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Latte

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For other uses, see Latte (disambiguation).

Latte
Latte served with microfoam latte art in a South Australian café
Alternative namesCaffè latte, caffè e latte, caffellatte, caffelatte (less correct)
TypeMilk coffee
Place of originItaly
Main ingredientsEspresso, steamed milk
VariationsCaffè mocha (chocolate-flavored)

Caffè latte (Italian: [kafˌfɛ lˈlatte][1][2]), also known as caffè e latte or caffellatte, less correct caffelatte, often shortened to just latte[a] (/ˈlɑːteɪ, ˈlæteɪ/) in English,[3][4] is a coffee drink of Italian origin made with espresso and steamed milk, traditionally served in a glass. Variants include the chocolate-flavored mocha or replacing the coffee with another beverage base such as masala chai (spiced Indian tea), mate, matcha,[5] turmeric or rooibos; alternatives to milk, such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk or oat milk, are also used.

The term comes from the Italian caffellatte[6] or caffè latte, from caffè e latte, literally 'coffee and milk'; in English orthography, either or both words sometimes have an accent on the final e (a hyperforeignism in the case of *latté). In Northern Europe and Scandinavia, the term café au lait has traditionally been used for the combination of espresso and milk. In France, cafè latte is from the original name of the beverage (caffè latte); a combination of espresso and steamed milk equivalent to a "latte" is in French called un crème (un grand crème using cream instead of milk) and in German Milchkaffee.

Definition and terminology

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Definition

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Preparation of caffè latte

A caffè latte consists of one or more shots of espresso, served in a glass (or sometimes a cup), into which hot steamed milk is added.[7] The difference between a caffè latte and a cappuccino is that the cappuccino is served in a small 140 mL (5 US fl oz) cup with a layer of thick foam on top of the milk, and a caffè latte is served in a larger 230 mL (8 US fl oz) glass (or cup), without the layer of thick foam.[8] Thus, a caffè latte is much milkier than a cappuccino, resulting in a milder coffee taste. The way the milk is steamed for a caffè latte results in very fine bubbles being incorporated in the hot milk. This microfoam can be poured in such a way as to form patterns in the white microfoam and brown crema (latte art). The texture of the microfoam changes the taste and feel of the drink.[9]

A similar drink is the latte macchiato, which is also served in a glass, but the espresso is added to the glass after the steamed milk.[7] In Italy, milky coffee drinks such as caffè latte, latte macchiato, and cappuccino are almost always prepared for breakfast only.[10]

In the United States, a latte is often heavily sweetened with 3% sugar (or even more). These sweeteners usually come in the form of refined white sugars, artificial sweeteners or agave syrup.[11]

Terminology

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In English-speaking countries, latte is shorthand for caffè latte or caffellatte (from caffè e latte, lit. 'coffee and milk'), which is similar to the French café au lait, the Spanish café con leche, the Catalan cafè amb llet, or the Portuguese galão.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term caffè e latte was first used in English in 1867 by William Dean Howells in his essay "Italian Journeys",[12] but as this preceded the spread of espresso machines, this drink would have been "nothing like the lattes found today at specialty coffee shops".

The French term café au lait was used in cafés in several countries in western continental Europe from 1900 onward; however, the term café crème was used in France for coffee with milk or cream.[citation needed]

In Spanish, the phrase café con leche (lit. 'coffee with milk') is used, which is by default served in a medium or large cup, whereas the similar cortado (coffee with less milk) is served in a small cup.[citation needed]

The Austro-Hungarian Empire (Central Europe) had its own terminology for the coffees being served in coffee houses. Kapuziner is mentioned in Austrian coffee houses in Vienna and Trieste in the second half of 1700s as "coffee with cream, spices, and sugar" (being the origin of the Italian cappuccino). Melange or café au lait was introduced in Austrian cafés around 1850. In German homes, it was still called Milchkaffee.[citation needed]

History

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Origin

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The drink is thought to have "technically originated" in 17th-century Europe.[13]

The modern caffè latte appeared in the 20th century, following the invention of the espresso machine in the 19th century.[14]

Outside Italy

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Caffè latte

In the United States, latte was popularized in Seattle, Washington, in the early 1980s.[15]

In South Korea, espresso and its variants (cappuccino, latte, and caffè mocha) became popular in 2000.[16]

Serving styles

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Latte art
Latte art
  • A layered latte reverses the traditional order of creating a latte. Rather than pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso, pouring hot espresso into a glass of steamed milk will create a combination of temperature and density that will cause the latte to split into multiple density layers. The science behind the layered latte is referred to as double-diffusive convection. To make the layered latte, pour a shot of espresso into a glass of steamed milk at the same temperature. The layering of the beverage is largely dependent on variables such as glass size as well as the ratio between milk and espresso.[17][18]
  • In the United States, an iced latte is usually espresso and chilled milk poured over ice.[19] Unlike a hot latte, it does not usually contain steamed milk or foam.[20] Iced lattes often have sugar or flavoring syrups added, although purists prefer them to consist simply of coffee and milk; they also are served blended with ice.[21] The espresso can be pre-chilled (sometimes as a mixture of espresso and milk) or frozen in advance to avoid warming up the drink.[22]
  • A variation of the iced latte, known as the "bootleg latte", "ghetto latte" or "poor man's latte",[23] is an iced espresso ordered in a larger than normal cup that will be filled up with free milk from the condiment station.[24] The beverage has spawned debate at coffee shops, where an iced espresso is considerably cheaper than an iced latte.[25][26][27]
  • The sea salt latte, a variation of the traditional style latte made with a salted milk foam over an espresso-based coffee, was invented and popularized by the Taiwanese international cafe chain 85°C Bakery Cafe.[28][29]

Politics

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Calling people "latte drinkers" pejoratively has become a common political attack in some Western cultures. The popularity of espresso drinking in large cities, especially among more affluent urban populations, has caused some to consider it elitist behavior. In the United States, conservative political commentators have been known to call their opponents "latte-drinking liberal elites".[30][31][32][33] In Canadian politics, latte drinking is used to portray people as out-of-touch intellectuals and the antithesis of the Tim Hortons coffee drinker, who is considered representative of an ordinary Canadian.[34][35]

According to a 2018 study, 16% of liberals in the United States prefer lattes, whereas 9% of conservatives and 11% of moderates do.[36] The study states further that the overwhelming majority of people, whether they are liberal, conservative or moderate, express a preference for brewed coffee.[36]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ In Italian latte means 'milk'.

References

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  1. ^ "Caffè". Dizionario d'ortografia e di pronunzia. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  2. ^ "Caffè". dipionline.it. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  3. ^ "Latte – Definition of latte by Merriam-Webster". merriam-webster.com. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2008.
  4. ^ "latte – definition of latte in English from the Oxford dictionary". oxforddictionaries.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020.
  5. ^ Fry, Phoebe (February 23, 2023). "What's the Difference Between an Espresso, Americano, and More Coffee Drinks?". Real Simple.
  6. ^ "caffellatte in Vocabolario". Treccani. Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "How to order coffee in Italy".
  8. ^ "Coffee and why cup size matters]".
  9. ^ "Cappuccino vs latte".
  10. ^ Thomson, Julie (August 8, 2017). "Never Order A Latte In The Afternoon: The Rules Of Drinking Coffee In Italy". HuffPost.
  11. ^ "Caffè Latte". starbucks.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  12. ^ "Latte". Oxford English Dictionary (new online ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
  13. ^ Deyn, Matthew (June 28, 2022). "What is a latte & why is it so popular?". Perfect Daily Grind.
  14. ^ "Origins of the Latte".
  15. ^ "Americans wake up and smell the coffee". New York Times. September 2, 1992. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2017. ... espresso-based drinks with names like caffe latte ....
  16. ^ Seong, U-je (November 30, 2000). "젊음의 커피, 에소프레소가 뜬다" [Coffee of the young, espresso is rising]. Sisajournal (in Korean).
  17. ^ Klein, Joanna (December 12, 2017). "How Layers in a Latte Form". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  18. ^ Xue, Nan; Khodaparast, Sepideh; Zhu, Lailai; Nunes, Janine K.; Kim, Hyoungsoo; Stone, Howard A. (December 12, 2017). "Laboratory layered latte". Nature Communications. 8 (1): 1960. Bibcode:2017NatCo...8.1960X. doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01852-2. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 5727143. PMID 29234036. S2CID 10345342.
  19. ^ "Iced Caffè Latte". Starbucks.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  20. ^ Johns, Sherri (2005). Coffee Cafe. New Holland Publishers. ISBN 978-1-84537-037-4.[permanent dead link‍]
  21. ^ Laskin, Avner (2009). Coffee: More Than 65 Delicious & Healthy Recipes. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-4027-4937-7.
  22. ^ Moore, Victoria (April 22, 2010). How to Drink. Andrews McMeel Publishing. pp. 144–145. ISBN 978-0-7407-9845-0.
  23. ^ Charles Leroux. 2006. The bootleg latte: Would you make one? Archived 2014-07-17 at the Wayback Machine October 5. Chicago Tribune.
  24. ^ Ohrt, Andreas (November 22, 2006). "Send the Savings to the Poor Dehydrated Children of the World Who Don't Live Within a Half a Block of a Coffee Shop". Boise Weekly. Archived from the original on August 23, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  25. ^ Allison, Melissa (September 12, 2006). "Baristas Having a Cow Over Dairy 'Thefts'". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
  26. ^ Glaister, Dan (September 18, 2006). "Ghetto-lattes have baristas in a froth". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 30, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
  27. ^ Leroux, Charles (October 5, 2006). "The bootleg latte: Would you make one?". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2008.
  28. ^ Booth, Robert (August 8, 2010). "Taiwan launches 'gastro-diplomacy' drive". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  29. ^ Ulaby, Neda. "Sea Salt Latte: Is 85C The Next Coffee Craze?". www.npr.org. NPR. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  30. ^ Nunberg, Geoffrey (2007). Talking Right: How Conservatives Turned Liberalism Into a Tax-raising, Latte-drinking, Sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading, Body-piercing, Hollywood-loving, Left-wing Freak Show. PublicAffairs. ISBN 978-1-58648-531-3. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  31. ^ "The politics of me". New York Times. August 18, 1996. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2017. ...self-indulgent, self-centered, latte-drinking, DKNY-wearing, BMW-driving, inner-child-searching softies..
  32. ^ "The anti-mall". New York Times. October 9, 1994. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2017. ... hip-hopping community of MTV-watching, planet-saving, latte-sipping individualists...
  33. ^ "The". New York Times. January 11, 2004. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2017. ...government-expanding, latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New-York-Times-reading...
  34. ^ de la Court, Susan (April 6, 2012). "On Twitter, or in Tim Hortons, politicians need to listen". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2017..
  35. ^ "Is the U.S. Tea Party movement seeping into Tim Horton's territory, Canada?". Toronto Star. September 10, 2010. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2017..
  36. ^ a b Mutz, Diana C.; Rao, Jahnavi S. (2018). "The Real Reason Liberals Drink Lattes". PS: Political Science & Politics. 51 (4): 762–767. doi:10.1017/S1049096518000574. ISSN 1049-0965. S2CID 52042477. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.

Sister projects

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