Nearly everyone loves coffee. Nothing can beat the aroma and taste of a fresh-brewed cup in the morning. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing — when that rich, bold, delicious smell hits your nose you’re instantly transported to special place in your mind. And the best thing of all is that we have literally dozens of different coffee drinks to choose from to satisfy our cravings!
You don’t have to be a coffee expert or aficionado to enjoy the various types of delicious coffee beverages. All you have to know are the basics, such as the differences between normal coffee and espresso, one of the world’s most popular drinks. Once you have the basics down, you’ll have no problem sampling the wide variety of tasty coffee drinks available.
Here are some brief descriptions of the more popular coffee beverages.
Espresso
Espresso, in general, is a concentrated coffee beverage that has a much stronger flavor than regular coffee. It’s brewed by forcing hot water — usually under pressure — through very finely ground coffee beans. Because so much intense flavor is extracted during its brewing process, espresso is often used as a base for other more complex coffee drinks.
Latte
The latte is a very common coffee drink that usually contains a shot of espresso and about 3/4 of a cup of steamed milk. Lattes are often topped off with a dollop of foam created from the steamed milk.
Cappuccino
The cappuccino is another common coffee beverage that is made by combining espresso, steamed milk foam, and a small amount of steamed milk. Sugar and various spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg are often added to create a sweet and incredibly delicious coffee drink.
Café au Lait
Café au lait is made by mixing regular coffee with steamed milk, usually in a 50/50 ratio. Cream or plain milk can also be used. A small amount of steamed milk foam is added to the top on occasion. Although delicious on its own, the cafe au lait flavor can be greatly enhanced by adding a shot of mint or berry-flavored coffee syrup.
Caffè Americano
As the name suggests, Caffè Americano was created for Americans who found the very bold flavor of pure espresso to be a little too strong for their tastes. The “Americano” has caught on all over the world though and is simply plain espresso mixed with hot water, usually in about a 1:4 ratio. Milk or cream is often added to lower the acidity, just like with normal coffee.
So there you have it: five of the most common and popular coffee drinks from around the world. Try them all and you’re sure to find one or two that you love!
