.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)I like your choice of article! I think Susan has written a great one, it was fun to read.
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