Photos

Every day in Italy we drink more than 70 millions of caffè.

Caffè - In Italy the word “caffè’” naturally implies an espresso. There is no need to specify “espresso” when ordering. It will be served in a porcelain demitasse cup “tazzina” with its own saucer and little stirring spoon. Pronunciation tip: Cahf-FEH’

Caffè Macchiato – In Italian, macchiare means to “stain” – and this espresso in a demitasse cup is stained with some hot milk, probably frothed, though no attention is placed on serving foam. This is not a mini-cappuccino.

Caffè Macchiato Freddo – An espresso served in a demitasse cup with cold or lukewarm milk on the side. It looks like a normal caffè next to a carafe of milk. It is! Many bars provide a communal container of milk on the bar, so often someone can just order a caffè and add the milk themselves. It’s best to order the caffè macchiato freddo and let the barman direct you. If you absolutely want to add the milk yourself, you can make sure to specify, “il latte a parte”.

Cappuccino – Probably the most well-known and loved coffee drink. Espresso and steamed, frothy milk added so that there is a clean layer of milk foam in a larger cup, a tazza.

Marocchino – Typicall of Milan, it is a shot of espresso served in a glass demitasse (for aesthetic reasons), with a sprinkling of cacao (added either before or after the milk, sometimes both) and milk foam spooned on top.

Latte Macchiato – Milk “stained” with coffee, and served hot in a glass cup as shown or in a tall glass, larger than a cappuccino.

Caffè Corretto – An espresso in a demitasse cup, with a “shot” of liquor of your choice. Popular liquors are grappa, Sambuca (anise-flavored liqueur), cognac.

Caffè Lungo – A setting on most espresso machines, more water is being run through the filter, resulting in a “longer” coffee. The consistency and strength is not the same as an espresso.

Caffè Stretto or Ristretto – Made with less water than a normal espresso, this caffe’ is more concentrated and strong and served in a demitasse.

Caffè d’Orzo – Espresso made from barley is a popular alternative to traditional espresso. It can be ordered as a single, doppio (double) or macchiato like a normal caffè. You can see this macchiato has some bubbles because the caffè d’orzo is not as thick as a regular caffè.

Caffè Freddo – Espresso is left to raffreddare or get cool, or is sometimes refrigerated and served cold or lukewarm.

Caffe dec or Hag – Not only is this the most popular brand of decaffeinated coffee in Italy, it can also be a way to indicate a decaffeinated coffee when ordering. It can be ordered as a single, double or macchiato like a normal caffè. (Pron: Ahg – the H is silent).

Caffè Shakerato – Coffee shaken with ice and sugar (if requested).