| Some may find it a bit daunting to walk into a | | | | The cafe au lait is similar to a caffe latte, except |
| coffee shop or coffee house today and look over | | | | the au lait is made with brewed one rather than |
| the menu of the many different varieties of | | | | espresso, and the ratio of milk compared to this |
| coffee drinks that are being offered. There has | | | | wonderful drink is about 1 to 1. This gives it a |
| definitely been an increase in the varieties available | | | | much less intense taste. Your cafe bar may also |
| and that may be because there are so many of | | | | offer a cafe Macchiato, which has one espresso |
| these locations today. Every one of them is | | | | shot added to steamed milk and it is normally a 4 |
| looking for their own special blend, as well as | | | | (coffee) to 1 (milk) ratio. |
| offering the more standard fare. | | | | A frappe is a favorite in Europe and Latin America |
| For those of us who are not quite sure of the | | | | during the summer months. It was originally |
| difference between a cafe au lait (French for | | | | served as a cold espresso but lately it has been |
| coffee with milk) and a latte (which some | | | | prepared by putting 2 teaspoons of instant coffee |
| consider to be a cappuccino with more milk), then | | | | with sugar, water and ice. It is placed in a long |
| perhaps we can help shed a little light on the | | | | glass and you can add milk if you so desire, so |
| different flavored coffees and other drinks alike | | | | that it more like a coffee milkshake. |
| that are available at your local cafe bar. | | | | If you have spent any time at all in a coffee |
| Black one is rather obvious, and it is straight (no | | | | house then you have likely tried a cappuccino, |
| milk) and is usually percolated or drip brewed. The | | | | which usually has equal parts of espresso, frothing |
| Americano drink was intended to be an insult to | | | | milk and steamed milk. Many times this type of |
| Americans who could not handle full espressos, so | | | | coffee drink will have flaked chocolate bits or |
| they invented this one that has a single shot of | | | | cinnamon on top. The café Breva is a |
| espresso and about 7 ounces of hot water. The | | | | cappuccino that is made with half and half milk |
| next type of coffee drink is the caffe latte, which | | | | rather than whole milk. The theory is that the mix |
| is essentially a single shot of espresso in steamed | | | | will give a richer and creamier flavor; however, |
| milk, with the ratio of milk compared to coffee at | | | | half and half is much harder to foam so some |
| 3 to 1. | | | | places may not offer it. |