Latte Macchiato
Latte Macchiato vs Caffe Latte
Latte macchiato differs from caffè latte in several ways.
- First, in a latte macchiato, espresso is added to milk, rather than milk to espresso as in a caffè latte.
- Second, a latte macchiato features more foam rather than simply hot milk. A latte macchiato often uses only half an espresso shot or less.
- Finally, a latte macchiato is often a layered drink, rather than being mixed as in a caffè latte. In a caffè latte, the emphasis is on the coffee, while in a latte macchiato, the emphasis is on the milk.
The macchia (lit. ‘spot’) is the small stain of brown espresso foam, known as crema, left on top of the milk showing where the espresso shot was poured. Its presence visually distinguishes the latte macchiato from a caffè latte, as in a caffè latte the espresso is added to the cup first before the milk is mixed in.
Latte Macchiato vs Caffe Macchiato
Another similarly named beverage, caffè macchiato (also known as espresso macchiato), is actually a shot of espresso “stained” with a small amount of milk.