"Thanks" to Americans for their invention and creation of traditional Italian coffee culture, it is now difficult for us to understand the espresso-based drink menu in coffee shops, and even harder to distinguish which coffees have added water and which have added syrup. Macchiato is one of the most pitiful victims. Many people can tell what espresso is and which cup is cappuccino, but few can clearly explain what macchiato is. Is it a large sweet drink with lots of caramel and cream? Of course not.
 
Today, let me tell you what the most authentic macchiato really is!

 
Macchiato is a way to drink espresso in the afternoon. Another variation of espresso: cappuccino, is more suitable for drinking in the morning. Macchiato falls between espresso and cappuccino, not as strong as espresso, yet more intense than cappuccino.
 
“Macchiato”What does it mean?
 
In Italian, "Macchiato" means "marked" or "stained." Whether it is any variation of macchiato, espresso macchiato or latte macchiato, there is an implication of "marking espresso with milk." But "marking" absolutely does not mean "bleaching," "lightening," or "diluting"; this means espresso is still the protagonist, with milk merely as a slight embellishment.

 
Espresso Macchiato
Espresso Macchiato (in Italian, "Caffe Macchiato"), is the most original version of macchiato, and its preparation is very simple: just embellish espresso with milk. Its purpose is to neutralize the flavor of espresso with a small amount of milk. Compared with other espresso-based coffees, macchiato adds the least amount of milk, best preserving the original form and taste of espresso. It is simple to make: first make an espresso, then add 1-2 teaspoons of steamed milk and milk foam on top.

When to drink Espresso Macchiato?
If you prefer the strong taste of coffee but find espresso too intense and cappuccino too milky, then I recommend you try Espresso Macchiato. But remember, the serving size of Espresso Macchiato is not very large, unless you order a double.

 
Latte Macchiato
The preparation of Latte Macchiato is the opposite of Espresso Macchiato: it uses espresso to embellish steamed milk. The difference between Latte Macchiato and regular latte is that the former has more milk and less espresso. The remaining difference from Espresso Macchiato is that the protagonist of the former is milk, not espresso.

To make a Latte Macchiato, first choose a 12oz large glass, preheat it, and pour in 1/3-1/2 steamed milk. The next step, and the key step, is to pour in the espresso. Slowly pour a single shot of espresso into the steamed milk; baristas usually pour along the back of a spoon, letting the coffee leave only a "dot" in the middle of the milk. If made precisely, the bottom of the Latte Macchiato is thick steamed milk, the middle is espresso, and the top is milk foam, with obvious layers.

 
When to drink Latte Macchiato?
If you prefer the taste of milk, or want to let children try something new without having them consume too much caffeine, then I recommend you try Latte Macchiato. The coffee has a light coffee flavor, and the milk's texture is silky and delicate. You can also try adding various syrups to change the coffee's flavor.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.