How to Make Latte

Latte means "milk" in Italian. But in the US, and in other English-speaking countries, "latte" refers to several coffee beverages made with milk. In Italy, a drink of coffee mixed with milk is called Café e latte ("coffee and milk"). This is analogous to the French Café au lait ("coffee with milk"), although neither is a what we call "latte" in America.

As the term "latte" spread outside of Italy, it has come to mean a drink prepared with one third espresso and two thirds steamed milk. (Note that "steamed milk" is not the same as frothed milk. It is basically just hot milk.) Hence, "latte" has more milk - about twice as much as a cappuccino, and it is has a "milkier" taste than cappuccino. To make latte, the custom is to pour coffee and milk into each side of a cup simultaneously. This takes a little practice, and while it is nice to see this done smoothly by a waiter or a barista, don't worry if you don't do it this way.

In the U.S., the term "latte" is fairly recent. It was spread by the 1980s Seattle coffee craze to the rest of US with the growth of Starbucks. A nice visual touch (done by professionals called "baristas") made to the latte is designs created in the milk patterns as it is swirled into the espresso. Professional barristas learn pouring techniques that allow them to create fancy patterns (hearts, flowers, leaves) on the surface of the latte.

In 1980 (pre Starbucks) if you ordered a "latte" in an Italian coffee house in the U.S. you would have probably got a glass of milk. However, if you ordered a "café latte," you would have got what we now call a "latte." Even today, if you are in Italy, don't order "latte" unless you want to drink milk. Order "café latte" to get latte.

In some coffee houses, latte is served in a glass on a saucer and with a napkin to hold the hot glass. The baristas heat the milk to about 150F, above which the milk changes its flavor. Typically a latte contains a shot (1-1.5 oz.) of freshly brewed espresso and is topped with twice as much steamed milk. In other coffee houses, latte is served in a cappuccino cup so as to allow the barista more space in which to show his skill at decorating the surface.

If you want to prepare Latte at home, you will need a half a cup of milk and a quarter cup of freshly brewed espresso. Froth the milk slightly (just like for making a cappuccino, but don't double it in volume - this can be done by immersing the wand more deeply into the milk so as not to create too many bubbles), or heat it gently in a saucepan on low heat until it creates a little bit of foam. (Remember that you shouldn't heat it above 150 degrees, or its flavor will change.)

Finally, pour the hot prepared espresso into a cappuccino cup or into a glass, and add the warmed milk to it. If you can, you should pour the steamed milk and the espresso into the cup (or glass) simultaneously.

...written by your friends at The Coffee Brewers